The rising cost of living has been grim news for months now, and it seems like it’s not getting better any time soon, with December setting record breaking inflation figures for the prices of our food shops. On top of rising food costs, we’ve had to cope with the hike in energy bills and the general cost of living crisis over the – already pretty stressful – Christmas period.
Hitting a record high, UK food price inflation reached 13.3% in December, causing the prices of essentials and cupboard staples, like pasta and tinned food, to shoot up. But it’s not just the price of basics piling the pressure on our shopping bills.
Fresh foods that had the highest increase in prices, with the British Retail Consortium trade body warning that the figure ‘is the highest inflation rate in the fresh food category on record’.
Why are food prices continuing to rise?
This rise in food prices is mainly down to the high cost of animal feed, fertiliser, and energy across the world. According to Mike Watkins, head of retailer and business insight at NielsenIQ, higher food and energy prices, along with the arrival of Christmas spending bills, mean shoppers will have less to spend on non-essential items in the near-future.
And as we settle into 2023, many of us will be reevaluating our habits including our shopping, spending and eating habits. Even if you heartily reject the pressure to ‘transform’ your body or lifestyle in January (and we applaud you if so), it’s totally natural to want to embrace a healthier, fresher diet after the ‘cut-me-open-and-I-bleed-cheese’ December indulgence.
These record-breaking rises will add more pressure on households looking to save money while trying to eat healthy and look after their bodies at the same time. No mean feat for those on lower – and even middle – incomes.
With fresh foods and cupboard staples – usually some of the more inexpensive items – listed as those causing the most stress on our wallets, shoppers will find it difficult to find budget-friendly, nutrient dense foods to fit into their diets.
So, how do I eat healthy on a budget in 2023?
Short answer: there’s not an easy one. As things stand, it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing a drop in the prices of our kitchen favourites any time soon.
But, after speaking to some of our most knowledgable and savvy nutrition pros, we’ve uncovered some new shopping, cooking and food storage hacks.
We like to think of them as the new cost of living-friendly rules for savvy shopping and eating healthy on a budget.
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