Help me reduce my grocery bill please?

[Evianna83]

I've tried to reduce our grocery spending but struggled. We very rarely eat processed foods so I think that increases the overall spend. We live in London and use online grocery delivery services so I think that rules out Aldi / Lidl. (We've no car and no Aldi/Lidl close by and we are time poor so need delivery).

I've tried shopping around most of the online supermarkets taking advantage of various newbie offers. I have actually given up with ASDA as I have ordered from them 4 times and each time the order has been late (after the slot sometimes by hours) with no communication and once was cancelled at the last minute. I wanted to persist as they seemed the cheapest but the massive inconvenience makes it not worth it.

We are two adults and a two year old. I'm including nappies and all household stuff like cleaning products in the shop, but struggling to get it down each month below about £95 a week! I meal plan every dinner and I eat an apple for lunch (DH at work & toddler at nursery).

Does anyone else have any tips? Especially if you do tend to eat healthier foods?

I have a two year old and we use lots of tinned fruit and frozen fruit/veg. The nutrients in frozen are allegedly better than fresh in lots of cases, and also meant to be very good in tinned.

Easy to blow a fiver on berries and I find they go off very quickly. Things like buying a whole melon or watermelon and portioning it yourself will be a lot cheaper than the likes of fresh blueberries.

For snacks my toddler loves plain crackers (processed I know) but way cheaper than some of the toddler snacks marketed at them, and not full of added sugar.

You could buy tinned veg or frozen veg and fruit to cut down on costs. A big frozen bag of blueberries or summer berries would last you a lot of breakfasts with your little one for example and work out cheaper than buying a punnet per week. Just take a few out the night before and pop them in the fridge.

Another thing you could do is make sure there’s no wasted veg. For example, cheap though it is, when I buy a bag of onions, celery or carrots, I chop up what I’m not using for meals that week, and put them in individual meal portions in the freezer so when I make a spag Bol I’ve got veg ready to go. It also saves a ton of time chopping and washing up and I know you said you’re short on time

Appreciate you are time poor but this is one of those things that you need to allocate the time to. You need to work out how to get the most bang for your buck and than means identifying the most economical place to buy your needs. Im finding its only the people who aren't cutting back who can shop in one place.

Also with cleaning have you tried switching to anything that is resuable? For example I used to get through a lot of the non lint kitchen towel and switched to using minky pad for wiping kitchen surfaces instead as can be washed and reused. Similarly I know someone who gets through a lot of antibacterial wipes instead of using spray and cloth.

Have you also tried switching nappy and wipe brands? Wipes can cost a fortune and often very little difference between some more expensive brands and less expensive ones.

Look for offers on fish and seasonal veg as this will save money on the meals you like to eat.

And maybe do a clear out of your cupboards to see what sauces etc need using up and look for recipes including these.

Can you upload a screen grab of an itemised receipt ? £95 for just evening meals and nappies/ baby snacks doesn't make sense.

Hello - retail expert here 🤓 - part of my job is looking at the price people's shopping baskets.

Shopping in one shop is often the cheapest way of doing things.
As you are dotcom shopper you will have an extensive list of what you usually buy so this is really helpful.

Take a look at the items you buy - are there any brands?
Could you buy own label?
If you buy premium Own label could you buy the next tier down or entry price point?
Instead of buying Bertinet bread could you buy premium own label bread?
Only buy brands if they are on offer that is genuinely valuable to you.

Nappies /wipes - are you buying own label in a pack size that is the least pence per nappy?

Buying protein - is there a cheaper cut? Could you buy a cheaper alternative?

Buying produce - you need to see the offers every week and mix it up.

Could you buy frozen? Frozen produce & protein is a great alternative to fresh with zero waste.

Essentially saving money on your weekly shop is about shaving off pennies on individual items that add up to pounds.

@poorbuthappy when you do analysis of basket costs across retailers often the savings are a couple of pounds. You will spend more on petrol going to different locations than the savings you gain from going to multiple retailers.

