15 tried-and-tested tips that will help you save money on your next weekly shop

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We asked Her readers for their top weekly shopping tips - and you had plenty to say!

We all know eating well on a budget can be tricky, especially in these costly times we're living in. That's why we're always on the look-out for tips to save money, time and hassle when it comes to food shops or meal prepping, without having to compromise on good-quality, nutritious meals in the process. With that mind, we put a call-out on our Instagram for YOUR top weekly shopping tips, any advice you have for saving some coins while still enjoying quality food and products. And you guys had plenty to say! But before we delve into your budgeting advice, here's a tip of our own. If you're looking to save on your weekly shopping, ALDI is the ultimate one-stop-shop for value - with no compromise on quality. It's easy to assume that healthy eating isn't an option for those on a budget, but ALDI is a champion of healthy products and Irish producers, helping shoppers to make healthy choices at budget-friendly prices. Find out more about their latest deals HERE. From meal prep tips to bargain hunting, you guys had loads of simple and actionable tips to help make healthy eating on a budget oh-so-simple. With that in mind, here are YOUR top tips for making your weekly shop as healthy and affordable as possible... The top tips: 1. "Eat before you shop - I'm less likely to impulse buy if I'm well-fed." 2. "Always prepare and stick to the shopping list." 3. "Buy ingredients that can be used for a few different meals so there’s no waste." 4. "Take a picture of your fridge before you go so if you’re at the store thinking 'Do I need salsa?', you can pull up the photo on your phone and check if there’s salsa in the fridge." 5. "Meal plan for the week so that you have a list of what you need. Make sure to check the cupboard and fridge before you leave." 6. "I always make twice the amount. I either eat the second half for lunch the next day or freeze it. Love a bonus freezer dinner." 7. "Adding variety so you don't get bored is the big one, because you'll never keep the habit otherwise." 8. "Don't punish yourself for a treat or two on the weekly shop! Small snacks of fruits and nuts with peanut butter can do a lot of leg work. Buy on special and freeze what you don't need immediately." 9. "On weeks where I have a meal plan, I always end up spending less on the food shop with much less food waste." 10. "I’m not a good batch cook, but I have a list of go-to recipes for each week and make sure we buy just the right amount of ingredients for each one." 11. "I plan meals that will use the same veg/source of carbs/meat and then buy and cook in bulk. I freeze portions. You can often make ingredients go further than you think and less waste involved too!" 12. "Plan your weekly meals around what vegetables, tins, and other dry ingredients you already have, not what you fancy. Way less waste and way more saving." 13. "Getting in the habit of googling 'Can you freeze X?' when something in the fridge isn’t looking likely to get used, helps reduce waste." 14. "Always check the weekly ALDI savers and see what is on offer for the week...planning your meals around these helps to keep the costs down!" 15. "Use a good shopping list app like AnyList, it saves previously entered items so you can go through and just tick things off." Well there you have it folks, the top tip is never do the food shop on an empty stomach and fail to prepare, prepare to fail! Getting great value for your shopping with ALDI involves no compromise on quality. ALDI Brand Ambassador Caz Mooney has some amazing top tips for creating healthy meals on a budget. Check out her video below for some delicious recipe inspiration! Check out more over on ALDI's socials:

• On Instagram @aldi_ireland
• On Facebook @ALDI Ireland
• On Twitter @Aldi_Ireland
• On TikTok @Aldi_Ireland

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