7 tips on how to save money on food during cost of living crisis

Take control of your food budget during the cost of living crisis with our useful food tips, and feed the whole family well – for less!

With grocery price inflation hitting its highest level since at least 2008, 'supermarket bills in Great Britain will soar by £533, or more than £10 a week' says a report in The Guardian. It's no wonder we've found that mums are sacrificing their own meals to make sure they can afford to feed their families!

According to our survey of 1,345 parents in the UK, 43% of parents are skipping meals themselves so that their children can eat. Are you going hungry for your kids?

Other research by About Families in Scotland shows that families living on a low income show a decline in nutrition as well as higher stress levels, and finds that women in particular bear the burden of coping.

Our own Netmums Cost of Living survey shows:

• 60% of you are making portion sizes smaller
• 35% are buying less meat
• 23% are buying less fresh produce
• 30% are only eating 2 meals a day

We know that when it comes to your kids, there’s no question about who gets to eat when money and food is tight. But we also know that while you want the best for your kids, you need to be healthy and strong too.

With money-stress and financial anxiety impacting the mental health of so many parents, it's all the more important for you to eat well, so that you can better deal with the challenges that lie ahead and get your family through the cost of living crisis. But at times that can seem impossible, with 'products like butter, milk and poultry in particular seeing some of the biggest jumps,' according to Fraser McKevitt, the head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar.

We've put together some useful food tips to help you save money on food costs and prioritise your own health alongside that of your loved ones.

7 tips to save money on food costs

1. Make a food budget

With all the price hikes in supermarkets, are you finding it difficult to keep track of how much money you're actually spending on food now?

It might seem obvious, but one of the best ways to avoid accidentally spending too much on groceries is to set a budget.

Many of us already do this, but it's easy for life to get in the way when we're dealing with so much money-stress, and the simple solutions escape us.

For those of you who are not used to the idea of setting a food budget – don't worry – this doesn't have to be a complicated task.

Check out our guide to help you create your family budget, get some effective money saving tips, and find out more about the 50-20-30 rule – a popular budgeting trick that helps you divide up your income to create a realistic and balanced budget.

2. Keep track of what's in your cupboard

Knowing what you actually have in to eat, and keeping track of food to make sure you're not wasting food or money can feel overwhelming when you're trying to manage a whole family – especially under the pressure of cost of living anxiety. It's easy to feel helpless.

Take a leaf out of poverty campaigner Jack Monroe's book and do a full stocktake of what’s in the cupboard, fridge and freezer. It's a fun and highly effective way of taking control of your food budget, not to mention surprisingly simple!

'I get an A4 sheet of lined paper and divide it into four vertical columns: proteins, carbohydrates, fruit and veg. The end column is split into two, flavours and snacks', says Jack. In our article, she describes how she uses this to create a kind of 'food inventory' in order to keep her weekly shopping bill as low as possible.

We think it's the perfect way to keep track of your food, reduce waste and avoid overspending, as well as giving you a sense of control about what's in your cupboard.

Why not give it a go? You've got nothing to lose and everything to gain – including extra cash in your pocket for treats to boost family morale during these hard times!

3. Stretch your food budget

There are some super-mums and dads out there who really know how to stretch the pennies. With videos popping up online showing how whole families are not just surviving, but thriving on low budget shopping lists, what may initially look like a magic trick is now becoming a trendy skill that every savvy parent wants to learn.

But how do they do it? Is it really possible to feed a family on a shoe-string?

Even if you have already tightened your belt, so to speak, here are some additional tips that could help you stretch your food budget:

4. Stock up on deals and discounts

Naturally, you'll be doing this anyway, but don't forget that different supermarkets discount items at different times of the week or day, so keep an eye out at your local food store!

5. Use your freezer with batch-cooking

What would you do without your freezer? Well, batch-cooking would be out of the question! If you've got a big freezer, make the most of it. And if you haven't got a big freezer, it could be one of the best investments you make this year!

6. Become a food-prepping and meal-planning expert

It's not weird anymore to spend hours on YouTube watching other mums prep food and plan meals. Not only is it considered to be productive in terms of getting food inspiration and doing budgeting research, you might also find that watching these videos is somewhat relaxing. Mindful activities help us to reduce stress and manage our lives and relationships better. Don't forget to actually take part and do some food prepping and meal planning yourself! you'll save loads of money and time.

7. Go for cheaper high-protein alternatives to meat

We're not saying you have to stop buying meat altogether, but it doesn't hurt to take a leaf out of the books of our fellow veggie and vegan families, seeking out other, more affordable protein sources. For example, you can replace more expensive proteins (such as red meat) with ingredients like protein-rich lentils. Another great tip is to take advantage of the fact that when served together, rice and beans make up a complete protein!

Look after your own health

Yes, it's a parent's job to put the needs of their family before their own, but it's also vital to take care of yourself – and not just because feeling tired, run-down and hungry makes it harder to do all the things you need to do at home and at work...

Looking after your health improves mood, sleep and a general sense of well-being, and we all need a bit of that in our lives, with money-stress and financial anxiety looming over us.

You need to factor in your own nutritional needs when planning meals, not just those of your kids.

Here's how your health needs are different to your children's:

• Breastfeeding mums need a highly nutritious diet as breastfeeding burns up to 500 calories a day.
• Women are more at risk of anaemia due to menstrual blood loss or pregnancy.
• Adults need to ensure they are getting enough calcium to prevent osteoporosis later in life.
• Women's menstrual cycles affect their nutritional needs over the course of the month. Find out more from Healthline about how you can 'cycle sync your way to better nutrition'

Don't forget that your kids are always looking and observing the way you handle yourself so that they can learn from you and do the same.

It's an incredible responsibility to be a role model to young and impressionable minds, but it comes as part of the package when you're a parent. All the more reason to make sure you're setting an example you want your kids to follow.

Show your kids that caring and looking after yourself is just as important as caring and looking after the people you love, and hopefully your kids will grow up to be well-rounded adults and do the same.

We've also got some great tips on how to talk to your kids about the cost of living crisis, so that they can learn to understand why you can't always buy all the things they are used to having, and how to get them involved to support the family in a positive way.

Resources

• Visit our Netmums’ Drop-In Clinic and Parent Supporter Service
• Try some of these budget-friendly family recipes
• Feed your family for £25ish a week
• More advice and resources for Families in Crisis - how to get help
• Read more abut the cost of living crisis on Netmums

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