Food shop is too expensive

[ByBrightSloth]

I don’t have much energy to spend time cooking or batch cooking, so I currently get fresh or pre-made if I need something to eat right then. I also have sensory needs, and generally don’t like anything slimey, wet, or soggy. I eat the same sort of thing everyday, I usually opt for pasta with fresh vegetables , or salad and breaded fish. I will also eat breaded chicken. Snacks are apples or frozen fruit. I eat a lot. I get PIP for extra costs, but my food bill is too much. I want to build up some savings as a safety net. Any suggestions? If you read this far TIA

Where do you you shop? This can make a difference

Just Asda as Tesco was too expensive

I use olio a lot. If you have a rep /food saving hero close by it's an absolute godsend. Also company Shop for bargain food (and a fair bit of shite too)

Have you tried farmfoods op? You can buy lots of versions of what you say you like to eat.

Asda is very good value
Could you use frozen veg for your pasta sauce or make a big batch with fresh and freeze?
if you have specific food needs then I am guessing it is trickier?

I’ve found Ocado cheaper than Asda!

I don’t like frozen veg as it changes the texture and taste. I only like fresh but I will have tinned sweetcorn from green giant as it’s softer. I don’t use pasta sauce anyway I put cheese on the pasta

Jacket potato for 3 meals in 7 days
With tuna one time
Oily fish one time - mackeral etc

Soups

Your frozen stuff try Iceland.
Salads and fresh fruit can be really expensive, try to look for more seasonal items or find some new recipes. Eg spinach goes further and lasts longer than little bags of salad leaves. Plums are cheaper than berries. You could even try a veg box or greengrocer.

I could do baby potato’s as they stay more firm, I cover them in oil and put salt and pepper on before I put them in the oven. But maybe not jacket as they end up really soft?
I don’t like soup because it’s “wet” and I find the bits in it soggy

If money is such an issue, I’m afraid you might not have much of a choice!
We use frozen veg due to cost and it does help.

Cooking jackets in the microwave(part or all) or the air fryer will save a lot of energy costs. The oven is not your friend unless it's batch cooking.
Try to cook at least 2 meals in one ie pasta for dinner and left overs for lunch. Mash - make enough for dinner and portion more up to freeze for another time.
Fresh lettuce lasts longer and you get more than it costs for a bag, doesn't take a second to chop a bit off ( you might prefer iceberg)
Breaded chicken is always cheaper when frozen and not much longer to cook, same with veggies.
Aldi/Lidl might be your best bet for cheapness but also depends what's local, I find sticking to one supermarket is the most expensive, whereas if you can shop around a bit then your overall shop is a lot cheaper as all shops raise prices on some items in order to lower them elsewhere.

Have you tried streaming it instead of boiling it? I have one of those Chinese bamboo steamers that sits on a top of a pan and as long as I supervise it carefully, my frozen veg comes out tasting fresh.

You have to review your supermarket choices on a regular basis. I used to find adsa a lot cheaper than Tesco but now I find that has reversed.

Do you eat cooked vegetables?

Salad can be really expensive, if you can eat cooked vegetables you can buy the cheaper things that are in season.

What about cheaper veg thats shaved? Like carrot?

Actually maybe shaved carrot