Another interest rate rise and a spike in fuel prices is placing increasing pressure on household budgets. Many households are also seeing the impact of the war in the Middle East on the price of groceries.

Now the weekly food shop requires more planning, brand swaps and deciding whether to cut back on non-essentials.

So how can you reduce grocery costs without compromising taste and nutrition?

Plan meals around what’s on sale and in season

Food prices fluctuate week to week, so planning meals around what’s low-cost or on special can make a difference to grocery bills.

A simple starting point is to buy fruit and vegetables that are in season. These are typically cheaper because they are more abundant and require less storage and transport. In cooler months, this includes vegetables such as pumpkin, carrots, potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower, along with fruits such as apples and pears.

A practical shift is to “reverse meal plan”. Instead of starting with a recipe, identify what foods are affordable that week and build meals around them. Compare unit prices (per 100 grams or per litre) rather than shelf prices, to identify the best-value options.

Supermarket catalogues, apps or social media accounts such as @Wholesavers and @Supermarket.swap can help identify discounts and compare prices across retailers.

Many staples – including olive oil, cleaning products and pantry items – also follow predictable discount cycles every four to six weeks, making it worthwhile to delay non-urgent purchases.

Shopping habits matter........

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