Online grocery shopping tips: How to spend less on food

Shopping online for your groceries is a smart choice. You’re less likely to make impulsive choices. You know exactly what the cost of your basket is at all times. And you can take advantage of deals and cashback offers that aren’t available offline. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at the most effective ways to save money on your online food shopping. 

Planning ahead 

Meal planning

Whether you’re shopping in-person or online, planning your meals at least one week ahead is always a good idea. This way, you’ll be more intentional about what you buy. As meal-planning becomes a habit, you’ll also get better at judging ingredient amounts and only buying what you need. Consider using a free meal planning app like Mealime.

Batch cooking

“Batch cooking” things like bolognese sauce or curries is a great idea. With a bolognese sauce, you can serve it with spaghetti one night, then add some spices and kidney beans to turn it into a chilli. You might serve the chilli with rice one night, then make enchiladas with it the night after, for example. With something like a curry, you might portion it out in airtight containers and freeze them for later use. If you need inspiration, the BBC has a collection of over 80 batch cooking recipes. 

Picking your delivery slot

Don’t do your online grocery shopping when you’re already running out of food. Aim to book a delivery slot a week or more in advance to ensure you don’t overpay. The cheapest slots are usually mid-week, often evenings. 

Budgeting

Set a weekly food budget based on what you can comfortably afford and stick to it. Pre-loading your budget onto a prepaid gift card is a great way to avoid overspending. Here at MobileTopUp.co.uk, we offer digital gift cards for popular supermarkets for online shopping: 

Making smart choices

Don’t shop when hungry

Shopping when hungry isn’t just a bad idea when you’re shopping in-person. When you’re hungry, you’re more likely to add unhealthy snacks to your basket. Worse for your body and worse for your wallet. 

Stock up on non-perishables 

Keep an eye out for deals on non-perishable items like tinned goods, pasta, and rice. Buy in bulk when prices are low. Store these items properly to maintain quality and don’t over-buy items you rarely use. 

You may find that Amazon is the best-value site for some bulk-buys. Things like large bags of nuts, seeds, grains, and spices are often cheaper on Amazon. Amazon also often sells things like protein bars and non-dairy milks in bigger multipacks than supermarkets, with a lower price per item. If you’re planning to buy cupboard staples from Amazon, consider using an Amazon gift card to keep your budget in-check. 

Eat less meat 

Meat is expensive, especially red meat. If you’re a big meat-eater, try experimenting with “meat-free Mondays”. Over time, aim to reduce how much meat you consume. A great way to make your meat go further is to combine with veggie ingredients in meat-based dishes to bulk them out. For example, you could use 50/50 beef and veggie mince in a bolognese. Or you could use less chicken in a curry, and add some lentils to make it more filling. In general, beans and pulses are fantastic for adding protein and fibre to your meals, for very little cost. 

Avoid ready meals 

Although microwave meals and frozen pizzas are convenient, they’re rarely the best value choice. And they’re often not the healthiest option either. If you’re serious about saving money on your groceries, learning to cook is a must. You can find a collection of easy recipes for beginners on the BBC website.

Make use of your freezer

Freezers aren’t just for junk food and leftovers. These days, supermarkets offer a fantastic selection of frozen fish, seafood, meat alternatives, fruit, and vegetables. These items are usually cheaper than buying fresh. But the quality is generally equal, if not superior. 

When buying fresh fruit and veg, buy loose 

Loose fruit and veg is usually cheaper by weight than the packaged options. Buying this way also ensures you only buy as much as you need, rather than however much happens to be in a pack. It’s also better for the planet, reducing plastic waste. 

Buy what’s in season 

Produce that’s in season locally tends to be cheaper because it hasn’t had to travel as far. It’s also usually tastier. And buying what’s in season is a great way to keep your diet varied and interesting too. You can check what’s in season and browse seasonal recipes on the BBC site.

Reducing waste 

We’ve already discussed meal planning and batch cooking. If you embrace those things, you’ll automatically waste less food. But the goal should always be to waste nothing at all. Get in the mindset of making the most of leftovers. Leftovers often make the yummiest lunches. They can also form the base of another exciting meal. For leftover-friendly recipe inspiration, check out the Love Food Hate Waste website

If you find yourself with too many vegetables, consider making a chutney. Alternatively, make a soup that you can portion out and freeze. If you’ve over-ordered fruit, you can make a compote or a jam. 

You might also be surprised by some of the foods you can freeze. For example, cheese and butter both freeze well. And grapes make a delicious icy snack straight from the freezer. 

Other ways to save money on your online food shopping

Use loyalty cards and apps

Supermarket loyalty schemes like Asda’s Rewards app and Tesco’s Clubcard let you earn cashback on your purchases. Tesco offers “Clubcard Prices” which provide discounts on many items. These can be substantial, with some items costing up to 50% less for members compared to non-members. Sainsbury’s has a similar scheme called “Nectar Prices”. 

Use browser extensions

Another way to potentially get cashback and money off your grocery bill is using browser extensions like Honey. 

Check your employer benefits 

Some companies have employee benefit schemes using services like Hapi and Vivid. These schemes sometimes offer discounts on supermarket shops. If you’re not sure if your employer offers anything like this, ask your manager or check with HR. 

Make the most of first-time customer offers 

You might be able to save £40+ on an online grocery order by taking advantage of a new customer delivery offer. Money Saving Expert has a regularly-updated guide where you can find the best current offers. 

Which supermarket is cheapest for online orders?

According to research conducted by Which? in August 2024, Asda is the cheapest supermarket that delivers, followed by Tesco. Asda also has the cheapest “delivery passes”. 

To compare live prices across supermarkets for specific products, you can use Trolley.co.uk. This site also shows you the best daily deals from each supermarket. 

Congratulations — you’re an online grocery shopping expert

If you put these tips into practice, you can look forward to a lower monthly food bill. 

If you’re wondering what to do with all the extra cash, consider putting it towards an emergency fund. 

And if you still find yourself with some pennies to spare, there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself to a takeaway once in a while. Just try to stick to the overall food budget you’ve set for yourself. Our Just Eat gift cards and Deliveroo gift cards are perfect for this. 

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