Savvy mum bags £35 of fresh food for just £3 with this supermarket trick
A MUM has revealed how she bought £35 of fresh food for just £3.09, with a simple supermarket trick.
Laura Williams, 30, from the West Midlands, bought a Morrisons Magic Box on food waste app Too Good To Go, getting her a saving of £32.
The teaching assistant, who has a three-year-old and another child due in August, was delighted with the purchase.
Laura told : “The Morrisons Magic Box was full of fresh fruit and vegetables that I reserved on the Too Good To Go app costing £3.09.
"I was blown away by the box! It was full to the brim with breads, cakes, fruit, vegetable and even cheese.
"The fruit is all fresh, the breads can be frozen to be used when needed and the cakes are a nice treat.
What Laura got for £3.09
- Three loaves of bread
- Two packs of bagels
- Crusty cobs
- Two packs of scones
- Gluten free carrot cake
- Three punnets of strawberries
- Two trays of grapes
- One tray of blueberries
- Four packs of nectarines
- Three wedges of cheese
- One pack of mushrooms
- Two packs of broccoli
- A bag of new potatoes
"Added together they total over £35! I'm amazed by how much there is for £3.09.
"I also got another box last week. It saved me a lot as I think that the value of the box was easily £15, maybe even £18.
"I got Mediterranean vegetable trays, three pomegranates, five bags of apples, a stir fry kit and noodles, five bunches of spring onions, two bags of cauliflower and broccoli and five punnets of tomatoes.
"I was able to make tomato soup, pasta sauce, ratatouille and Chinese stir fry from it.
“It wasn’t hard to get the box - I just kept an eye on the app and reserved it. I know that some find the boxes difficult to get but I think that’s because of their growing popularity.
"I was over the moon with the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables that I could use to make numerous meals and treats for my family.
"It was a huge relief that I wasn’t having to go without to buy food, which has been happening during lockdown.”
Laura's top money saving tips
- Use the Too Good To Go app - and reserve Morrisons Magic Boxes when you see them.
- Freeze anything you can't use while still fresh.
- Always do a weekly meal plan.
- Go to the supermarkets at the times when you know they reduce food.
- Batch cook and freeze the leftovers, or use them in another meal the next day.
- Make sure you don't overbuy on staples - then you should be able to afford treats.
As well as food shopping on apps such as Too Good To Go, Laura also has plenty of other money-saving tips helpful to those with young families.
She said: “My tips are to buy only what is needed - and that meal planning is essential for saving money.
"Going to supermarkets and shops when they begin to reduce pricing for items expiring soon is also a big help.
"I make food stretch during lockdown by batch cooking.
"I also freeze any leftovers or use them the next day for a different meal: for example a roast chicken dinner can be used for fajitas the next day.
“Batch cooking saves me time as I’m able to pull a precooked meal out of the freezer when I am working from home.
"I know what the meals have - for example, less salt, sugar and preservatives - and I know my daughter will enjoy them.
“I’d also advise only buying what you need for that week.
"Sit down with your family to write out a weekly meal plan and write a shopping list accordingly.
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"It’s hard not to deviate from the list but as long as you remain in budget, there should be room for treats.”
Another mum revealed how she feeds her whole family for just £25 a week – and there’s enough for guests too.