Life Hack: 10 ways to save money on your food shopping
Oddly shaped or bruised fruits and vegetables are often thrown away because they don’t look ‘perfect’ but in reality, they taste exactly the same. Picture: iStock
Plan your meals in advance so you know exactly what you need to buy. Write a shopping list and then stick to it — try not to be sucked in by impulse buying. Be kitchen-savvy in your planning too by planning multiple meals using the same ingredients.
Explore new ways of working with ingredients, like making a broccoli pesto using the stalks, or keeping the peel on your potatoes when you’re mashing them.
Oddly shaped or bruised fruits and vegetables are often thrown away because they don’t look "perfect", but in reality, they taste exactly the same. More mature fruit and vegetables are ideal for smoothies or juices.
Onions can make root vegetables go bad quickly so keep them stored away from potatoes or carrots. Many fruits such as apples, pears, bananas, and nectarines emit a chemical called ethylene which causes premature ripening, so always keep these away from each other.
Keeping your fridge at the correct temperature is also for keeping your food fresh. Setting it at below 5°C is ideal for perishable foods such as milk or yoghurts.
There’s a big difference between ‘best before’ and ‘use-by’ dates. Often food is still safe to eat after the ‘best before’ date, while the ‘use-by’ date indicates when it’s no longer safe to eat.
Ensure your fridge, freezer, and cupboards are stocked with the food you need to eat first at the front and longer-lasting food at the back.
Recent research carried out by Too Good To Go found that 23% of us throw away food at home because there is too little left on the plate. Find hacks for measuring portion sizes. For example, a standard builder’s mug of rice is usually enough to serve four adults when cooked.
Virtually anything can be frozen if you don’t think you’re going to be able to eat it in time. Batch-cooking meals to keep in the freezer for a later date is a great way to make sure your fresh ingredients can still get used while they’re at their best.
Nowadays, many of us are in the habit of wanting to eat something new every day, but don’t be afraid to get creative with adapting a simple dish. For example, you can change a classic Bolognese sauce into a chilli con carne, meat pie, or even a lasagne.
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