Planning your meals in advance is the best way to start reducing your food waste and saving money.
Making regular meal plans - maybe even weekly - will help you to avoid buying things you won't use and give you a clear idea of what to cook, saving time and money.
It's also a good idea to check what food you already have in the kitchen before going shopping. Those kidney beans you need for a delicious chilli may already be hiding at the back your cupboard.
The benefits of planning include:
- not buying things you already have
- making cooking less stressful - there's no need to try and think of the things to eat on that day
- saving money by using up what's left
- cooking double and freezing half for later
- getting others involved in meal planning and preparation
- eating more nutritionally balanced meals
- using up freezer meals