Day 2: Our guide to cope with cost of living rises

TODAY’S food prices are hard to swallow, as Britons have to fork out more and more to meet rocketing prices.

The average household spends £126 a month on groceries, up from £87.30 this time last year and a rise of 45 per cent, according to figures from insurers LifeSearch.

Food costs jumped 4.3 per cent in February, the fastest annual growth rate for eight years, according to market analysts Kantar – and there’s plenty more to come.

Savoury snacks, fresh beef and cat food have shot up fastest, Kantar says, although the cost of bacon, beer and spirits actually fell.

Millions face a battle to eat well, and cheaply.We managed it during the Second World War, when the nation’s diet actually improved as food became scarce, and we can do it again.

Here are some top tips for keeping your food bills down, while avoiding waste and still enjoying a few treats.

HOW TO KEEP A LID ON BILLS:

● Try building meals around what’s in your cupboard, fridge or freezer before buying more. Jonny Sabinsky, from budgeting app Think Money, said: “Use up what you’ve got to cut waste, rather than choosing a recipe that requires a host of new ingredients.”

● Write down what you’ve got before you hit the shops. Sabinsky said: “We’ve all ended up in the supermarket aisles trying to remember whether we’ve got salt, pepper and ketchup at home.Too often we double up just in case.”

● Draw up meals, as this has two advantages. First, you buy only what you need and, second, it will stop you browsing the aisles and picking up whatever takes your fancy.

● Most modern supermarkets now do their own brand or cheaper version of essential items such as tinned tomatoes, beans, rice and pasta, so use them to stock up cheaply. Sabinsky said: “Premium brands charge premium prices, yet the quality isn’t always better.”

● When buying reduced items, check if they can be frozen. Sabinsky said: “Plenty of meats and fish can go in the freezer, most fruit and veg can’t.”

● Don’t lose your head over offers and promotions. “It’s only a great bargain if you actually use it,” he added.

● Do bigger shops less often. Getting to the supermarket costs money. Doing bigger shops less often could save petrol money.

● Buy frozen. If you are always left with a mouldy bag of potatoes or carrots, consider buying your vegetables frozen.

● Head to discount supermarkets. Britons are making a beeline to discounters Aldi and Lidl.

● Bulk buying food and nonperishables such as loo roll and

toiletries can save money, and you could split the cost with others.

● Search for discounts.Try to time your supermarket trips for when your local stores add yellow reduced stickers to stock that needs to be sold that day, typically in the afternoon or early evening.