Shopping Smarter for your Food as Uni Student

Your weekly food shop doesn’t have to feel like a chore. With a bit of planning and some handy tips, you’ll be shopping like a pro in no time! 

Check out our easy shopping hacks that will have you shopping smarter for your food, saving money, and doing your bit to live a more sustainable lifestyle.  

Planning ahead and budgeting 

Meal planning isn’t for everyone – after all, it can be hard to know what you want to eat before the day comes! But having an idea of what types of meals you might want to make will help you write a shopping list you can stick to. 

Going shopping with a budget in mind will make you think twice about expensive extras or too many sweet treats making their way into your basket. You should absolutely get food that you are going to enjoy, plus the occasional treat too, but your priority should always be healthy, affordable meals. 

If it helps you to see exactly what you’re spending, why not do your shopping online? You could always click and collect or have it delivered to your accommodation. This can also help with preventing impulse buying on the aisles! 

Shopping at the right time 

Having a set day to go shopping each week will get you into a good routine and reduce the number of small shops you need to do during the week – which will save you money in the long run. 

Shopping later in the day, and on Sundays, is when you’re most likely to pick up reduced deals. look out for the yellow or red stickers which will give you savings on food close to its use by date. But remember, you should only take deals on food you would already be buying, otherwise it’s not really a saving! 

Lastly, you should follow the cliché: “Don’t shop hungry”. Make sure that you are well fed before you go food shopping to avoid over buying or stocking up on cravings. The same is true if you have just got your student loan, make sure that you stick to a budget for your shop to avoid overspending. 

Stocking up on cheap essentials 

For your cupboard staples like rice, pasta, spices and jar sauces, the well-known brands on offer can often be more expensive, for less food. 

Did you know that the World Food’s aisle in your local supermarket will stock the same quality items for up to 75% less than the branded equivalent? The only reason for the cheaper price is because the brand is not as well known. 

You can also bulk buy spices in packets, for less than the price of a single use jar. This way you can reuse your old spice jars and save your pennies – as well as the environment! 

Buying only the fresh produce you need 

It’s always good practice to buy only what you need, saving room in your fridge, as well as reducing the amount of food that ends up going to waste. 

Fruit and vegetables might have a best before date on, but they will often stay good long after this date if stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Use your judgement, check for any smells, feel for any soft spots, and look for any mould.  

Did you know that you can prep and freeze most fruits and vegetables which will be good for 6 months to a year later? This way you can buy seasonal veg whilst its cheap and enjoy it all year long. 

Understanding sell by, use by, and best before 

You’ll find these phrases on all perishable food items, but did you know they all mean something different? Reduce your food waste by checking out our handy guide: 

Sell by – is the date by which supermarkets must sell items. The food will still be safe for a few weeks after this date so don’t throw items away as soon as they reach this date! Commonly found on eggs. 

Use by - is the date by which a product must be eaten. Food will begin to spoil after this date and become unsafe to eat. Found on fresh products such as meat, fish, dairy, and bread. 

Best before - is the time at which the product is at its best. Don’t confuse this with use-by-dates. The food can still be safe to eat after its best-before date, but the quality may be lower. Commonly found on cheese, as well as canned products such as baked beans. 

Always ask yourself “will I eat this before its passes the use-by date?”. 

This way you’ll prevent unnecessary food waste and save money. Plus, you can always rummage to the back of the shelf for items with a longer date, especially for dairy products like milk and yoghurt. 

Ditching single use plastics 

Everyone wants to a live a bit more sustainably, but people seem to think it costs more to go for the plastic free option. 

Spending a little more once, will save you money versus lots of smaller purchases. For example, if you buy a reusable canvas bag or plastic bag for life, you will save yourself money on plastic bags every single time you go shopping – forever! 

You can also look at getting a cheap soap dispenser and buying soap refills, which are often cheaper and last longer than the bottled soaps. Or see if you could save money on fruit and veg, nuts, grains and cereals (plus shampoo and other cleaning products) at your local zero waste shop.