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If you’re looking for unique tips to save money on groceries in London, welcome!
Inflation might be terrible now, but when I moved from Paris to London in 2019, I could already feel the steep difference in food prices.
Rent prices. Tube prices.
No wonder why people are always looking for free things to do in London; it’s pretty hard to keep up with supermarkets prices!
So if you’re looking for ways to save money on your food shopping in London, here’s the perfect guide for you!
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Tips from a Local
All the tips I’ll mention to help you save money on food and eat healthy in London, I have used myself.
I currently live half of the year in the UK, and every time I move back, I get back into that London budget shopping mode.
For instance, to eat, instead of going to fancy restaurants, I would rather try out a new address for cheap eats in London.
With my food shopping, I try to be as smart as possible and budget, meal plan, lots of little tricks that really add up in the long run.
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Set a Budget
Most people are living in London on a budget, which means that clearly, you won’t get by without doing any kind of budgeting.
You can use free budgeting apps, a paper planner, a notebook, an Excel spreadsheet…
But if you really want to save money on groceries in London, the first step is knowing exactly how much you want – or can – spend on food shopping.
The city is clearly not an easy place to live when working double shifts and all that.
Yet, budgeting will also help you have more cash for romantic dates in London.
Read: The Most Secret Places in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Meal Plan
Hand in hand with food budgeting to save money in London, you have to plan your meals – at least partly.
Recognize what you usually eat, what lasts longer in your cupboards, and what you feel like trying in store but subconsciously know you won’t like.
There are some ways to do easy and healthy meal prepping for any kind of budget.
Whether you’re a student or a freelancer, with a few simple techniques, you can really save money on groceries in London.
Yes, the city is expensive, but it is also bigger and allows for more discounts, coupons and deals on food.
Read: How to Save Money for Travel
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Use Loyalty Cards
I’m the first one to hate using loyalty cards at the supermarket, I have to admit it.
But if you’re ever looking for apps to save money on groceries, you really can’t overlook loyalty cards.
From Aldi to Tesco and Sainsbury’s, every supermarket in London has some kind of rewards system.
With your loyalty card, you can redeem points for discounts on your food shopping and get special deals.
And since those loyalty cards, like the Tesco Clubcard, are completely free, why shouldn’t we take advantage of them?
If like me, you hate classic loyalty cards, make sure to download the store’s app.
There are plenty of must have apps for London, but those are clearly amongst the most important ones to have.
Read: The Best Candle Shops in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Buy Supermarket Brands
You can save a ton of money on groceries in London by purchasing own-labeled products.
A lot of the time, brand names and own-labeled items are made in the same factories, and sometimes, it doesn’t make sense to splurge.
Eating in London on a budget, the label doesn’t matter for most products.
And for those the label does matter, you will have more wiggle room in your budget to get them without feeling guilty.
For instance, at Morrisons, I almost exclusively shop for Morrisons products as they’re actually not too bad.
However, if I want some Nutella, I’ll get the real deal, and I know that the prices balance each other out.
Read: The Best TK Maxx in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Find the Cheapest Supermarkets
There are a few really cheap supermarkets in London, with branches all around town:
- Lidl
- Aldi
- Iceland
- Morrisons
- Asda
Then you have the mid range supermarkets:
- Tesco
- Sainsbury’s
And the most expensive supermarkets in London:
- Waitrose
- Marks & Spencer
- Whole Foods
Completely vegan supermarkets in London will typically cost more, but more and more, you’ll find cheaper shops do carry some good vegan food too.
Read: The Best Shopping Centres in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Compare the Prices
You can use a few different websites and apps to compare supermarket prices, which can also make a big impact on your food budget.
Trolley, Which? and Superizon are some of the apps that can compare prices between Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons and more supermarkets.
Really useful to have when you are meal planning.
This can also mean that some of your items will be cheaper in Morrisons, while others would be cheaper in Tesco with the Clubcard.
In that case, if you really want to save money on groceries in London and both supermarkets are close, I would suggest popping by both.
However, when it comes to really specific shops like my beloved Polish food shops in London, or Italian food shops, you rarely have deals.
Just something to bear in mind.
Read: The Best Halal Fine Dining in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Visit London’s Budget Shops
Funnily, when I first looked for the best budget shops in London, I was actually looking for stuff completely different than food.
I was looking for cheap scented candles at Home Bargains, drugstore makeup at Poundland, and teeny bits of stationery and home decor.
Well, at most of the budget shops in London, you’ll be able to snatch great deals on food.
The best budget shops for food would be B&M (my favorite is the one in Tottenham) and Home Bargains in Edmonton.
Poundland also usually has food, from chocolate to cereal, and even milk, yogurts and some cured meat.
There are obviously plenty of branches of these shops around London, and if you want to save money on food shopping, they’re good for cupboard staples.
Read: The Best Free Rooftops in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Buy Meal Deals
If you really don’t have the time to meal prep for lunch, most of the supermarkets have meal deals.
My favorite meal deals are from Sainsbury’s and Tesco – they’re the tastiest in my opinion.
The meal deals in London usually range between 3 and 4 pounds, and will include a few bits like a wrap/salad/sandwich, a dessert or a snack, and a drink.
Supermarkets also usually have already prepared meals that you can heat up on the spot or at the office that aren’t too expensive in supermarkets like Asda and Morrisons.
