The Weekly Food Shop. Saving Money at the Supermarket

Following up from last week's post on not wasting food, I'm sharing some of the things that Rev T and I do to make this rather boring, but essential job, easier.  And, hopefully, prevent food waste along the way.  

We go to the supermarket together each week.  Hot dating, parent style!  

A cupboard full of stables.  

We keep stables in the cupboard that can be used for various meals - tinned tuna, coconut milk, rice, pasta, spices etc.  As soon as a basic is used up, it gets added to the weekly shopping list so it can be replaced.  We use a paper list, but you could use an app.  I try to keep the cupboards neat so stuff doesn't get lost at the back.

Meal plan.  

We plan what we're eating for the week, note down the ingredients and only shop for those meals.  Meal planning saves us time, money and prevents food waste.  I'm loving the One Pound Meals from Instagram chief Miguel Barclay.  Man's a genius.  

Stock take.  

Before we go to the supermarket, we check to see what we have already to make sure we don't buy something that's already in the cupboard or freezer.  (I say we, but Rev T is better at this than me).

Write a list.  

And stick to it.  A list makes it less likely you'll forget things or buy stuff you don't need because it's cheap.  We use a paper one, but there's almost certainly an app for that.

Bulk buy.  

When I was a child, my parents and their friends clubbed together to buy whole cows, pigs and sheep directly from the farmer for the freezer.  Buying direct from a farm was cheaper than buying from shops.  Everything was divided up and there were Sunday Roasts for everybody for months. (No idea if you can still do this).  If you have the space and the income, buy non-perishable things - toilet rolls, cat litter etc - in bulk when they're on offer.  We don't.  Our kitchen lacks storage space.

Other friends:

• Shop locally and get all their fruit and vegetables at the market at the weekend and their meat from a farm butchers.  (We go to the farm butchers but not the market.  It is cheaper and nothing's pre-packaged but we're not always able to get to the market when it's open).

• Take their own bags and avoid over packaged items.  (We're working on this).

• Read the labels carefully to avoid certain ingredients as they have allergies or just don't eat certain things etc.  

Any tips for making food shopping even easier?  

Photos taken at the Keats House, Hampstead

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Laura @ Five Little Doves