Cost of Living: Food and Drink on a Budget

Our latest article offers great advice on going back to the basics when it comes to money-saving meal planning and keeping the family fed. Also, don't miss our biggest competition yet!

Date:

18 August, 2022

Back to basics

Three meals a day for a six-week period? Imagining the preparation involved can feel intimidating. All that time spent in the kitchen! At Park Christmas Savings HQ, loads of us have been introduced to ‘meal prep’, which isn’t exactly rocket science and as the name suggests, it’s all about preparing WAY in advance – think days or even weeks ahead.

Bypass the ‘whole, ‘But it’s a chore’ thinking because it’s a great way to save money, as you just buy exactly what you need. Being savvy could save you a lot of money throughout the year. Plus, food waste will be a thing of the past - a win for the environment as well as your pocket.

Meal planning saves money & keeps the family healthy

While meal prepping can be seen as a form of ‘adulting’, it’s a great way for kids to learn about cooking. Involving them as you prepare their meals can prompt a genuine curiosity about food. We all appreciate the struggles of a fussy eater, but encouraging kids to be open-minded about what they eat will stand them in good stead for the future and potentially, make your life easier!

It can even make food shopping a fun pursuit. Create a game for your kids by transforming an otherwise dull Saturday morning in the supermarket into an exciting quest... Your kids have to find the ‘magical items’ – the ingredients for the meals that they’re helping you prep. They will feel part of things and it teaches them about responsibility and a general understanding about food.

Meal prep

Repeatedly ordering in naughty takeaways is going to cost you, but meal prep will keep the price down and reduce the amount of processed food that you include in your diet. Spice things up by being more adventurous with food – there are countless recipes that are available online.

Just take a look at the 52 awesome recipes that footballer, Marcus Rashford and award-winning chef, Tom Kerridge, have produced – national households went crazy for them when they first launched last year:

Top tips

  • Start on a Friday. Plan it on a Friday, going shopping for it on a Saturday and put an hour aside on a Sunday to make the stuff.

  • Create a recipe bank. Perfect for when you’re out of ideas, or just don’t have much time to cook.

  • Check what’s in. Taking stock of what’s in your fridge, cupboards and drawers means that you’re probably not going to buy double. Organising your kitchen is an efficient way to keep on top of things. It’ll help keep your shopping list concise, which in turn saves a few quid.

  • Cut down on meat. Consider swapping out red meat for leaner cuts. Rice, lentils and couscous are usually cheaper to buy. They’re also rich in fibre, vitamins and other useful nutrients.

  • See what’s on sale. There’s nothing wrong with fruit and veg if it’s a little knocked about, especially if it’s cheaper than usual!

  • Use leftovers. Eat what’s left the next day for lunch. This extends to ingredients too. For example, if you’ve roasted a chicken for Sunday dinner, use every last bit. Even consider doing a bone broth – good for healthy skin and your pocket!

  • Have a backup plan. Keep a frozen pizza in, it’ll be a lifesaver if things go awry.

Summer treats

In search of something small to snack on? Here’s a round-up of super cool options to curb your cravings:

  • Rainbow snack platter. Using colourful veg, cut the produce into either chunks or slices depending on preference. Arrange what’s left into the shape of a rainbow. Add a sauce for some dipping fun.

  • Fruit skewers. Thread whatever fruit you fancy onto a skewer. Plus, they’re filled with vitamins, perfect for growing bodies.

  • Ice lollies. The possibilities are endless. For grownups, alcohol ice lollies are a boozy treat for hot summer days or try these rainbow ones from Tesco.

  • BBQ. Is there anything better than a BBQ in the height of summer? There are countless recipes but consider this brilliant list of Sainsbury’s most popular ones here.

Christmas food planning

Park Christmas Savings is at the forefront of helping UK households budget for that magical December day. We know a thing or two about what works best. Making sure you pull off your Christmas dinner without any problems is definitely the dream, but there are ways you can make it your reality.

Park Christmas Savings. Our gift cards and vouchers can be redeemed at some of the UK’s top supermarkets, such as Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s. By November, what you worked hard to save all year will have been received back in gift cards and gift vouchers so you’re all set for stress-free Christmas shopping spree – this can include all your Christmas food. Find out more here.

Plan, plan, plan. First course to dessert needs to be mapped out. If you don’t, there’s a good chance you’ll wind up wasting food. Write a shopping list so you don’t forget anything

Try something new. Create your own traditions as a family if the usual stuff doesn’t really suit you.

Be mindful. Take a moment for yourself. If you spent all day cooking, sit down and put your feet up for a bit - the washing up can wait a little while longer.

Competition: Win one of four £50 Sainsbury’s Gift Cards, or a £25 Gift Card from Pizza Express. Plus, there’s £50 Waterstones Gift Card up for grabs too!

This week, we’ve teamed up with THREE retailers – Sainsbury’s, PizzaExpress and Waterstones! There’s a whole host of prizes to be won, so keep on reading for the details.

A supermarket powerhouse for over 150 years, Sainsbury’s offers its customers a huge selection of products to buy. It’s also Britain’s longest-standing major food retailing chain, starting out as a family business.

PizzaExpress has a been a favourite of many since 1965, having been founded to replicate the Italian taste that had previously hard to copy.

Founded in 1982, Waterstones has enjoyed success through its 280 stores and 3,000 booksellers across the UK. As the last surviving national bookshop chain, Waterstones has a wide range of genres for all sorts of bookworms.

To enter, send us an email at [email protected] and tell us your favourite shoestring recipe.

T&Cs apply - here

PLEASE NOTE, THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED

Lifestyle

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