When you want to reduce your spending and tighten the purse strings it’s a good idea to review  the amount you spend on food. After all, food is often the largest household bill after rent or mortgage, so it deserves a little attention.
9 Tips to Spend Less on Your Food
    1. Plan your meals for the week – once you have done this, you don’t have to think about what’s for dinner or do any emergency shopping or get costly last minute take-aways!
    2. Write a shopping list and work out the cost, using your supermarket website to check prices. If  it’s too much money, revise your meal plan.
    3. Prices for vegetables in greengrocers or markets, are often much cheaper than the supermarkets so take some time out to go and visit them.
    4. When you do go to the supermarket, try to go later in the day when some items will have been reduced, especially items, such as bread, that can be frozen for another day.
    5. If you usually eat meat with most meals, have some meatless meals once or twice  a week such as lentils, beans or pasta. Meals without meat can be very economical – and tasty! Try Vegetable and Bean Casserole or Creamy Blue Cheese Pasta
    6. Simple meals such as Jacket Potatoes or Pasta with Peas and Cheese and can help you stay within budget. (Find all these on Penny’s Recipes)
    1. Buy free range eggs from local shops or markets – they at least 50p cheaper for half a dozen, than at the supermarket
    2. In the supermarkets try the own brand or value versions and see which of them you actually like. You may be pleasantly surprised!
    3. Make your own Pizzas
    • Buy a pizza base
    • Spread some tomato puree, then grated cheese (cheddar or mozerella)
    • Sprinkle on some dried herbs (basil, oregano or mixed herbs)
    • Add your own toppings – ham and pineapple pieces, pepperoni, mushrooms etc
    • Cook in the oven for 15 minutes
    You can even have a go at making your own pizza base.
    Do it as a family and have fun! Much cheaper than a ready made pizza and much more fun!