Consumer Experts Offer a Helping Hand to Feed Your Family on a Budget

Whilst the country rides the inflation rollercoaster, consumer experts over at MoneyMagpie offer us free guidance on feeding a family for less.

Shocking figures have shown recently that 52% of lower income families struggle to put food on the table. Parents often go hungry three times a week to ensure that the kids are fed.

The cost of living crisis has really exposed the severity of food poverty in the UK. Millions are being pushed below the breadline as food prices soar, with many struggling to feed themselves and their families.

Food prices increased by 16.7 per cent in the 12 months up to January 2023. That is a 45-year high, with the costs of essentials rising at exceptionally high rates.

The Trussell Trust saw record numbers of people seeking help between April and September last year, with 320,000 people forced to turn to the charity’s food banks. That is a 40 per cent increase in comparison to the previous year.

MoneyMagpie have compiled their top tips to help stretch food and feed a family:

1. Structuring the week

One of the best ways to plan your week of food in terms of purchases and prep is by making a

five or seven-day meal plan. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: smart meal planning is

one of the simplest and most effective ways of saving money on food. Not only will your pocket

go further, but by planning your meals ahead you’ll avoid unnecessary trips to the shops, save

time in the kitchen and cut down on food waste.

2. Meal Planning

Another way to use the provisions you already have and avoid buying too much food is to plan

your meals. Spend 10 minutes the evening before I go to the supermarket meal planning. It is a

good idea to take into account what is going to be happening during the week ahead. For

example, there is no point deciding on a casserole on an evening when time is short.

3. Don’t Let Your Kids Determine Meals!

Hello Fresh recently revealed that 45% of parents make more than one evening meal to appease

fussy eaters. Fussy kids will refuse to eat two meals a week, while two more are thrown away

practically untouched. To avoid the risk of having to throw an uneaten meal away, two thirds of parents say they stick to a regular menu of meals which they know are guaranteed to please, rather than trying new things at dinner time.

4. Leftovers

Making the most of every last morsel will have a huge impact on the amount you ultimately go to throw away. Sometimes, no matter how carefully we plan, there are leftovers after a meal. To prevent

waste, make a point of using them up. Perhaps you could have last night’s dinner for lunch the

following day. If you can’t use leftovers immediately, store them properly for later use. Keep a handy stash of plastic containers for this purpose. If you freeze leftovers, make sure they are labelled. When you need to keep them in the fridge, a clear plastic box is useful. Don’t let them get shoved to the back and forgotten about though – plan to use them within a few days.