The weekly trip to the supermarket has become a bigger drain on household budgets thanks to the cost of living crisis, and with grocery inflation adding more than £800 to an annual grocery bill on average, there's no sign of things becoming easier in the short term.
According to market analysts Kantar, grocery price inflation was 17.1% in the four weeks to February 19, which is estimated to add £811 to the average shopping bill of families already struggling to meet higher mortgage repayments and energy bills. If you're trying to cut your food costs, we've come up with some suggestions to help you keep everyone fed, depending on your circumstances.
Free Food
If you're struggling to afford to buy food, the obvious place to turn to is a one of the network of foodbanks which have become a feature of most communities. However, there are a couple of alternatives to consider which don't need a referral and will enable you to pick up food either free or for a fraction of its usual cost.
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Foodbanks
How it works: Foodbanks give out parcels that should provide at least three days' worth of food, but you do usually need to be referred before you can access help. You can get referred by a doctor, health visitor, school or social worker or Citizens Advice. Get ready to answer some questions about your income and why you need to use the foodbank, such as redundancy, an unexpected bill or a delay in benefit payments.
The Trussell Trust is one of the biggest foodbank charities in the UK, running around two-thirds of all foodbanks. There'll usually be details on your local foodbank's page of how to access its services and there are also many independent foodbanks in the region, such as West Northumberland Food Bank at Hexham or Hebburn Helps in South Tyneside. You can find more about independent food banks here.
Olio
How it works: Olio is a free app you can download and look for food for free. Originally set up as a solution to the problem of food waste, Olio had been a lifesaver to many during the cost of living crisis. While many items come from people emptying out their store cupboards, major supermarkets and retailers as well as independent cafes, bakeries and shops also offer up leftovers at the end of the day. The system is: volunteers collect any spare food from these stores and list it on the app and you collect food from the volunteers rather than the stores themselves. To get started, download it from Apple's iOS App Store or the Google Play Store.
Community Fridges
How it works: The environmental organisation Hubbub hosts a project called Community Fridges, which are run by community groups in shared spaces such as schools, community centres and shops. There are currently over 300 fridges across the UK and counting and Hubbub have partnered with Co-op to fund 500 fridges by the end of 2023. Local fridges can be found at Great Lumley, Gateshead, Newcastle City Centre and North Shields YMCA.
Free meals
How it works: The FoodCycle charity also offers free, three-course meals each week made from surplus food to anyone in the community and has 55 projects across the UK, including in Felling, Byker and Benwell. You can find your closest FoodCycle location here.
Cheap food
Too Good To Go
How it works: This app aims to reduce food waste and save you money at the same time by offering leftover food from cafes' supermarkets and bakeries which is nearing its best-before date at a discounted rate. TGTG's 'magic bags' costs between £2 and £4, and Too Good To Go says the food will be worth at least three times as much as if you'd bought it at full price. Aldi is one of the latest retailers to sign up, and savers have been raving about its grocery 'magic bags' for £3.30 which contain at least £10 worth of food. Once you've selected the store you want to rescue food from, you pay via the app. Then simply visit the location during the set collection time to pick up your bag. Download it for free from Apple's App Store or Google Play.
Yellow stickers
How it works: 'Yellow sticker' discounts are when a supermarket's reduces items to clear towards the end of their shelf life. Yellow stickers have become a social media talking point, with bargain-hunters often sharing their 'haul' for others to admire. Generally, the later the time, the better the bargain. Although stores start reductions much earlier in the day, the nearer to closing time you visit, the lower the prices will be.
Social supermarkets
How it works: Social supermarkets, also known as community supermarkets or community shops, are stores that sell surplus food from major supermarkets and other parts of the food industry for heavily-discounted price. These stores are usually run by either charities or not-for-profit social enterprises and are generally, but not always, aimed specifically at those on low incomes. Many offer other forms of support to those struggling, such as community kitchens offering low-cost meals, cooking classes, healthy eating courses, money management courses and debt advice. There are a couple in our region, Hexham Community Grocery and Kingdom Life Community Grocery in Heaton, Newcastle.
Company Shops
How it works: There is a Company Shop in Washington, which can be used if you receive a means-tested benefit, such as jobseeker's allowance or council tax support, or work for (or receive a pension from) the NHS, care and emergency services or similar.
Clearance Shops
How it works: Most towns have shops which sell short-dated or surplus stock for much less than supermarkets. Market stalls can also be a good place to look. Clearance site Approved Food sells groceries which are approaching or have passed their best-before date. It offers a decent discount, but delivery starts at £3 for up to 25kg and there's a £22.50 minimum spend, so it only really works if you buy in bulk.
Other ways to get free or discounted food
If you are not in crisis, there are still ways to cut the cost of food, such as:
Foraging
How it works: It might sound extreme, but you can get lots of food for free simply by foraging and picking it yourself when it's in season. However, it's important to stay safe – only forage where you're permitted and ensure what you're doing is legal. You'll find different wild food at different times of year. For example, now you can find nettles and wild garlic, but in September, look out for sloes, wild strawberries and raspberries. There are four golden rules to foraging:
- Make sure you are allowed on the land. Foraging for personal use is generally allowed in the UK but councils and conservation agencies can pass bylaws to stop you foraging in specific areas.
- Know what you're picking and beware poisonous species. Never consume a wild plant unless you're certain what it is. It could be rare and protected, inedible or even deadly poisonous.
- Don't touch rare species. Some species are protected by law, so know what not to collect.
- Only take what you plan to eat: Wild food is vital for the survival of the UK’s wildlife and it is important to forage sustainably to ensure there is enough left for birds and others.
Get app-happy
How it works: Fast-food chains often offer discounts and freebies to new and existing customers through apps and membership 'clubs'. It's worth joining and keeping an eye out for any new offers which pop up. McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, Subway and Greggs all offer freebies such as free fries or drinks just for signing up.
Budget Big Macs
How it works: Put simply, spend 20p and get as many £2 Big Mac & fries as you want. Every time you visit McDonald's you will get a voucher of a Big Mac and Fries for £1.99 if you use a code on your receipt. If you've got the nerve to do it, a 20p ketchup pot is the cheapest item on the menu ...
Free tea or coffee while you shop
Ikea and Waitrose both offer free tea and coffee if they sign up for a loyalty card. In Ikea. You can claim a free hot drink on weekdays as many times as you like when you sign up for an Ikea Family card and MyWaitrose members can get a free coffee when making a purchase in a store – but you'll need to bring your own reusable cup.
Bag a birthday freebie
Again, you'll have to register on an app, but restaurants and cafes often give you completely free food on your birthday. Usually all you need to do is sign up to their mailing list and you'll be sent an email around the time of your birthday, with a voucher to claim the freebie. Check out current offers from Krispy Kreme, Greggs and Hotel Chocolat.
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