How to save money on food at university

Going to uni is a learning curve in more ways than one - who knew that a trip to the supermarket could be so expensive?!

But when you’re paying for it all yourself, or even splitting the bills with housemates, you start to realise just how much things really cost.

Thankfully, you don’t have to spend a fortune to eat well, and with just a bit of planning, you can keep your food costs under control.

Before you go shopping

There's some simple ways to save money before you even set foot in the supermarket.

Write a shopping list and stick to it

Decide what meals you plan to eat over the next week and write a list of everything you need to make them.

If you’ve got a shopping list, you’ll be less likely to buy things you don’t really need or even end up using. 

And that, ultimately, means you spend less in the supermarket, and forking out for expensive takeaways too often.

Budget for your food shop

You don’t want to find yourself struggling to balance food costs with other expenses like rent, bills and travel.

So work out how much money you’ve got coming in and subtract the amount you have to pay for essentials.

You can then work out how much you can realistically spend on your food shop every week.

Check our guide to how to create a budget to get started.

Base meals around cheap staples

You don't need loads of fancy ingredients to make tasty meals. 

Cheap, long-lasting kitchen staples like pasta, rice and tinned tomatoes can form the basis of countless meals, from curry to spag bolognese.

And they can be a life-saver towards the end of month when money’s running short.

Check out our list of 12 ingredients you need in your kitchen.

Compare prices

It’s easy to get into the habit of shopping at the same supermarket, but what if another shop is offering better deals on the items you want?

It’s always worth researching the market before heading to the shops to see where the best offers and prices can be found.

At the supermarket

Once you've reached the shop, there's a few smart ways to cut costs there too.

Buy supermarket own-brands

Many supermarkets offer value or ‘essentials’ ranges that are much cheaper than branded items.

They’re often made in the same factories as the big-name brands, so there’s no difference in taste, quality and nutrition.

Check out the reduced section

When products are nearing their sell-by date, supermarkets usually slap a yellow sticker on them and sell them at a lower price.

So next time you’re in the supermarket, take a look at what bargains are on offer.

You might get really lucky and find something on your shopping list heavily discounted.

Use supermarket loyalty schemes

Many supermarkets offer lower prices to customers who’ve signed up for loyalty schemes, and that can lead to big savings in a single shop.

But don’t let yourself be tempted into buying something you don’t need, just because it’s on offer.

After all, it’s only worth it if you were actually planning to buy it anyway.

Buy wonky and frozen veg

If you’re going to chop a pepper or carrot, it doesn’t really matter what shape it is, so cut costs by getting a packet of wonky veg.

You should also keep some frozen veg in the freezer, as it’s just as nutritious as fresh veg, but often cheaper and lasts longer.

At home

How you use food at home makes a big difference to what you need to pay in the supermarket.

Use what you’ve got in

You might be tempted to chuck something out if the date written on the packaging is fast approaching, or if some veg is looking a bit past its best.

But food doesn’t suddenly become inedible at midnight on the printed date, so make sure you know what use-by, best before and sell-by dates really mean before throwing anything out.

And if some veg is about to go off, there’s no reason why you can’t add it to something like soup or curry, or even put in the freezer, so it doesn’t go to waste.

Learn to batch cook

When you’re cooking a meal, make more than you need and divide the extra food into single portions.

Once they've cooled, you can then put them in the freezer, so you’ve got extra meals ready and waiting whenever you need it.

Meals like chilli and bolognese sauce freeze really well, and cooking up a bigger portion takes no extra effort.

Check our regular money saving tips

Keep checking back for our regular round-ups of standout deals that can save you money in the supermarket.

We also share great low-cost recipes every week that you can impress your housemates with.