Help with food

Living costs are rising and food is one of our most essential expenses. The links and information in this guide could help you make ends meet.

If local foodbanks, community larders and pantries are closed, Citizens Advice Hart have emergency food parcels available.

Frugal Feasts:

How smarter shopping can help your bank balance and the planet

Are you tired of seeing your grocery bill climb, even on a tight budget? You’re not alone, but the solution is surprisingly simple: planning. When we don’t keep track of what food we already have or plan out our meals ahead of time, it’s easy to fall into habits that lead to overspending and unnecessary food waste. 

With smarter shopping habits, we can all stretch our budgets further and make the most of what’s already in our kitchens. Here are our favourite tips to help you:

1. Make meal planning a family affair

   Bring together your household and list the meals that excite you. With a clear plan in hand, you’ll only need to buy what you need—cutting waste, saving money, and doing your bit for the planet with every bite. Remember though to include breakfasts and lunches!

2. Try reverse meal planning

   Instead of choosing recipes and deciding on your shopping afterwards, start by checking what’s already in your fridge, freezer, and cupboards. From there, you can build meals using those ingredients, ensuring nothing goes to waste. It’s a great way to avoid overspending, reduce duplicate purchases and turn odds and ends into delicious dinners.

3. Write a shopping list – and stick to it!

   Going to the supermarket with a clear list is one of the easiest ways to stay on budget and avoid the temptation of impulse buys, especially those less-than-healthy snacks you didn’t plan for. If you’ve already planned your meals and checked what you have at home, your shopping list becomes a money-saving, waste-reducing tool.

4. Leave the cards at home and pay with cash

   Using cash instead of bank cards can help you stay mindful of every pound you spend. So, take your shopping list and set a cash limit and this way, you’re more likely to stick to your plan and avoid unnecessary extras.

5. Understand ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ dates

   “Use by” dates are all about safety. They tell you the last day a product should be eaten to avoid health risks, no matter how fresh it looks or smells. “Best before” dates, on the other hand, are about quality. The food might not taste quite as good after that date, but it is usually still safe to eat.

6. Beat takeaway temptation with some batch cooking

   We all have those evenings when cooking feels like a bore and that’s often when pricey takeaways come to mind. But with a little forward planning, such as cooking extra portions and freezing them for later, you’ll have a tasty homemade backup ready to go - quicker than waiting for a delivery, better for your bank balance and usually a lot healthier too.

Sometimes food waste is unavoidable. If you’re interested in finding out more about anything related to climate change and sustainability related in Hart, visit www.Impacthart.co.uk