It's the little things that can help keep the kids fed!
Feeding your family is getting awfully expensive in the UK at the moment. Keeping an eye out for deals on food is becoming the norm, and a lot of parents struggle with keeping the freezer full. The cost of living is just too high to go for those weekly stock-ups like you used to!
But did you know it’s quite possible to eat well without paying these premium prices? It takes a bit of effort, but we can help make your dinner times as fulfilling as ever with the tips down below.
Use Your Window Sills as a Garden
Growing your own food seems like a relic from a time gone by, but it could be essential to healthy living right now. We've just ticked into Spring, and so what better time to start looking at growing your own grub, and you don't need a garden to go this; a window sill is enough to get you started, so everyone can get involved!
Buy a seed packet, get some plant pots to fit on the window sills around your house, and then find instructions online to sow them the right way. If you're going to buy seeds, you don't have to buy the top-of-the-range, branded ones; cheaper brands work just as well! Lots of shops sell this time of the year; Aldi & Lidl had them from just 49p this week.
I usually buy my seeds from a company called Premier Seeds Direct and get them through their Amazon store, and have had lots of luck with the seeds I've received, and because they're on Prime, you don't pay postage, so you can have them from just over £1 a pack, delivered, and these could keep you fed all Summer!
Of course, you don't even need to buy seeds; use the ones that come in your veggies, or even your food scraps. We've mentioned this before; you can read about it HERE.
In a couple of weeks, you should have some seeds sprouting - keep watering your plant babies, and you’ll have green beans, peas, carrots, tomatoes, or any number of herbs and spices ready to go by summer.
Find Out What Goes into Your Favourite Dishes
Do you enjoy a takeaway? Who doesn’t! The expense is common in the spending diary every month, and many people love to just grab something on the way home so they don’t have to cook. But whilst eating at the Best Indian Restaurant near you is a lovely treat, the prices can add up if you go too frequently.
However, if you find out what goes into your favourite dishes, you can make them from home and usually for at least half the price. It’s even something many restaurants encourage, and provide a recipe book for customers to buy and use in their own time!
If not, have a look around on the web and social media sites; you'll find a ton of inspiration there for making a Fakeaway!
Get Leftovers From Local Supermarkets and Restaurants
You can use apps, such as Too Good to Go or Olio, to buy and/or swap leftover foods for only a fraction of their usual cost. Of course, you’ll be unable to choose what items you actually get (and how much of them), but it does mean a few extra things in the fridge that you can throw into meals to pad them out.
Know When the Reduced Items are Put Out
Every supermarket marks items down day by day. Things that are near their ‘use by’ dates, as well as items with damaged packaging or missing elements, all get reduced down to prices that are much more healthy on the wallet.
All you need to do is get to the supermarket at the right time to get the best selection from what’s put out. See our yellow sticker guide for lots of helpful tips on what time to go and what to expect!
Food prices have risen exponentially over the past couple of years. If you’re feeling the sting, remember tips like these to help out.