With the cost-of-living crisis continuing, more people are actively looking for deals and discounts on food. There are even adverts on Sky joking about reduced section hunting in local supermarkets. But is there anything you should know when looking for a good deal? And how can you use bargains to tackle, not increase, food waste?
Here are the key things to consider.
As with any Black Friday deals or a sale event, if you’re browsing in the reduced section make sure you aren’t buying for the sake of buying. If you have food at home that will go off and you buy more that needs to be cooked tonight, you aren’t reducing food waste or saving money, no matter how good a bargain you’re getting.
Can you freeze it?
Plenty of items in the reduced section make fantastic freezer fillers but ensure they’re items you’ll cook. If your partner doesn’t like lamb or curry but the lamb curry is reduced to a pound, don’t bother – they’re still not going to eat it and it will just clog up your freezer/fridge until you eventually throw it in the bin.
Some items are suitable for freezing that you might not have thought of. Tofu freezes well, as do plenty of vegetables, sauces and dips, like houmous, guacamole and avocado. Have a quick Google if you’re unsure what will and won’t freeze safely; you may be surprised!
Most importantly…is it actually a good deal?
For example, Tesco’s Finest range chicken might be on offer, but it may still be more expensive than their standard chicken breast and go out of date sooner. Just because something is in the reduced section and discounted doesn’t always justify buying it if you’re watching your budget. Be mindful not to fall into the trap of buying it and thinking you’re getting a good deal when you’re not, in fact, getting a good deal.
Using tech to save money on food
Another way of cutting costs is through apps like Olio and Too Good To Go.
- Olio lets users pass on what they don’t need to someone living nearby, so you may be able to pick up household items, food and more for free
- Too Good To Go fights food waste by cheaply selling surprise bags of surplus food from some of our best-known shops, pubs and restaurants
Just because you’re trying to save a few pennies doesn’t mean you must miss out on treats. I’ve seen Costa, Starbucks and similar on Too Good To Go, so if you’re a pastry fiend with a coffee habit you can still purchase from them and reduce costs and food waste too. Olio is lots of fun if you’re a frugal fan of bargain hunting and want to be more connected to your local community.