Read: The Best Hidden Gems in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Don’t Shop on an Empty Stomach
Rule number one to save money while shopping, in London or anywhere in the world: don’t shop on an empty stomach.
Whenever I am hungry and go shopping, I end up buying plenty of chocolate and sweet things, and obviously, that’s bad for my wallet.
Make sure you have breakfast/lunch or a snack before you go shopping to save some more cash!
Read: The Most Colorful Places in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Use Too Good to Go
Food waste in the Western world is something crazy – and there are a few websites and apps that help us get cheaper food in London.
Food that was going to get wasted and end up in the trash.
From restaurants, bakeries, coffee shops, and supermarkets – that’s where Too Good to Go is an important app to save money in London.
The best time to check Too Good To Go is around 5/7 pm, around closure time, basically.
Read: The Best Markets in Shoreditch
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Use Coupons
You can find coupons to save money on food pretty easily online.
From websites to apps, you can find daily deals for plenty of products.
The only downside would be to be ready to try out new foods and drinks, and meal prep according to these.
If you’re a student, the Save the Student website and the StudentBeans app will really come in handy.
It’s not even just about grocery shopping, either – whether you’re looking for cheap clothes in London, makeup or homeware, you get tons of deals there.
Read: The Best Makeup Stores in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Eat Seasonally
Another way to save money on groceries in London is to operate seasonally.
You can download free apps to find seasonal fruits and vegetables in the UK, and meal plan according to these.
Shopping at the street food markets in London can also be useful from time to time.
Indeed, they usually don’t only have street food, but also fresh fruits and vegetables, and even dairy products sometimes.
Read: The Best Free Views in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Reduce Food Waste
Reducing food waste goes hand in hand with meal planning, really.
Only shop for what you know you will need and plan your meals around the ingredients you regularly use.
I typically allow myself to get a couple of ingredients I don’t often use, just for the fun of trying them.
It’s some trial and error, but can lead to great surprises and help you save money on food in London in the long run.
You can also find really easy meal planning apps to help you craft creative meals from leftovers, which will also help you budget more efficiently.
Read: The Most Instagrammable Cafes in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Avoid Unhealthy Snacks
I absolutely love snacks; while I’ve been on intermittent fasting for years and a bit of keto, I do love my snacks.
Sweet snacks – chocolate, doughnuts, brownies, red velvet cake, cheesecake…
But those are treats I usually prefer to keep for when I’m walking around London in search of colorful streets in Notting Hill and new clothing shops.
If you really want to snack, I’d maybe recommend getting some dried fruit and nuts, as they really help me curb my cravings.
In turn, whenever you want to pay a visit to Bread Ahead Bakery or Crosstown Doughnuts at Coffee Academy, you won’t feel guilty!
Budgeting for food is actually pretty easy when you curb your cravings, so nuts, fruits, and plenty of water should help with that.
Especially if you’re a newcomer currently living in a hostel, where kitchens are not always glorious!
Read: The Cutest Cat Cafes in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Buy in Bulk
In London, there is a Costco, so if you’re a couple or a family looking for save money on food and eat healthy, that’s a good place to visit.
There are also lots of cash and carry shops in London, which are basically also wholesale stores with everything from veggies to hamburgers.
Not as glamorous as finding instagrammable restaurants in London, but still a great way to save money while food shopping.
You’ll obviously pay more at the till.
But over time, when you still have all that flour, those spices or that huge bottle of ketchup after three months, you’ll understand the return on investment.
Read: The Best Brunch in London Bridge
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Avoid Off-Licences
Well, guilty here – there are very few days when I’m in London when I don’t pay a visit to an off-licence.
They just have about anything you might wish for, so…
Those corner shops and convenience stores usually have lots of snacks as well as some staples, from baby wipes to crisps.
But they’re also really pricey compared to supermarkets, and that’s where you should really visit in case of emergencies.
Honestly, for those looking to save money on groceries in London, do your weekly shopping and forget about off-licences.
Read: The Best Breakfast in Notting Hill
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Online Food Shopping
It sounds almost counterintuitive, but online food shopping can help you save tons on money – and time.
The time dimension is really crucial to me as I hate going to shop for food (but shopping for cheap Yankee Candles and makeup is definitely okay).
By using stores’ online websites and supermarket apps, you can save money with daily food deals.
Also, you can choose to pick up your order or get it delivered and often, you will get free delivery over a certain amount.
Another good way to eat cheap in London and really control your spending as you’ll also avoid snacks by the tills and other selling tactics.
Read: The Best Stationery Shops in London
How to Save Money on Groceries in London: Tips from a Local
Hopefully, if you were looking for tips to save money on groceries in London for one person, a couple or a family, you found it all here!
For years until I became self-employed, I was living – and eating on a budget in London.
I’ve found plenty of ways to live in London cheaply, and I’m quite proud of all the tactics I use to save a great bunch of money on food.
It’s not always fun when you have to restrict your snacking habits, but that frees up more room to find new cool things to do in Camden Town and cute pink cafes!
Until next time!
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- The Best Free Quiet Study Spaces in London
- The Best Cafes in London Bridge
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- The Best Vegan Doughnuts in London
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- The Best Halal Breakfast in London
- The Best Halal Cafes in London
The Working Line
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Sam is a certified fashion makeup artist, a freelance writer, a blogger and a digital nomad. Since 2019, she roams around the world, from London to Rome and shares her knowledge about makeup, scented candles, travel, blogging and the digital nomad lifestyle.