The best way to save is to buy own label, only buy brands on deal if it's a real saving to you and plan your meals.

The most expensive areas in any grocery shop are protein, BWS (beers, wines spirits) and household (laundry & cleaning).

Anything you can do on getting cheaper alternatives or cutting down/ out the above should significantly reduce your shop

@Pipsquiggle Please may I ask what job you do? I am looking for a job change and used to work in retail (shop assistant) and yours sounds interesting!

Sorry for thread-jack OP. Tips I can think of :
Make time for one night a week even, to go to supermarket at reduction times, on top of your weekly online shop. I get stuff for 75% off and even 9p sometimes. I either use it the next day or freeze it.
Have a set budget for food and cleaning stuff and once it's done it's done (unless of course you are actually starving and nothing is left!). This forces me to use up stuff I've already got in strange combinations.

Do you have a chest freezer? I ask because you are eating a lot of fish which is much much cheaper if you buy it frozen. But doing a big frozen shop once a month would only be worthwhile if you have the storage space.

In Iceland, for example: 4 mackerel fillets, 4 tuna steaks and 6 bass fillets = £10. In fact all the 'unprocessed' fish and seafood is 3 packs for £10 at the moment so you could get a months worth for a fraction of the supermarket price.

I have 5 people (2 adults and 2 kids) plus 3 cats and spend about £135 a week. Though I do shop in Lid so that helps a lot but I have found it’s cheaper to use somewhere like savers, B&M or home bargains for toiletries. Stop buying things like liquid body wash soap as it’s expensive a soap bar is much cheaper plus more environmentally friendly. I also now get washing powder instead of liquid detergent as it lasts 4 times as long and costs the same. I still have to buy nappies as my toddler still uses them at night time but honestly if at at all possible try and potty train your 2 year old in the day time as it saves a lot of money. Cut up old clothes and use as reusable wipes so much cheaper and more environmentally friendly again. Buy cheaper brands for everything. Meal plan and make lunch boxes for the day for everyone in the family. Shop every 8 days instead of 7 as it saves loads. Freeze or use left overs for the next day, bulk up meals with in season vegetables. Buy in season fruit or fruit on offer as it’s cheaper. Shop from your own cupboards and do a picky dinner which basically means use up spares of anything you have that may otherwise go to the bin. If you find cleaning products cost a lot buy a multi purpose one or a tiny bit of washing up liquid with lots of water in an old bottle and a squeeze of lime will washing most surfaces.

Do you use the 'Too good to go app' ?
I use this to stock up and freeze items at discount prices. We have a good 'artisan' who sells bags of bread through this scheme.

I meal plan and have a dot com delivery once a week, so I'm not tempted to fill up on stuff I don't need.

Buy salmon frozen or use a cheaper oily fish such as sardines.

We spend around £70 per week.

Having said that when the kids are home and I cook more information elaborate dishes, the prices shoot up!

Food has become so expensive

This should read 2 adults and 3 kids

Use two different providers a week and get their best offers, such as Ocado and Iceland deliver slot on the same day at the same time. I’ve been doing this and it’s made a huge difference in my budget.

@rusticaflores No problem. Feel free to contact me.

Worked at various retailers (M&S, Sainsburys, Ocado, Tesco, Argos, Waitrose). Head office roles - buying manager, trade manager, range, strategy, customer and insight. Essentially mainly commercial roles - lots of numbers, spreadsheets and quite a few focus groups.

If you have a retailer head office near you, look out for jobs - assistant buyer roles or merchandising or buying admins are a good way to get in.

