The hard times are upon on us and there are some unexpected winners. According to the Guardian sales of tinned peaches have soared. Other products selling well in the downturn? Frozen raw prawns are up 400% at Sainsburys and frozen peas are doing well there too. The nation is turning to the freezer cabinets in order to save cash.
In terms of the supermarkets, Lidl and Aldi are prospering and apparently Iceland (even with its scary TV adverts with Jason Donavan and Kerry Katona) is enjoying sales up 18% on this time last year. Frozen pizzas, garlic bread and frozen ready meals (rather than the simply chilled ones) are heading out of a terminal sales decline and enjoying a comeback. The British Frozen Food Federation (yup, there is such a thing) is cashing in on the trend with a new website: thenewiceage.com.
It’s all a little worrying. Obviously, frozen ingredients are a great way for people to save some cash and there’s nothing wrong with that. But going frozen is a bad thing if we’re just eating the same frozen stuff simply because it costs less. A frozen pizza can only ever be a readymade pizza and not a delicious, nutrition-rich homemade meal.
This is where Jamie Oliver, and Delia Smith with her ‘Frugal Food’ book, are totally right. If the cash-conscious want to save a bit of money, the freezer isn’t the only answer. The best way to save cash and eat more healthily is to don the pinny and start cooking from scratch. Unprepped fresh vegetables, choice cuts of meat and all sorts of other ingredients are surprisingly cheap and all you need is a bit of know-how and a tiny bit of time.
Here are some great ideas from MyDish. How are you saving money when it comes to food?
MyDish.co.uk 