How to cut bills amid skyrocketing prices by putting your freezer to good use

Shoppers are heading to the frozen food aisles of the supermarket to cut back on spending due to sky-high prices.

Food prices finally fell in February – the first monthly decline since September – but still remain 30 percent more expensive than in 2021.

Shoppers are heading to the frozen food aisles of the supermarket to cut back on spending due to sky-high prices.Credit: Shutterstock

Frozen products are cheaper for various products at the large supermarkets

One in five households now buys more frozen goods to avoid blowing their budget, reports consumer champion Which?

Frozen caterpillars can get a bad rap, but they have a longer shelf life and are often more nutritious than fresh alternatives.

And if we compare the prices of fresh versus frozen, you can save in almost every category by choosing the latter.

Lynsey Hope explores how making good use of your freezer can reduce your bills. . .

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Buying frozen fruits and vegetables is often cheaper and often more nutritious.

Fruits and vegetables that are picked quickly and frozen can be more nutritious than 'fresh' produce — Fruits and vegetables that are picked quickly and frozen can be more nutritious than ‘fresh’ produceCredit: Getty

Anna Mapson, nutritional therapist at Goodness Me Nutrition, says: “Frozen food is often just as healthy as fresh and that is due to the transport time.

“Frozen vegetables or fruit are often frozen within a few hours after picking, so that all nutrients are retained.

“Some fresh food may have traveled for a few days after being picked and then sit in a warehouse and in our refrigerator for a few days. The most important nutrients will be slowly lost.”

But fresh fruit and vegetables can be cheaper when they are in season, for example strawberries in June.

You can stock up on fresh produce when it is in abundance and put some in the freezer for later.

I am a mother of seven children and maintain a three-month supply of frozen meals. People troll me, but it saves me thousands a year

MEAT AND FISH

THE most expensive part of the grocery store is usually meat and fish.

If the fish is frozen before the expiration date, it will keep for another six monthsCredit: Getty

But the freezer can help you save. If you realize you are not going to use the food before its expiration date, put it in the freezer and you can take it out when you are ready.

The Food Standards Agency says: “Freezing acts as a ‘pause’ button for food. If you freeze food properly, it will not spoil or spoil because bacteria cannot grow on frozen food.

“The longer the food is frozen, the more likely the texture is to be affected. But this does not affect safety.”

If the fish is frozen before the expiration date, it will keep for another six months.

Raw chicken or turkey can be stored in the freezer for up to a year, while frozen ground beef will keep for a few months.

Frozen meat and fish are also just as nutritious as fresh alternatives.

PREMADE

Freezing food is often a good way to make the most of the cheaper range at your local supermarket.

Batch cooking and freezing can mean you can take advantage of multiple fresh food deals by freezing extra packsCredit: Getty

Snap get great bargains on ready meals and other ready-made foods, and pop them in the freezer as soon as you get home, to eat at another time.

You can also take advantage of multi-offers on fresh food by freezing extra packs.

Nutritionist Anna says: “There is usually absolutely no difference in the taste of ready-made frozen food, such as pizza or ready meals, if the ingredients used are similar.”

I threw away less stuff and saved £120 a month’

MUM-OF-THREE Stacie Swift saved £30 in a week by choosing frozen food over fresh food.

The illustrator lives in St Neots, Cambs, with husband Jon, 41, and children Matilda, eight, Arthursix and Maisie, four.

Stacie, 38, said: ‘Like many families, we have found our bills increasing during the cost of living crisis, especially when it comes to the weekly shop.

“I was really excited to buy frozen food instead of fresh food for a week, to see if it could save us money. The kids love seafood, so I bought frozen prawns to make a risotto.

“This cost me £2.50 for the frozen, instead of £3.50 for the fresh, and it was a bigger bag so we had more of it.

“I also got a lot of frozen pizzas – I bought three for £5.50, when a fresh pizza would normally cost me around £3.50.

“I didn’t think the pizza tasted as good as the fresh one, but the kids didn’t notice, so it didn’t matter.

“I also bought four packs of four frozen chicken Kievs for £3.10 each? I normally buy new packs of two for £2.90 each?, so that was another saving.

“And the frozen ones taste just as good – no one would know the difference.”

Stacie adds of her frozen food experiment: “I threw away less stuff because they didn’t go off when plans changed and I hadn’t had a chance to cook them.

“I saved about £30 during my weekly shop.

“It doesn’t sound like much, but over the course of the month that amounts to £120, and over a year that’s a saving of £1,560.”

THE TURNOVER OF LABOR IN THE FIELD OF LIFETIME ALLOWANCE

Savers could face a hefty penalty when they retire, as plans to protect thousands of workers from pension taxes have been scrapped.

Labor has rowed back on reported proposals to protect some public sector workers when it brings back the lifetime benefit if it wins the election. next one general election, Sun Money learned this week.

The LTA is the total amount – €1,073,100 – that you can save for your pension without being taxed. Labor vowed to reintroduce the LTA after the government announced last year it would scrap it from next month.

It later announced that it planned to prevent some public sector workers from being hit by the tax, and also suggested that separate allowances would be created for doctors or teachers.

But Labor has now ruled out creating a separate system for public and private sector workers. An industry source said this suggests Labor could instead set the LTA threshold at a higher level, to affect fewer workers overall.

Tom Selby, of pensions company AJ Bell, said: “The scrapping of the LTA was a hugely positive step, removing one of the biggest barriers to senior doctors taking on extra hours, easing pressure on the NHS. The sensible thing Labor could do would be to quietly renege on its promise to reintroduce it.”

REFORMS ON THE ROAD FOR HOME TAXES

HOMEOWNERS are one step closer to gaining more rights over their property and encumbrances as a landmark bill is now before the House of Lords.

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act addresses the lack of control millions of people face over the costs associated with their homes.

A report from the Competition and Markets Authority revealed this week that 80 per cent of new-build homes sold by the 11 largest property developers in 2021-2022 were subject to management fees.

The CMA said that although the average annual cost was £350, additional costs of thousands of pounds were causing a lot of stress for homeowners. While leasehold flats often have high service costs associated with them, there have traditionally been no costs associated with homes on freehold land, but new-build homes now often have costs associated with them.

A government spokesperson said: “Through the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill, we are introducing measures to make property management companies more accountable for how their money is spent.

“These measures include giving freehold owners who pay rental charges the right to go to the tribunal to appoint a new manager to manage the service.”