Cash-strapped households across Ireland are being advised on clever ways to reduce their weekly food costs by making simple swaps to their meals.
The team at MuscleFood.com have revealed a number of clever food swaps to help shoppers save money amid rising grocery costs.
Food prices are continuing to rise and even some everyday essentials such as pasta are doubling in stores.
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To help manage the rising costs, experts have recommended swapping out six foods that can drive prices up for low-cost alternatives that make equally delicious meals.
Simple swaps like buying loose vegetables over pre-packaged ones, bulk-buying cupboard essentials, and ditching pre-made jars of sauce will help to cut back on weekly spending.
Ashleigh Tosh from MuscleFood.com said: "It’s worrying how much food prices have been soaring over the last year with items like cucumbers, chicken, beef and pasta continuing to get more expensive.
"We wanted to provide advice for shoppers to lower their food costs by swapping out certain foods for cheaper options that make tasty meals and are easy on the budget.
"Even simple changes such as buying loose veggies rather than pre-packaged ones can save half the costs."
Here are six food swaps to follow on the grocery shop by MuscleFood.com to save money:
Buy loose veggies over prepacked
Pre-packaged veggies can be double the price of loose veggies. Buying them loose means you’re buying the exact amount you need and is based on weight rather than branding or packaging.
Swap premade jars for homemade pasta sauces
Lots of premade jars contain high amounts of sugar and if you’re making a dish such as a lasagna it can cost around €4 for the sauces alone. Have a look at creating your own with tomato paste, double cream and other ingredients which can be made for meals throughout the week.
Opt for cheaper meats
Pork is one of the meats which haven’t shot up in price compared to the others, so try using it in dishes like meatballs or in the Sunday roast for a cheaper meal.
Or you could try meat-free days throughout the week to drive costs down even more.
Stick with off-brand products
As tempting as it is to buy branded versions of products, essential brands taste just as good, as many of the lines have had a revamp since the cost-of-living crisis started. If you look at the ingredients they usually contain the same contents, but if you feel it doesn’t taste the same, sprinkle some salt and pepper in to add flavour.
Big bags of rice
Buy heavy bags rather than individual packets to pop in the microwave which can cost a euro at a time. If you go for the big bags, you can meal prep throughout the week easier for lunches and dinners to save money.
Try frozen fruits
Packed frozen fruits contain plenty of nutrients and are cheaper than buying the pre-packaged versions especially if it’s been pre-sliced. Frozen packs of raspberries and strawberries also taste delicious when put in the blender to make a refreshing smoothie.
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