How to stretch your food budget

It’s no secret that we’re having to stretch our food budget more and more these days. I’ve been on a mission to find the best ways to reduce what I’m spending on food so I can still make more progress towards my money goals. 

It’s clear a lot of us need a helping hand when it comes to the food budget, even being the founder of a personal finance brand doesn’t make me exempt from rising food costs and squeezed budgets. In fact, if you asked where I struggled most when it came to overspending in a budgeting category it always comes back to groceries.

Food is attached to our emotions in so many ways. Feeling happy? You deserve a little chocolate treat. Feeling sad? It’s time to get that bottle of wine or a Charlie Bingham curry (eye watering prices!) Kids done well at school or football? Let’s grab some doughnuts and ice creams to celebrate.

Budgeting for groceries accurately is a superior skill that not many of us can master, that’s why I pinned down super foodie and The Vault presenter Lucy to find out how she curates and stretches her food budget each month.

Here’s what she had to say ⬇️

Start buying in bulk

Any article you could ever read on reducing grocery bills starts with buying in bulk. We all know that buying 2 x chicken breasts from your local convenience store will cost significantly more per breast than a bulk buy purchase from Costco. 

Consider where you will store fresh produce, as tempting as it is to buy in bulk there’s a risk of wastage if you don’t have the facilities to store appropriately.

 Then start cooking in bulk

Meal prepping is a key way to stretch your food budget. Not only does cooking your food for the following few days save you a lot of time, it reduces the need for multiple trips to the supermarket, impulse convenience purchases and it prevents food waste!

Shop seasonally 

By opting for fresh produce that is in season, you’re more likely to save some money as the production costs are lower and there’s a bigger abundance. Not to mention eating seasonally tastes so much better 👀

DIY snacks

Constantly buying pre-mixed snacks to graze on in the office? Next time you do your food shop, seek out alternatives to these! Think homemade trail mix, popcorn and even tortilla chips.

Side note – At Financielle, we’re all about flexible budgets. That being said, having a food budget that’s too strict and that leads to overspend every week could make you feel like it’s you. With the rising costs of food that’s completely out of our control, we’re here to tell you that it’s completely fine to make more room in your budget for essentials.

Want to create your budget with Financielle? Check out this helpful blog to get started. 

Holly x