Freshers food Shopping on a Budget!
Some top tips on food shopping at university... where to shop and what to buy are essentials when shopping on an almighty student budget!!
Where to shop?
Studentville of Roath and Cathays offers plenty of Supermarkets such as your Sainsbury’s local and Tesco Express however these are great for rushing to get some milk because your house mate decided to drink it all the night before without telling you however for doing a whole food shop there are much cheaper alternatives that are smack bang in studentville such as Lidl and you might not think it for a food shop but Home Bargains. Lidl is on Maindy Road and Home Bargains is on Albany Road.
What should you buy?
For things like fruit, vegetables and meat, what matters is the per-kilo price — as you can find yourself paying less for a slightly bigger pack.
As a general rule, loose goods work out cheaper and you only buy what you need. If food is packaged, keep it in the plastic it’s sold in — it’s often designed to make contents last.
Buy one, get one free deals (aka bogofs) are only worth their while if you’re actually going to use them. Shop with a friend so you can split them. Or think bogoff: buy one, get one for freezing.
Also, it’s worth remembering that the simpler the item, the more likely the value brand of it will taste OK. Buying named brand rice, pasta or pulses is a waste of money.
Finally, suck up to the staff. Supermarkets always discount their items at the same time each day — if you find out when this is, you can snag foods that may not normally be within your budget. Just remember to eat or freeze them fast.
Share the spoils
One of the easiest ways to cut costs is to share — whether that means paying into a kitty for staple ingredients, such as pasta, rice and stock cubes, or taking it in turns to cook large one-pot dishes you can all eat. But be warned: this can be fraught with grief, or at least compromise.
You have to cook things everyone likes or it will end in arguments, so draw up a menu rota. Also, buy plastic microwave pots. Not everyone is going to be home at the same time.
Dine out in style
It can be done — even on a budget. There’s websites and apps such as Clubr and Tastecard that have great offers on many different restaurants.
Another tip for those who get carried away ordering food is to let your more sensible friend order first.
Finally, if the portions are too large, ask for a doggy bag. There is nothing wrong or embarrassing about taking the left over food back home with you and if anything it means less cooking the following day just make sure you refrigerate the food as soon as you get home and reheat thoroughly before eating the following day.
For more information on Places to eat out in Cardiff take a look on www.clubr.co.uk