There’s a sure sign, which I can’t help but notice, that marks the start of another academic year. It is suddenly much easier to get through the maze of supermarket aisles. Not that I am complaining about being rammed by child-sized mini-trollies. Or about one occasion, where I was almost ploughed down by a child bombing down the cereal aisle on a bike. After all, even though my children have grown up, I am still a parent. But all parents, if they’re honest, will readily admit that doing a weekly shop is far easier, less stressful and more efficient sans sprogs. Primarily because you can choose your purchases freely and without the prospect of facing any further negotiations or arguments. Not to mention, because you also have a bit more control over exactly what you spend. Although, with the cost of living crisis hitting most families’ budgets, it is getting more difficult to make any savings when it comes to buying healthy food.
It doesn’t help that every supermarket claims to be the cheapest. Because who can you trust? ALDI has overtaken the airwaves lately with their relentless ‘Can’t Match This’ earworm of a commercial on repeat, proclaiming that they’ve been named the cheapest retailer for the past 4 years by consumer experts Which?. But they are up against more fanfare around ASDA, which has just been crowned the UK’s lowest-priced major supermarket by industry giant, The Grocer. They awarded ASDA the honour after they came out consistently lower on the price of a basket of 33 everyday items. But after reading the fine print, ASDA were only the cheapest retailer for 22 of the 49 weeks that The Grocer ran the price comparison survey. Less than half the time doesn’t really say a whole lot about ‘consistency’ in my book.
So for families trying to find ways to cut costs and still serve up healthy, nutritious meals, competing publicity stunts and awards only show that none of the supermarkets are particularly cheap. In fact, the difference in prices set by all the large retailers seems pretty minimal. The truth is that how you shop and what you buy is more important than which supermarket you frequent. Fortunately, there are some simple Healthy Hacks that can help you fill up your trolley with nutritious food while still manging to stick to a budget.
Plan ahead
It may be extremely tedious but the best way to keep costs low and to reduce food waste is to plan ahead. It’s as simple as focusing on healthy and nutritious, budget-friendly ingredients (more of which, below) and using them to plan some meals for the week. Then use the meal plan to make a detailed shopping list of ingredients to help you buy only what you really need. This will help to reduce impulse buying (especially when you’re hangry) and keep your shopping to a minimum. Planning ahead will also help to ensure that you have everything you need at hand for recipes so you avoid having to make last minute purchases that may be overpriced somewhere else.
Eat more beans and pulses
Both beans (such as kidney beans, black beans and butter beans) and pulses (such as lentils, chickpeas and split peas) are excellent vegetarian sources of protein, fibre and rich sources of vitamins and minerals yet they are very low in fat. They are also very filling and can bulk out any meal. Beans and pulses also happen to be extremely inexpensive, especially the dried versions. With the exception of lentils, many of the dried versions need to be pre-soaked before cooking so unless you have a pressure cooker or something similar they can be time-consuming to cook. However, tinned, cooked beans and pulses are readily available and still very inexpensive so there really is no excuse for not including these nutritious staples in your meals. They are ideal for making healthy baked beans, chillis, curries, veggie burgers and falafels. They can also be used to thicken or supplement sauces, soups and casseroles and replace or reduce the amount of more expensive meat used in mince-based dishes.
Own the Own Brands
The packaging may not look inspiring and they tend to live on the bottom shelves but buying supermarket Own Brands is an easy way to cut costs without sacrificing nutritional value. Essentially, all food manufacturers have to follow the same standards so choosing an expensive product doesn’t mean it is necessarily going to be healthier. But to be clear, this is not to say that this means that all Own Brand foods are healthy because chocolate biscuits are still chocolate biscuits no matter how you wrap them up. However, when it comes to buying staple ingredients for meals such as tins of tomatoes, beans, pulses and tomato puree you would be foolish to pay more just for the shiny packaging and smiling green giant. Own Brand tinned fish such as tuna, salmon, mackerel and sardines are also far cheaper than buying fresh fish yet they are very nutritious and can be eaten on their own or added to fish cakes, pasta dishes and bakes. Own Brand wholegrains such as wholewheat pasta, rice, oats and other grains can make inexpensive, nutritious and filling meals. They are also less expensive, more nutritious and healthier than readymade pouches, which can be very high in salt and fat.
Freezer friends
If you thought that the supermarket freezer section was only the mecca for ultra-processed unhealthy foods, think again. Frozen, plain produce is not any less nutritious than fresh fruit and vegetables and it is far cheaper, especially Own Brand products. Since you can buy larger quantities of frozen fruit and vegetables and store them for longer than fresh produce it makes economic sense to add them to your trolly. Using frozen ingredients is also very practical because you can use exactly the amount that you need in meals, reducing cost and food waste. Plain frozen fish, poultry and meat can also be good options to make savings although it is worth noting that they have a shorter shelf life in your freezer than fruit and vegetables.
And now for some final top tips to add to your Healthy Hacks.
Shop seasonally – If you plan your meals around what fruit and vegetables are in season, then they will not only be at their best but they will be far cheaper to buy. Not sure what is in season? Check: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/seasons to find out and get some recipe inspiration, as well.
Buy bulk but – If you know that like clockwork, every week you will go through 2 tins of tomatoes do your quick maths and buy the 4 or 8 pack if it is cheaper. Keep your eyes peeled out for the common staple foods and ingredients you routinely use but only buy them if they are cheaper rather than just because they are being heavily promoted.
Shop in the evenings – I am slightly reluctant to recommend this because it is difficult one for parents to do. However, if you can bear following around a crowd of like-minded shoppers stalking the lone worker with a discount gun, then it is indeed worth shopping later in the evening to get some hefty discounts.
Hopefully, these Healthy Hacks will help you eat nutritious meals while still cutting costs. In the meantime, here’s an easy recipe for Stuffed butternut squash with Mediterranean couscous that makes the most of seasonal veg with some store cupboard ingredients.
