With the school summer holidays just a hop, skip and jump away, kids across the nation are counting down the days to fun, fun, fun! Meanwhile cash-strapped parents are counting down the days until their weekly food bills rocket.
Parenting on Female First
Parents, before you head to the bank manager to negotiate a loan to cover your family’s summer food bill, check out these ten savvy saving tips from mySupermarket, the grocery shopping site that helps you make huge savings on your weekly shop.
James Foord, parent of two and money saving expert at the site, believes the family can eat well without breaking the bank if mum and dad put in a little planning and preparation.
Here are James’ top ten tips for a thrifty summer holiday with your little cherubs:
1. Preparation – a simple, yet effective tip. Put 20 minutes aside at the beginning of each week to prepare a shopping list and menu for the week ahead. This will help save you time mid-week and stick within budget.
2. Ready meals – not the ones from the supermarket! Cook things like pasta sauces, stews and pies in bulk and defrost whilst you’re on a big day out with the kids, so all you have to do is reheat when you get in. Plus make savings on specially prepared products like grated cheese, do it yourself it’s cheaper.
3. Shop Online – you can make huge savings by shopping online - it will also prevent you being coaxed into buying products strategically placed around the store to entice you. Sites like mySupermarket.co.uk enable you to shop across all the major stores at once whilst being able to swap and save to the cheapest like- for-like products or baskets. Plus there are vouchers to help you make even more savings. You can save £15 - £20 at least on your average weekly shop.
4. Avoid taking the kids to the supermarket or shopping on an empty stomach - if you do prefer visiting the supermarket, kids will always find extras to put in the basket, from treats to keep them quiet whilst you’re shopping or a present if they’re well behaved, both of which significantly increases the price of your shop – plus don’t shop whilst hungry, you'll spend more on treats and products you might not normally buy.
5. Buy in bulk – buy in bulk store cupboard essentials like pasta, rice and squashes that go further for longer.
6. Own brand – supermarkets’ own brand products taste just as good and will save you money. As an extra tool, mySupermarket enables you to view the best like-for-like products online, or you can use the mySupermarket App in-store to scan for the cheapest deals.
7. Create healthy snacks – can save you a small fortune throughout the summer and the kids can help. Healthy snacks include homemade fresh fruit lollies, jelly in small pots to take on day trips, chopped up carrot, celery sticks and delicious smoothies.
8. Expensive snacks – keep costly sweet treats out of reach in high cupboards for special occasions.
9. Day trips – take a picnic with you to prevent buying unhealthy snacks and drinks. The kids will love opening the tubs and discovering what’s inside too.
10. Boredom – make sure the kids have plenty to do. Like most of us, once you’re bored food comes to the forefront of your mind.