12 tips for saving on your supermarket spend

I'm often asked for ideas and recommendations for tasty but cost-effective dinner options. So, if you're keen to cut down on how much you spend on groceries each week, here's some of my top tips for saving at the supermarket.

Check what's on special

From seeing what's on special to comparing prices between supermarkets, butcheries and fruit shops, each week you will find some essential items at a lower price point. It's always a good idea to try and shop for these items - if it fits with what you and your family eat.

Shop for in-season fruit and vegetables

Every season brings with it various fruit and vegetables which will be cheaper than other produce that's currently not in season. Using these ingredients in your meals are a great way to cut costs.

For example, in winter I think you'll love my Whole Roasted Pumpkin Soup, and in summer, how about my Crustless Courgette Quiche.

Canned and frozen veggies are great

Canned and frozen produce - such as tomatoes, beans, peas and corn - are ideal for all sorts of meals and cooking, especially when it comes to bulking up dinners and getting your five plus servings of fruit and vegetables each day.

And the great news is that they come at a much lower price point than their fresh counterparts.

This Vegetarian Chilli is absolutely delicious and uses canned tomatoes and beans. And these Cottage Cheese Fritters are super popular too!

Meal planning works wonders

Did you know that planning your week's worth (or even month) of meals can help to significantly cut your supermarket spend? That's because you know exactly what you need, what you're cooking and means you can select dinners that incorporate what's on special.

It also helps to minimise those mid-week dashes to the supermarket - the ones that often blow the budget!

Two smartphones display a meal planning app; the left shows chicken dinner recipes, while the right offers a categorized grocery checklist for saving at the supermarket.

A meal plan and shopping list in CookPlan.

If you want to give meal planning a go, using my recipes, check out the CookPlan app. You simply select your favourite dinners, make a meal plan then download an automated shopping list. You can even mark off the things you don't need. And everyone I've talked to who uses it says they are definitely saving on their weekly shop.

Why not try a week's free trial to see if it works for you?

Shop from your cupboard and fridge/freezer first

Before heading out for a trolley load of groceries, check out what you've already got at home and work out which meals you could make from them - things like rice, pasta, frozen meat, canned food etc.

Quite often you won't need to buy everything for a week of dinners, just a few ingredients here and there.

6. Go meat-free more often

Meals without meat are usually significantly cheaper than those with it, and by using the right recipes and ingredients, it's likely you won't even notice the difference.

I have heaps of delicious vegetarian recipes on my website. Some of my favourites are Vegetarian Enchiladas and Yellow Dahl. Yum!

7. Shop online or write an itemised list for the supermarket

When you shop online, you're less likely to buy things you don't need. And it's also easier to stick to a budget if you can see your total as you're adding to cart.

But if you can't shop online, do your best to create an accurate and itemised list. This will reduce impulse purchases and the overwhelm in the aisle when you're thinking 'what are we going to have?'. This is where meal planning can definitely help!

8. Choose easy and tasty meals

I truly believe that some of the quickest meals are some of the best - full of flavour and without the need for lots of fancy ingredients. See how many raving fans there are of my One Pot Mince and Pasta! It's the most popular recipe on my website.

And with easy dinners that are delicious too, you're far less likely to grab a takeaway, which can often add up. How about my Big Mac Pizza or American style Fried Chicken with Takeaway style Potato and Gravy and Coleslaw? So good!

9. Select multi-purpose ingredients

By choosing ingredients that can be used across multiple dinners means you can minimise waste and ensure you make the most of what you've bought.

Meal planning can really come in handy for this and with CookPlan, you can search for specific ingredients and see all the recipes that use them.

10. Buy home brand products

When it comes to things like pasta, rice, flour, canned goods and other items, don't be afraid to buy the 'basic' brands (i.e. Pams, Budget etc). You'll likely find that the quality is no different to the more expensive ones and saving a few dollars here and there can really add up.

Try to buy in bulk if possible too. If it's something you and your family eat a lot of, then it may pay to have a good stock of it! Buying in bulk means a larger initial outlay, but in the long run, you will normally save money.

11. Swap convenience for making your own

There's plenty of pre-made sauces and meal mixes out there, but I try not to use them in my cooking - as you really don't need them, and it's so easy to make them yourself! I also think this saves on the overall cost per meal.

There are quite a few basics I always have in my pantry, like soy sauce, canned tomatoes, crushed garlic, ginger and stock cubes, and most are so versatile you can use them across all sorts of dishes. Lots of people love my Quick Teriyaki Chicken Bowls and my Homemade Big Mac Style Sauce.

12. Cook once, eat twice

Cooking in bulk is a great way to get two dinners from one. This usually means spending a little bit more on meat than you would for one meal but bulking it up with veggies and sauce. Then you can freeze half for later, which is ideal for those nights where you're just needing something ready to go (and when you'd usually reach for takeaways).

Some of my favourite 'Cook once, eat twice' recipes are Slow Cooker Mexican Beef, Vanya's Lasagne and Slow Cooker Creamy Shredded Chicken.

I hope these tips have helped and you're able to use some of them for your next trip to the supermarket.

And don't forget to give CookPlan a try. I've had so many people say it's been an absolute game changer in their lives by saving time, money and stress.