Planning your food to tackle rising food costs and fresh food shortages

The cost of food is still rising and that is making life hard for a lot of people. But you don’t have to stop eating healthy food even when costs are going up. It’s still possible to eat well and make sure that your diet has everything you need to be nourished. When it comes to dealing with rising food costs, it’s all about planning.

• Check what you already have. It’s tempting to just buy what you feel like when it comes to food. But the smart way is to look at what you already have in the cupboards, fridge and freezer. Then you can buy what you need to turn food you already have into meals. You’ll waste less food, and less money, doing this.
• Use up anything that will go off quickly first. Wasting food is a big no no when costs are high. One way to make sure you don’t do this is to focus on eating items like meat and salad first, as these will go bad more quickly.
• Plan your meals ahead. When you are planning meals you can buy in bulk, avoid waste and make sure that every meal is good for you. You’ll also never need to spend money on a take away because you’ve got no food in the house.
• Cut down on meat. Beef, chicken and fish are some of the most expensive items on any shopping bill. Eggs have gone up a lot in price recently but are still a much cheaper protein source. There are also lots of options out there when it comes to plant protein, including seeds, beans and lentils.
• Do your shopping at the right time. Look for offers and sales on the food that you like to eat and do your shopping when these are available. Sometimes, it makes sense to buy in bulk and stock up on the food that is reduced in price if it will keep. This is especially true when you’re buying store cupboard items like rice and cereal, as these will have a long use by date. Digital coupons can be a great way to lower the cost of your shopping bill and there are plenty of these online – shop around for the coupons that will give you the best discounts on the products you like.
• Grow your own herbs. Some fresh basil or parsley can add something really tasty to any meal. But they are also very expensive to buy. Most herbs are very simple to grow at home and you can save yourself a lot of money by using home grown herbs.
• Approach your shopping with flexibility. If you can’t afford something for a meal that you want to cook, is there a cheaper option that would taste and look very similar? For example, turkey is often a lower cost option than chicken.

Times are tight for everyone at the moment. However, with a little planning you can take some effective steps to help tackle rising food costs.