Shop smart, save money

Shop with a list: Lists can be made on the back of an envelope or old birthday card, a note pad on the fridge door or an app on your phone.  Some apps allow you to share lists with others so you can split the shopping.

If you feel tempted by a bargain in store that’s not on your list, think about whether that item can be used, frozen or stored for a later date.  If not, don’t buy it!

Struggling to make a list?  Try planning your meals before going on your shop and only buy what you need.  If you need some inspiration, there are loads of recipes on the #FoodSavvy website.

Buy loose: It might be cheap, but can you really finish that sack of potatoes?  Buy loose fruit and veg for smaller portions, particularly if only buying for one or two people.  Some foods are now available in split packs (such as ham or part baked baguettes) which will make your food last longer and allow you to freeze half to use at a later date.

Research by WRAP (Waste Resources Action Programme) shoed that if all apples, bananas and potatoes were sold loose instead of in bags, the UK could save 60,000 tonnes of food waste each year!

Other benefits of buying loose include:

• Quality – you can pick the exact produce you want and avoid the damaged or over ripe ones
• Colour – whether you like your bananas green or over ripe, you can pick your favourite
• Size/shape – having a jacket potato? You can choose a nice big one for yourself and smaller ones for the kids
• Less plastic – reduce the amount of unnecessary plastic when you buy loose. Most supermarkets sell mesh bags to put the items in to keep them safe in your trolley.

Get wonky: Many retailers now sell fruit and veg at a discount that have not met the cosmetic standards; a wonky carrot or courgette tastes exactly the same as a “perfect” one so why not buy these and save money as well as food waste.

Shop online: Or use the hand-held scanners in supermarkets so you keep track of how much you are spending as you go along.