Singapore's core inflation rate rose by 4.4% in June, the fastest pace in more than 13 years, according to Reuters.
Among the escalating prices, statistics by Nomura Holdings showed that food prices are seeing the sharpest increase and will likely double to reach 8.2% by the end of 2022.
Wondering how you can fight inflation while prices are skyrocketing?
Fight food inflation in the kitchen with these 5 creative ways!
1. Plan your meals and prepare them yourself
When you cook your own meal, you get the freedom to implement small changes that help you minimise ingredient costs and save more.
You could use leftover scraps to prepare different recipes on consecutive days. For instance, prepare a mushroom dish and keep the stems. The next day, you could chop these stems finely and add them to a soup to create depth in flavour.
You can also save time and money by cooking in bulk and freezing them instead of ordering via food delivery apps during busy weekday nights.
Cooking your own meal is such a great way to cut down unnecessary food expenditure. If you don’t know how to cook, you can enrol in cooking classes and get hands-on training and experience that you’ll need to wear the chef’s hat.
2. Be a super saver warrior in supermarkets
Does it excite you to see your kitchen shelves/cupboards packed with delicious ingredients? Well, each time you visit the supermarket, prepare yourself by checking out the weekly sales advertisement and a grocery list.
To fight inflation in the kitchen, you will need to keep an eye out for special offers and deals you can get in the supermarkets. Always look out for house brands such as NTUC’s Pasar, Cold Storage’s Meadows, or Sheng Siong’s Happy Family, which are cheaper and also of reasonable quality.
A smart approach to planning your meals is to prepare meals with what you have at home. Use the budget you set aside for groceries, to stock up based on the best offers you can get in the supermarket every week.
It is also important to prepare a list of the things that you’ll need. Stick to the list!
3. Participate in the group buy
Another brilliant way to cut down on the cost of food and groceries is to participate in estate group buys. Do not worry if you do not know the hosts in your area, simply search the groups on Facebook or Instagram and join them through WhatsApp or Telegram.
Besides amazing discounts from bulk purchases and saving on delivery fees, make friends with Foodies in your estate and be informed of stalls that sell the best bowl of your favourite dish.
4. Replace packaged snacks with home-baked goodies
Do you get sudden cravings for chocolate, candies, potato chips, biscuits or cookies? Satisfy your cravings without hurting your wallet by preparing home-baked goodies!
For these packaged goods in stores, you don't just pay for the food, you pay for the packaging, transportation and marketing too. It is cheaper to bake your own bread and pastry as compared to purchasing them from artisan pastry stores. Also, the satisfaction of tasting your own freshly baked creations is much more than getting a store-bought one.
You can join pastry and bakery courses in Singapore and learn how to satiate your cravings by baking at home. Freeze these homemade bakes and enjoy them over the next few days to reduce food wastage!
5.Make your own sauces and beverages
Love having pasta in different sauces? Whatever your preferences, let’s cut costs and make the sauces at home! This is a win-win method in which you can also improve your health by reducing your intake of preservatives that packaged sauces have in high quantities. Say no to packaged sauces and make your own sauces using fresh ingredients where you can take charge and reduce the amount of salt and sugar you add to fit your taste buds.
Indulge in a healthier and more cost-effective way of having juices by replacing packaged beverages with freshly squeezed fruit juices made at home. Unleash your creative brain juices by blending up new fruit juice combinations!
Conclusion
Remember that there is no effort too small to save money during inflation. If you find a way to save even a little, do it.
Comments