While it may seem like a big task, planning meals for the week is a great way to save money on food! By ensuring you know exactly what you need, you won’t overspend or become tempted by last-minute convenience foods, which are usually less healthy and more expensive. Planning ahead also gives you the chance to try out new and tasty recipes.
To do this, make a list of your main meals for the coming week, including the ingredients you'll need. Check which ingredients you already have in and add the rest to your shopping list. If you’ve already got food in, try to account for it in your plan – especially fresh food that may otherwise go to waste. Are there items you could add, or substitute, for the next week’s recipes to save you from buying more? See below for more information on food tips and different recipes.
You can use our GCU Weekly Meal Planner to plan your weekly menu, prepare your shopping list and work out what you have in the fridge or freezer that needs to be used up.
Food Shopping
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These are some key tips on how to save money when doing your food shop:
Establish a routine of checking the cupboards, fridge, and freezer before making a shopping list. This may sound obvious but a well-planned list will ensure that you focus on the necessities. Additionally, doing a regular clean-out of your cupboards and fridge can help you find items you may have forgotten about and help prevent food waste. Set a budget. It's a good idea to know how much you intend to spend before you leave the house. Bring your own bags. All supermarkets charge for plastic bags now and by taking your own you can save money and help the environment! Make the most of loyalty or point cards. Most supermarkets offer free loyalty cards, which are a good way to save money on your weekly food shop, and means you can earn points to use on future shops. You may find it easier to stick to your budget if you shop once a week - whether that’s at one supermarket, or at several smaller shops. And look for the right supermarkets for you, ones that offer the foods you want at prices that are within your budget. Shopping less often can help you think more carefully about what you buying and if you really need it. Also, try not to shop when you are really hungry as this will influence what you are buying. Try the 'Downshift Challenge ' – this is where you drop products by one brand level and see if you can tell the difference. If you can't, go with the cheaper option. For example, going from branded food to supermarket own brands. Be sure you are actually saving money before giving in to the temptation of a supermarket deal. Some supermarket deals can be misleading and you might not be saving as much money as you think. Whilst two-for-one deals are tempting, work out if you actually need the extra food or if it’ll just go to waste. Try to avoid using pre-prepared ingredients. When you're in a hurry, pre-sliced or chopped ingredients are useful but overall they’re not very economical. Most of the time, the packaging means you get much less than if you bought the whole thing, and they often cost more. When buying food check the use-by date. Supermarkets don’t always put the latest use-by date at the front of the shelf. Finding the product with the latest use-by date means it will last longer and therefore means less food waste for you. Buy frozen food . Things such as frozen fruit, vegetables, meat and fish are usually cheaper to buy frozen and they last much longer. Additionally, if you have food in the fridge which is near its use-by-date, freezing it ensures that it does not go to waste. Use money-saving apps such as ‘Too Good To Go’ which lets you buy food from local cafes, restaurants, and supermarkets that still have food at the end of the day. The food is sold at a reduced cost and also helps prevent food waste. Tinned products such as beans, chickpeas and lentils are useful to have in the cupboard as they usually have a long use-by date. Food such as pulses can also bulk out (almost) any meal. Shop together with flatmates, then when you buy in bulk you can split the costs
Student-Friendly Recipe Ideas
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There are a huge range of websites and apps that can give you ideas for what to make in the kitchen. We've put together a few to get you started.
The Student Food Project
BBC Good Foods Student Recipes
Recipe Land - Recipe Land is a really useful website as you can type in the ingredients you have in your fridge or cupboard and it will list recipes that include these ingredients. This is a great money-saving website when you want to use up the food you have in your kitchen but are unsure what to make!
Delicious Magazine
Save the Student
Access a local food pantry
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For £2.50 per visit you will be able to select about £15 worth of food (10 items). For more information and to find a local pantry go to Scottish Pantry Network .
Love Food Hate Waste
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The average family of four can save as much as £70 per month by reducing their food waste! Saving food means saving money. Check out Love Food Hate Waste for tips on smart shopping, using up left overs and great easy recipes.
Money saving expert
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Before you head to the shops check out the Tools and tips on how to slash your food bills! And look out for any vouchers or deals that can benefit you. Remember only buy what you need and it’s only a bargain if you need it!
