Food author Gina Daly shares her ways of getting more bang for your buck when it comes to your weekly groceries
After the excesses of Christmas, it’s not surprising that many of us want to tighten our financial belts in January. However, as well as wanting to spend less, we also want to make sure that we’re eating well and providing nutritious food for our families.
Recent data has found that the majority of Irish people surveyed said they are extremely or very concerned about the rising cost of groceries. There has been a shift in consumers managing their household spend by buying cheaper groceries and purchasing products on promotion more often.
Lidl ambassador and author of The Daly Dish, Gina Daly, is calling on families to get the most out of their shop with even further price drops across an extended range of items. She said:
“For most families, January can be a difficult month to get through but in the current climate, even more families are feeling the pinch. It’s important that consumers are aware of what they can do to better manage their money and keep putting nutritious food on the table.”
Here are her top tips for making the most of your trip to the supermarket:
Plan your shop
How many times have we bought without thought and ended up throwing away good food? Planning out your shop before you go to the supermarket is the most effective way to ensure you get the most out of your meals, with no wastage. A budget is easier to stick to if you plan what you need.
Waste not
Good food that is nearing its expiry date is often reduced for quick sale. If you’ve planned your meals well, you can shop these items with confidence, knowing what you’ll use immediately and what could potentially be frozen for future. Look out for reduced pricing labels on products or Waste Not Fruit & Veg boxes which offer mixed fruit and vegetables from multi packs where the items have become slightly damaged and removed from sale – but are still delicious and perfectly good to eat!
Harness the power of protein
Eating protein can make you feel full longer and it can also reduce cravings for late night snacking which we can all be guilty of! Consider switching to high protein versions of your favourite foods so you’re not as tempted to reach for the snacks.
Minus the meat
We all know the benefits of swapping out one weekly dinner for a vegetarian alternative for its health benefits (and it’s kinder to the planet), but this is one of the most effective ways to drastically cut your spend. Replacing meat as the star ingredient with a vegetarian alternative will save the cents. Consider going for meat alternatives such as plant-based burgers or embrace veggies entirely and swap your meat steaks for cauliflower steaks or a veggie curry.
Embrace own brands
We all have our favourite products that we know and love, but are they really good value? More than three quarters of consumers (78%) are now likely to include own brand labels in their shopping basket, so maybe it’s time for you to make the switch too. Many supermarkets also work with Irish suppliers and, with many award-winning products on the shelves, there’s no compromising on taste!
Find more ways to save
With everyday low prices, you’re already saving by shopping at Lidl, but don’t miss out on those added bonuses. Make sure you download the Lidl Plus app which offers money off, multi-buy discounts or buy one get one free, not to mention the lucky scratch cards.
