Here at food vouchers we hate waste. Wasting food means essentially wasting money, at some point we are guilty of throwing out either perfectly good food or food we simply should not have bought. While the problem has been worsened by offer in supermarket which encourage buying in larger volumes there must be a balance between taking advantage of buying in bulk and reducing waste.

Studies by government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and non government organisations such as the UK’s fantastic LoveFoodHateWaste.com help show us that wasting food is also having an effect on the planet.

The following infographic from Next Generation Food demonstrates how food waste in the U.K and U.S is impacting climate change.

Here in the UK we are all feeling the pinch and our monthly food bills have been hit especially hard with food prices rising fast.

There are lots of ways to save on your food bill – many of the following tips are common sense but always worth remembering.

1. Don’t shop when you are hungry

If you are hungry walking around the supermarket you will almost always buy food that you do not normally buy or you will buy too much of something which will later be wasted. Eat before you shop and stick to your shopping list.

2. Make a List

As mentioned above making a list is vital as you are less likely to make any “hunger purchases”. A list also makes sure you do not buy what you don’t need. How many times have you bought something only to realise you had a plenty of it at home? Planning your shopping is important and can save you making multiple trips to the supermarket.

3. Make a Menu for the week

This may sound like hard work but setting a menu for the week will not only save you money but also reduce the stress at meal time. If everyone in your family knows what’s for dinner before hand it means there are less arguments and also less chance you will snack or order a takeaway. Making a menu also means you can plan your meals better ensuring less waste.

4. Buy basic and value products.

Try replacing your whole shop with basic or value products where available. Even if you do this only once, you will discover which premium items taste very similar to a basic or value alternative. There will be of course be some items which you will find or irreplaceable however this shopping challenge may surprise you!

5. Look Down!

When doing your shopping, pay attention to the items closer to the floor. The cheaper items are usually lower on the shelf, while pricier items tend to be around eye level. Suppliers pay a premium to supermarkets to place their items at eye level, that extra cost is eventually passed onto you, the consumer. Avoid shopping on auto pilot and look for deals.

6. Take a Calculator

This may sound obvious however, how many times have you been surprised by the total of your shopping? I’m guessing in many cases the total is larger than you were expecting. By having a calculator handy you can know your total before you get to the checkout, this will probably make you think twice about buying those itmes you really don’t need.

7. Buy in bulk

Where you can buy in bulk, especially items which have a long life, anything that can be frozen is worth buying in bulk.

8. Not every offer is a good offer.

Offers work because they make shoppers buy more. Just because an item is on offer does not necessarily mean you should buy it, would you normally buy it? 3 for 2 offers are one way of getting you to buy 3 items when you only wanted 1. This will once again lead to more waste.

9. Compare Stores

Do you usually do your shopping in a “local” “express” or “city” store? These shops are always more pricer due to their location. Central locations mean higher rent which in turn means you will pay more for your chicken breasts. Which ever store you usually shop in compare it with larger stores or even those in different locations.

10. Use food vouchers

How could we not recommend this! The bottom line is supermarkets want you to shop with them and they are HUNGRY for your business. This competitiveness means a smart shopper really can save big. We have some great food vouchers on offer which let you save money and still buy the food you love.