I’m a meal prep PRO – here’s how to slash your food costs by HALF

IF you’re struggling with bigger food bills as the cost of living soars, preparing your meals ahead of time could save you money

It’s one of the easiest, most convenient ways to budget, according expert meal prepper Steven Brown.

Mr Brown, a 24-year-old student at Edinburgh Napier University, has been meal prepping for years and says it’s “one of the healthiest ways to budget”.

In fact, prepping your meals in advance can save up to 50% in costs.

We’ve listed four expert ways to cut down on food costs and eat healthier, too.

The school holidays with your little ones at home will be a breeze with these clever tips

Choose a balance of ingredients

Basing your meals off of wholegrain and nutritional ingredients can keep you fuller for longer.

It will save you money if you don’t have to buy as much.

Mr Brown says: “At the start of the month I buy batches of bolognaise, chilli and goulash to save money and also stay healthy.

“I buy ingredients including mince, onions, garlic, beef stock, tinned tomatoes and some spices to help with flavour as well.

“For one week I normally buy an 800g pack of mince, six onions, one garlic clove, four tinned tomatoes, two beef stock cubes and then a pack of spaghetti.”

This should cost you roughly £10-£13, but it might help to calculate as you buy.

You can use to make sure you don’t go over budget, available in Sainsbury’s, Tesco and more, but you might need to have the app installed first.

Be consistent

“The bigger the batch, the bigger the saving,” says Mr Brown.

Keeping a well stocked pantry and making sure you choose a variety of ingredients can help you stick to a routine.

That way, you won’t have to spend more money by going to the shops more often.

If you stick to your plan, it should only cost you £1.10 per meal. Without meal prepping, food costs £25 a week on average.

Hunt around reduced sections

Mr Brown says: “You can make it cheaper this way because you’re also freezing it.

“So it doesn’t matter if you make twenty-odd spaghetti bolognaise portions – you’re going to cook it and then put it in your freezer. It doesn’t matter if the mince is going off tomorrow or within the next few days.”

It might be an idea to use zip-lock bags or cheap containers for leftovers – on with their lunch box containers, so it’s worth checking with your local store.

Be adventurous

If you want to stick to your meal prepping routine, you’ll want to have a range of affordable meals to keep you from getting bored.

“I’d definitely say to try some new meal prep. I normally stick to either spag bol, chilli con carne or goulash but there’s hundreds of different options out there.

“You could do chicken and rice – for me there’s no taste – but you could try something different once in a while to see what you like.”

You might want to experiment with spices and flavours if you’re finding something too bland, or create your own cost effective rendition of your favourite meal.

You can find plenty of meal prep recipes online if you’re struggling for inspiration, like , or you can check what there are to see what options you have.

As the cost of living rises, meal prep could save you a lot of stress.

“You definitely save a lot of you stick to meal prep,” says Mr Brown.

“It just matters how much you eat out and what other food you like to make. The only issue right now is recooking stuff – energy bills are going through the roof – but you can still make a considerable saving and I’d definitely recommend it to people who are struggling with food and trying to stay afloat.”

If you’re still looking for more inspiration, it’s worth checking out how other people have been meal prepping.

And find the best ways to be organised as you start your journey here.

And if you’re stressed about the cost of living and paying your bills, there are always organisations here to help, including:

• National Debtline – 0808 808 4000
• Step Change – 0800 138 1111
• Citizens Advice – 0808 800 9060