Top tips for saving on food

Food is one of your household's biggest expenses and there are tons of ways to save on it.

Here are five top tips to save on food.

See also: How does your household food spend compare?

See also: Parents spending 'twice as much' on part-time childcare as on food and drink

1. Buy fresh and simple ingredients

These are often not only better for you but less expensive that pre-packaged, prepared foods. This means you're not only saving money but it's better for you too - you win both ways.

2. Buy generic

You'll often find that you're just paying for the brand name. While with some products it may be worth spending a little extra, for basics like salt, sugar and flour you'll get just the same thing if you opt for the own brand labels.

3. Use a list

This is an important one, you should never go shopping without a list and when you're in the supermarket you shouldn't buy anything that isn't on your list. This is an easy way to save money and cut out impulse buys.

4. Look around

Merchants will always put their premium price products at eye level, so this means you should always look around. You might miss out on some of the best deals that are on the top or bottom sheets.

5. Use coupons

Always go online and use a coupon search engine to see if there are deals available for your chosen supermarket. Sites like HotUKDeals will help you out with last minute deals and bargain offers.