How to cut your food shop
Simple, practical ways to spend less on food without going without.
The short answer
Food is one of the few big bills you control every week. Small habits, repeated, add up. The biggest savings usually come from planning, wasting less and comparing unit prices, not from hunting coupons.
Plan before you shop
- Check what you already have, plan the week's meals around it and write a list.
- Shop with a full stomach and stick to the list.
- Plan to use leftovers, such as a roast one day and a curry from the leftovers the next.
- Cook bigger batches and freeze portions.
At the shop
- Compare the unit price (per 100g or per kg) on the shelf label, not the pack price.
- Own-brand products are often much cheaper and many are made to a similar standard.
- Use the reduced section for items you will cook or freeze that day.
- Check supermarket loyalty prices, which are sometimes lower than the shelf price, but only buy what you need.
Waste less
- Learn the difference between "use by" (a safety date) and "best before" (a quality date).
- Freeze bread, milk and cooked meals before they turn.
- Store fruit and veg properly so it lasts.
If you need more help
If food is a real struggle, see free school meals and Healthy Start, and check your local council for food support schemes. A local food bank can also help in a crisis. To see how much you can set aside for food overall, use the budget helper.
Where to learn more
This guide is for information only. Always follow food safety advice on packaging.