Food, Glorious Food – Spend Less and Eat Better

We take food for granted. We need it, we buy it, we eat it. Most of us love it. But have you ever considered spending less on your food. By this I’m not suggesting going on a diet and eating less. Cutting back your food budget does not mean going without or taking the pleasure out of eating. In fact, these ideas could give you more pleasure than you imagine, for less financial outlay.

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1. Grow your own vegetables: Already I can hear you saying, that’s not possible, I don’t have the land, the space, the time. None of these things are important if you’re serious about eating healthily, at the same time cutting back on expenditure. If you don’t have a little bit of space around your home, why not invest in a planter box. These can be purchased or made cheaply from recycled materials. Buy a few seeds or plants from your local store or garden centre. Things I have successfully grown in planter boxes are herbs, lettuces, spring onions, strawberries and tomatoes. If you have a little patch of garden you can use, be more adventurous. There is nothing more satisfying than picking your own vegetables from the garden. Because you pick only what you need, there is less wastage. If you have children, teach them the delights of growing vegetables in their own garden. They may even come to enjoy eating vegetables if they grow their own.

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2. Buy only the amount you need: How often have you purchased on impulse, especially when something is on special? You can be tempted to buy enough to feed an army instead of your own family. Fresh food has a restricted shelf life, even when refrigerated. All other foods often have a use by date and can sit in the cupboard untouched until it’s too late. Of course it’s important to have standby supplies, but rotate them as you purchase, so older goods don’t get pushed to the back and eventually wasted.

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3. Create imaginative dishes from leftovers: It would be interesting to calculate how much food is wasted daily because we cook too much in the first place. When you prepare your next meal, why not try something different. Look in the fridge and consider what leftover food you have and create a dish from it. You’ll be surprised at how tasty some food can be second time round.

4. Prepare your own food: Take aways and pre-packaged meals may save you time, but they cost more and often taste less satisfying. There are many meals now that can be out together very quickly and are, at the same time, nutritious and cheap. Using your vegetables and leftovers can be helpful here too. And, why not bake your own cookies. The smell of freshly baking cookies filling the kitchen is wonderful.

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There are many ways you can reduce your food bills. There is also a lot of information available helping you to do so. As food becomes more expensive it takes up more of our available budget. Why not choose one of the above ideas to try today. You may be surprised at the pleasure it adds to your daily life, eventually helping you to reduce overall food costs for your household.

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