The Cost of Living: Small Ways to Make a Difference

Inflation is finally cooling off, but the Cost of Living is still pushing pressure on thousands of families across the UK. Rising food costs, utility bills and everyday essentials continue to force a lot of us to make some hard choices.

3 million households are forced to skip meals to make ends meet.

If you’re struggling, you are certainly not alone.

Whilst the financial position of the UK is out of our hands, there are a few things we can do to make stretching that budget a fraction easier.

Meal Planning

We know time is a luxury that should not be taken for granted; balancing kids, work and life in general is hard enough without the turbulence of financial hardship. But spending half an hour before your food shop to take stock and make a plan of attack for the following week can make the world of difference.

Approximately 60% of the nation’s food waste comes from within the home. When money’s tight, this could give you the freedom to put the heating on for that extra bit of time in the cold Winter mornings.

Why not?

-              Tally up what’s left in your cupboards and fridge

-              Note what has the shortest date – that block of cheese that’s going a bit funky, or that pack of chicken that needs attention

-              Plan meals with this in mind – have BBQ sauce hanging around? What about a play on Hunter’s Chicken?

-              Try to maximise the meals you can make with each product – if you’re buying potatoes for Sunday’s roast, have that chicken with some mash, or homemade chips

It takes some practice to get into the swing of things, but the payoff is worth it. Having things sketched out encourages meal prep, shrinks the room for impulse buying and shopping for convenience.

Speaking of meal prep…

Batch cooking doesn’t mean you’re stuck eating lasagne for an eternity!

Utilising freezer space with nutritious homecooked leftovers is a great way to give yourself variety and convenient dinners for those days where sleep is calling a little bit more than usual.

Even freezing those everyday foods can make a difference – you’d be surprised at just how well most things freeze! So, don’t be afraid to chuck the bread in with the frozen veg.

Lean on your community

Loneliness, shame and hopelessness is a part of food insecurity that is rarely addressed. When things get difficult, remember that support is available across Southampton.

The Big Difference is just one lifeline in a network of many who help people access affordable groceries, emergency food help and support or advice when it’s needed most. Our Social Supermarkets in Northam and Shirley provide a judgement-free way to access good quality food that would otherwise go to waste without barriers.

We are open to everyone because we understand that the Cost of Living Crisis is impacting us all.

 Check out our Social Supermarkets below!

The Round-Up

Reducing food waste, planning meals and making use of local community support won't solve the Cost of Living crisis overnight—but together, these small changes can help lighten the load.

Whether you're looking to reduce your weekly shopping bill, support your local community or simply learn more about affordable living, we're here when you need us.