As inflation rises, it is important to make some smart choices and budget well when grocery shopping. We don't need to compromise on a healthy, balanced diet when on a budget, but to do so you must prepare before heading out the door! Here are some tips to follow. 

Meal Plan

- Make sure you check what food you already have and try to plan meals around those. Create a meal plan for the week and make a list of the products required to prepare the meals and snacks.

- Make sure to make the best use of all the foods you have. Check the freezer, cupboards, and fridge, and base the meals on what you already have.

- Be smart with your meal planning by using leftovers to create another meal for the following day. For instance, the roast chicken on Sunday will go great in a chicken curry or a chicken stir fry on Monday.

- There are numerous cookbooks and online websites available that include easy, healthy, and affordable recipes that can help with your weekly meal plan.

Avoid Impulse Buying

Special offers can pull you in and lead to buying unnecessary products. Make sure you stick to your shopping list to avoid splurging on products you may not need. Try to stick to one shopping trip a week, as you tend to buy more and be drawn to special offers when you are going more often.

Branded Foods

Often opting for stores’ own brands tend to be cheaper, however, make sure to study the labels as the price per unit is available which makes it easy to compare the best price. Always take a look at the nutrition label and ensure that the cheaper option is also nutritional comparable to the other products!

Bulk Buying

If you have storage space, buying in bulk tends to be the best option to save money. Opting for large bags of pasta, rice, or tinned foods, tends to reduce the cost. Buying meat in bulk and freezing before its use-by date extends the shelf life.

- Keep the use-by date in mind - if you will not finish the product before the given date, it may not be worth the price difference!

Cheaper Options

• Tinned and frozen products tend to be cheaper and can be just as nutritious. Make sure to check out the labels and avoid varieties that have added sugar or salt.
• Check out the reduced section as you could freeze certain products to extend their shelf life.
• Meat-free days can really help reduce costs. Bean, peas, and lentils tend to be a cheaper source of protein yet are just as nutritious. They also tend to have a longer shelf life compared to meat.
• Batch cooking meals and freezing the leftovers for a later date can be useful and prevent food waste and cost. Perhaps having a day that you opt for meals from the freezer each week to ensure you use them.
• Make use of any coupon codes or deals you may be entitled to. Saving small amounts each week can build up to a lot over time.

On-the-go Meals and Snacks

Avoid buying meals, snacks, and coffees on the go to help you reduce the weekly cost. Make sure to bring snacks from home along with on-the-go coffees.

How to save money when using GourmetFuel

If you would like to try some of our meals but would like them at a discounted price, we offer a range of subscriptions that have an associated discount. Our subscriptions range from 2-12 weeks with a discount between 2-10%, depending on the length of the subscription.

Our subscriptions are very flexible, you can pause for up to 2 months at a time and edit the meals and plan each week. So why not opt for our 12-week subscription with a 10% discount off all products and save some money?

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