“I save £80 a month on my food shop using this simple trick anyone can copy”
- Jonathan Francis Lyon, 41, saves £80 a month on his food shop by using money-saving app Too Good To Go
- He says as well as saving him cash, the app also helps to save the planet
- Jonathan uses YouTube recipes to cook up creative meals with the varied ingredients he receives
Many of us are struggling to keep up with expenses at this pricey time of year.
But one savvy shopper has revealed how he saves £80 a month on his food shop using a simple hack that anyone can copy.
Jonathan Francis Lyon, 41, a teacher from Luton, uses the Too Good To Go app, which allows shoppers to pick up massively discounted food as a way to curb food waste.
Jonathan told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: "I am a teacher who recently moved back to the UK.
"I found that everything was much more expensive, and I discussed this with my girlfriend.
"She told me about the Too Good To Go app. I was initially a little sceptical, and after a cursory glance online, I was not reassured.
"There are so many stories of 10 bags of lettuce or mouldy food or just being judged by staff too harshly.
"But I decided to give it a go anyway; it couldn’t hurt. So I decided to go for groceries.
"I enjoy cooking, and my cupboards were well stocked with the basics, so I figured I could get a few meals out of whatever I got. I chose my local Aldi in Luton.
"It took me three tries to get a bag. The first one was cancelled on me three minutes before the collection was due to start, which I found very frustrating, but as the app says, this is a good thing as there is less waste - little comfort after walking 30 minutes in the rain, even though it is true.
"The second time, the bag was cancelled again, but this time with much more notice, so I didn’t make the journey. Then, I told myself that I would try one last time.
"I am so thrilled that I did. I got an amazing bag. They explained that it was a really good one and not representative of what they normally gave - so very honest staff - they just had a lot left over but not enough to make two bags, so I got the whole lot.
"In that first bag, I got three packets of sliced fresh pineapple, two bags of mixed cauliflower and broccoli florets, a full pork crackling joint, a packet of sausages, one vanilla yoghurt, a whole sticky toffee cake, a box of baby plum tomatoes, and a tub of deli egg mayo sandwich filler.
"I fed myself for just over two weeks on that bag.
"I found that making big portions of a dish and having leftovers is the way to go. Sandwiches are great, too, fast and easy.
"The deli egg mayo helps with that, but I also roasted half the pork and sliced it. I made pork and pineapple fried rice, sausage casserole with roast veg and stir-fried vegetable chowmein.
"I now use Too Good To Go at least once a week, where I will get a surprise bag of groceries that inspires me to be creative in the kitchen.
“Using the app once a week saves me £80 a month!
"There are hundreds of YouTube chefs and cooking websites to give you inspiration and confidence to give things a go.
"Recently, I made spicy pork gyoza from scratch, and I only had to provide a little all-purpose flour, something I bought when making mac and cheese.
"They really are the gifts that keep on giving, and it got me straight back in the kitchen. And it is also fun making a menu from scratch once you find out what you have. It reminds me of the TV show Ready, Steady, Cook, which I watched many years ago with my mum.
“Aside from the groceries I get once a week I also treat myself to a Greggs or Starbucks bag; they often come with premade sandwiches for an easier day but also lots of sweet treats that everyone deserves. I’ve tried many places now, and Aldi seems the best for groceries.
"I now recommend Too Good To Go to all my friends and family. Everyone is feeling the cost of living, and this is a brilliant way to alleviate some of those worries.”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, comments: “Jonathan’s brilliant savings of £80 a month is a perfect example of ‘every little helps’.
“By substituting his weekly shop for a Too Good To Go bag, he’s not just helping the planet, but he’s saving his wallet too.
“Plus, as he says, he’s learning lots of new recipes, and is a great example of how to cook with what you have using creativity and all the resources out there on the internet.
“Another suggestion to save money on your food shop is to use a voucher - for example, on our website, we’re currently offering £15 off your first grocery shop over £80 at Sainsbury’s.”
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