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8 Easy Ways To Reduce Your Food Bill

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No. 8 is an eye opener which could save you up to one third of your food bill.

Local issues such as fuel hikes, an energy crisis, and rising food prices has increased inflationary pressures this past year. The Consumer Price Index report, published by Stats SA in June 2022, indicated that food inflation is up 8.6% year-on-year, which means the average consumer – already facing stretched finances – have to shoulder an even bigger burden in order to put food on the table.

The cost of living is taxing consumers of late, and it’s sometimes hard to manage expenses – especially when inflation raises the prices of necessities like food. Luckily, there are a few ways to save on the monthly food bill.

Being frugal and finding clever ways to save on daily expenses will contribute towards greater savings at the end of every month.

1. The freezer is your friend

Make the freezer your new best friend by shopping combos and deals on fresh produce, meat and groceries. Fresh produce and meat can be bought in bulk when it is on promotion, then carefully frozen to be used at another time. Look out for Food Lover’s Market’s weekly specials, deal days (such as Ten Buck Tuesday and Fifty Buck Friday) and promotional campaigns, such as the Summer, Winter and Spring Carnivals.

2. Plan ahead

Most people know how important it is to do your grocery shopping with a grocery list. A good idea is to map out meals a week in advance, plan what you need and monitor local ads and leaflets for specials. As an example Food Lover’s Market advertises their specials in local press and on their website.

3. House brands are affordable and tasty! 

House brands have come a long way in the last decade, and offer value to the savvy shopper. You don’t have to worry about sacrificing taste and quality, and you’re looking at spending significantly less as well.

4. Stock up on versatile (and hearty) staple foods

Shop for fresh and pantry foods that can be cross-utilised in a variety of recipes. For example, root vegetables can last for a while in the fridge, along with canned goods. Rice, pasta and grains have a long shelf-life too. These can be a base for many meals. Another sure-fire way to bring down the monthly food bill is to stock your pantry with seasonings, oils and vinegars that are on sale, to ensure meals are all delicious and satisfying.

5. Pick a weekly splurge (yes, really!)

It might sound counterintuitive, but picking a weekly treat – whether its your favourite yogurt, chocolate or a bag of root vegetable chips – can actually help prevent spending unnecessary monies on take-aways or snacks throughout the week.

6. Be strategic about what you buy

Prevent waste by sorting through your fridge and kitchen cupboard on a weekly basis and, put all the perishables that need to be used in one area. You can then give them priority when planning your next meal, even freezing them for later.

7. Save on bags and packaging and be environmentally friendly too

Plastic bags are not only bad for the environment, they also add up if you’re buying them each time you shop. Food Lover’s Market offers paper bags, canvas bags, free farmers boxes and sturdier branded boxes at a minimal cost. These packaging items, once bought, can be popped into the car and retrieved every time you shop a Food Lover’s – ensuring you save the environment and your budget.

8. Go Vegan

A 2021 Oxford University research paper revealed that, in countries such as the US, the UK, Australia and across Western Europe, adopting a vegan, vegetarian, or flexitarian diet could slash your food bill by up to one-third.

The study, which compared the cost of seven sustainable diets to the current typical diet in 150 countries, using food prices from the World Bank’s International Comparison Program, was published in The Lancet Planetary Health.

“When scientists like me advocate for healthy and environmentally-friendly eating, it’s often said we’re sitting in our ivory towers promoting something financially out of reach for most people. This study shows it’s quite the opposite,” said Dr Marco Springmann.

The Oxford study found that in high-income countries:

  • Vegan diets were the most affordable and reduced food costs by up to one third.
  • Vegetarian diets were a close second.
  • Flexitarian diets with low amounts of meat and dairy reduced costs by 14%.
  • By contrast, pescatarian diets increased costs by up to 2%.

“We think the fact that vegan, vegetarian and flexitarian diets can save you a lot of money is going to surprise people,” said Dr Marco Springmann, researcher on the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food.

With the above in mind Food Lover’s Market says that they will assist with cost of living woes by offering value deals on quality basics as inflation bites for SA consumers.

Reacting to rising concerns over inflation and energy prices, Food Lover’s Market – South Africa’s largest privately owned family business – is focused on offering a welcome reprieve to cash-strapped consumers with their value deals and Summer and Winter Carnival promotions. The retailer’s aim is to be the best store in the communities it serves by sticking to a tried and tested recipe of offering fantastic value, increasing its range of groceries and perishables to create a one-stop-shop, and backing it up with a great in-store shopping experience.

Says Travis Coppin, CEO of Food Lover’s Market Retail Division, “As a group, we are working tirelessly to ensure we can offer great prices on basic items. We have seen an increased demand for basic fresh produce, as well as pantry staples like pasta, bread and beans. We’ve ensured that our promotions always include great prices on meat, seafood and deli too. Fortunately, as a business we have always been geared to deliver on all of these expectations.”

Coppin is referring to the strength of the farmer and supplier network that Food Lover’s Market has been able to develop over the course of its almost 30-year history, which ensures that the retailer can offer great value consistently. “We want to mitigate the impact of inflation as much as possible and support customers who are facing the most difficult economic conditions in decades. For this reason, we have taken bold steps to focus on value, which means our customers will find great deals when they shop with us and do not need to go anywhere else to get the best prices on their weekly shop.”

“An example of how we are able to offer fantastic value is when we sold bananas for R7.99 per kg in the week of 15 August – this is the lowest price in five years. From the reaction to some of our deals, we can confidently say that our approach is making a big difference to our customers.” Coppin concludes, “We have won the heart of our customers by giving them what they need when they needed it most. Our approach, which is to consistently delight shoppers with the variety in our stores and the value we offer through our incredible farmer and supplier relationships, is certainly bearing fruit despite these challenging times.”

Food Lover’s Market value deals include Ten Buck Tuesdays, Fifty Buck Friday, Spend it Well, and the Summer and Winter Carnivals – this is in addition to weekly deals on basic fresh and grocery items.

As the deals are so fantastic, Food Lover’s Market may have to offer limited stock per customer. For more information and specific product details, visit the Food Lover’s Market website to check the local deals in your region or store: www.foodloversmarket.co.za/specials

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.