7 Food Swaps That Will Save You Money On Your Food Shop

Saving money on your weekly shop doesn’t have to be rocket science.

We’re all bored out of our skulls with the cost of living crisis making headline after headline. Constantly plaguing our social media feeds with how Gen Z will never afford to buy a house or will never be able to eat avocado on sourdough toast sprinkled with chia seeds again. Sigh.

Food shopping, for many students, is a spenny time of the week. Especially if you dare to venture out to the shops on an empty stomach…hello multiple share bags of Sensations for £1. But it doesn’t have to cost your entire student loan or wages.

There are some simple yet effective ways to save a bit of money each time you shop. And don’t worry, you won’t be sacrificing your faves, it’s all about being a bit more mindful when shopping for groceries.

Food retail expert, Ashleigh Tosh, who works for MuscleFood, gives us her top tips for saving some money on your food shop.

Food swaps that will save you money on your shop

Go loose over pre-packed

It might be extremely convenient to just pick up a bag of prepackaged peppers or a kilo bag of carrots, but consider picking up loose veggies instead. Buying loose vegetables will help ensure you’re paying for the weight, rather than the packaging or brand.

It will also help reduce your food waste as you’re likely to only pick up what you need, instead of buying an entire bag just to rot in the fridge.

Swap pre-made for homemade

This is a chance to really hone in on your cooking skills. Buying premade jars of sauces, like pasta sauce, can be quite costly, as well as full of unnecessarily high amounts of sugar and salt.

Making simple sauces only involves a few ingredients, and usually kitchen cupboard staples. Give it a go and you’ll find it’s cheaper to make your own, and healthier (probably even tastier, too). Plus, a lot of sauce ingredients can be used for other recipes — meaning more bang for your buck.

Make your own crisps

Crisps are the ultimate snack, but they can be pretty spenny compared to a bag of potatoes. It’s more effort than picking up a bag, ripping it open and chomping, but it will save you some money and be a little bit healthier for you, too.

A bag of potatoes can cost as little as £1 for 2kg or so, whereas a share bag of crisps or multipack can cost over that. Just slice some potatoes thinly, sprinkle any seasoning you want and pop them in the oven or air fryer to bake. So simple and delicious.

Buy cheaper meats

Meat is one of the items that has risen in price consistently since the cozzie livs has been around. But, if you’re able to incorporate more pork into your diet, then you might save some money as pork hasn’t risen in price as much as other meats.

Or, if you can, opt for more meat-free days throughout the week to help lower your food shop costs.

Go off-brand

Branded versions aren’t necessarily better than off-brand, supermarket ranges or cheaper alternatives. Many taste just as good as the big names and a lot cheaper, too.

If you find that the off-brand choices don’t taste as good, you can always vamp it up by adding extra ingredients or seasoning. Give it a go and you’ll find you can live without some of your favourite big-name brands.

Frozen over fresh fruit

It’s happened to the best of us, buying a bag of fruit just for it to go off in the bowl before we’ve had a chance to eat it all. To reduce food waste and save you money, opt for packs of frozen fruit instead.

Frozen fruit still has plenty of nutrients, and they tend to be cheaper than fresh or pre-sliced fruit. They’ll keep in the freezer for ages without having to worry about best before dates, and they’re super convenient, too. Just pop some frozen fruit in a blender for a smoothie or defrost in a bowl for a few hours if you fancy a snack. No more fruit flies around the fruit bowl!

Bulk buy rice

Ever seen those huge bags of rice in the supermarket? Try them out, they’re cheaper than buying individual bags you boil on the hob or pop in the microwave. Plus, rice is super versatile and will last a while for various different meals and recipes.

Buying a big bag can also encourage you to meal prep for the week, so you’re not tempted to spend more buying lunch or dinner.

If you want to make your life a little easier or you hate doing the food shopping, try out some of the best food subscription boxes. They’re good value for money and you don’t need to faff around with meal inspo and ingredient shopping.

Need more? Check out Student Beans food and drink discounts.