I really like food retail - everyone has to eat and therefore everyone has an opinion

My tip would be to have 2 days a week where you go really really cheap: aim for £3-5 for all three of you for dinner.
It could be a pasta dish with cherry tomatoes cooked down with olive oil, garlic and spinach, or a hearty lentil dhal served with a simple flatbread made from flour and yogurt and then some of the yogurt in a raita. Or eggs: a frittata or a shakshuka is filling and good value.
These examples are suitable for a toddler and can make a snack for the next day.
Pick seasonal greens and opt for things like cabbage and carrots as they are cheap, with a smaller portion of fennel or artichoke or tender stem broccoli alongside, rather than being the main vegetable component.
Buy ingredients that will be used in more than one meal of the week, to cut down on waste. Plan your meals in blocks ahead of time to best use up everything.

It's not too bad. We don't eat much bread - only toddler, so I want her to have unprocessed bread. I would never eat processed bread so there's no way I'd give it to my toddler, that's just my preference.

Since neither DH or I have lunch to worry about then it's mainly her eating it anyway.

@sarahj878 we actually used washable nappies and wipes for DD's first 2 years but her new nursery won't deal with them, hence we switched to disposable ones.

I think for delivery, and London, you actually can’t go wrong with Ocado often if your buying basic ingredients and not junk. They still have loads of basic fruits and vegetables for 50p-£1. And have fish/ organic eggs/ meat on 3 for £10

i know what you mean about Lidl/ Aldis or even a large supermarket not easy to get to in many parts of the city.

sorry for the hijack!

But I’ve never had frozen salmon and my DC would eat it everyday if they could! What’s it like? Is it still nutritious and flavoursome?

@Evianna83 All bread is processed.

Bertinet bread would be classed as the 'best' option in any supermarket. I would suggest you go to the premium own label instead.

I am guessing you are either a Sainsburys or Waitrose shopper?

If Waitrose shopper, I would suggest going for 'essentials' level protein. This is a higher quality than other retailers mid tier ranges

@upthem5 frozen fish is often 'fresher' and better nutritionally than chilled fish as they are frozen at sea.

Flavour wise you cannot tell the difference

We get a Tesco delivery and spend about the sane as you for a family of 4. (Only night nappies for one child though). We buy value range for lots of basics e.g. kidney beans, tomato puree, passata, spaghetti, tinned tomatoes, peppers, celery, mushrooms, carrots, onions, garlic, peaches, plums, plain yoghurt, feta, cheddar, cream cheese, flour. We don't like the cheaper grapes or tinned sweetcorn so we don't buy them. My policy is always to try the value version for produce and dairy and only go up if we don't like it. I don't do this for eggs or meat because I am in a position to be able to pay more for higher welfare.
Another way I keep costs down is to reduce the amount of the more expensive ingredients in a recipe, so for the 3 meat eaters in the family I stretch one chicken breast to do for all of them, or make one 250g pack of mince make 2 meals for them. I buy cheaper fish options e.g. basa not cod/haddock, smaller prawns, salmon tails not fillets. I try to have most meals in the week using cheaper ingredients e.g. for me who doesn't eat meat I'll have most meals based on lentils and beans and maybe one meal with halloumi or tofu.
I look carefully at what is on sale and only buy some more expensive things when they are reduced e.g. smoked salmon, Sea bass.

Ok so we buy the sourdough, firstly. Secondly, Bertinet sourdough has only 3 ingredients: flour, water and salt. We have made our own in the past but being time poor at present this is the best one on the market for the simplest and purest ingredients.

Even Tesco "best" sourdough is full of preservatives, acidity regulators, potato starch, and so on.

@Evianna83 I didn't think Bertinet was sold at Tesco - that's interesting if they have started selling them

Waitrose doesn't have preservatives, although does have fortified flour which is more a functional food not 'additives'

Not sure about Sainsburys - just checked - the same as Waitrose.

From the brief insight you have given us to your shopping habits, it sounds like you're quite a foodie - cooks from scratch, you care about provenance etc.

If you take pleasure in food (sounds like you do) maybe you should cut down on other bills in your like e.g. streaming services, gym, change your mobile phone tariff etc.