Since COL what do you still have to buy regardless of its price/what cut back on/how much is your food shop

[MakeMineAdoubleChocolate]

Hi everyone

I find prices have increased so much in the last 6 months. I usually shop with Asda and the local OneStop or Co op.
I feel like the prices have gone up every couple of weeks and even asdas own brand are becoming much more expensive.

We are a family of 8, 6 kids and 2 parents. And spend between 200 and 240 a week on our food shop that includes nappies, toiletries and cleaning products.

The things I cannot live without are nuts, I find KP has gone up so much but Asdas own peanuts/coated crispy nuts and pistachios are fine. But for 200g of Asda own coated nuts are now £2.20. Beginning if the year they were a good 50p less.
Asdas chocolate peanuts are also lovely.

I had to give up a lot of luxuries because even though I love them so much, I would prefer to get more important things.

Even birds eye prices are getting bad.
I only buy pringles if they're on sale and walkers sensations too.

I barely buy walkers now as find that asda own cheese and onion are better.

I stopped buying day, surf etc and find asda tropical laundry gel fine.

So , what have you had to cut back on, what do you still buy because you love it so much and how much is your weekly shop and the size of your household, please?

Id love to see a full shopping list as I can't believe it

even with lurpak the bread still tore. I just squirt some mayo on and dont have butter anymore

@sparkleshin yes me too. I never believe these low low shopping budgets. I literally meal plan every meal, we buy own brands cereal, bread, value cheese. We do eat meat but I cook from scratch virtually every day, no sauces or ‘kits’ or anything like that.
interestingly, when I did my Asda online this week, once I had added everything for the 7 days it came to about £70 - amazing! Then i realised I’d forgotten to add any fresh veg, no lunchbox things, no washing powder…. And then suddenly it was £130, which is a light week for us.
I’ve already run out of bin bags and realised a few other bits I’ve forgotten… 🤦‍♀️

I’m definitely buying less lunches and convenience food. I WFH most days but just have cereal/toast rather than things like soups/small curries/pizza etc at lunch. Also cut back on treats and cleaning supplies (working my way through the backlog I have) and when needed top up with own brand. Stopped buying branded sauce (M&S actually do some great ones for around £1.50ish). No more branded beans etc and if we do have treats is most likely a pack of biscuits on offer than crisps/chocolate as they’re so expensive. For 2 adults (home cooked evening meals, packed lunch 5 days) I’m spending £85 on a good week, £105+ if we need toiletries/washing supplies

I spent about £150 this week in Sainsburys for three of us which seems ridiculously expensive but to be honest that does include lots of fruit and berries, avocados, cold meats, eggs and cheeses as these are mainly what we’re eating at the moment. While we can afford it I’d rather eat what we want to rather than what we could get by on as would have been the case in the past.

I used to spend £60 on a good weeks and say £85/90 on a everythibgs run out week. Also cut out fizzy drinks and try to just buy a 2l bottle for the weekend

@thenewaveragebear1983 I meal plan too, for example I write a list of what meals I want to do, monday spicy rice, tuesday jacket potatoes with tuna and cheese etc. Then buy all that. And I am looking at the list thinking wow £80, great! Then i am like oh wait no, add on lunches, then washing powder and it just goes up and up and up, snacks such as cereal bars, milk, salads.... goes up again and bam its hitting the 200 marks then am like right shower gel, nappies, wipes, cream, toothpaste, goes up more, right 250 it is this week again!

I’ve cut down on meat and try to avoid luxuries. It’s shocking how much a weekly shop has changed. Not that long ago I considered £80 reasonable for a family of four but now I can’t seem to get it below £120. I also used to buy sandwiches from Boots daily for lunch and treat myself to coffee in the mornings. That feels like an unbelievable luxury nowadays!

Have you tried the food waste apps

Too Good To Go - you need to collect yourself & cannot choose what you receive

Olio - not just food

I am also a big fan of yellow sticker reduced price food !