Mum shares zero waste pantry challenge which cut her monthly food bill by £106

A MUM has revealed her zero waste pantry challenge – which shaves £106 off her monthly food bill.

Olivia White, 30, from Melbourne, Australia, says the coronavirus lockdown is the ideal time to plan ahead and save some cash – especially with many struggling financially right now.

The aim of the mum-of-two's challenge is to save at least AUS$50 (£24.50) each week – adding up to £106 over the course of a month.

But Olivia's keen to stress people can save even more if they really set their minds to it.

The first step is to check what you already have stored away in the cupboards.

Chuck away anything out-of-date and make sure you know which staples you already have to hand, as well as the ones you clearly aren't using.

"You should also organise your things in a way that makes them easy-to-access, with the items you use the most at the front," Olivia says in her guide.

"By doing this groundwork, it won't just save you money but it's a much more sustainable way of living by reducing food waste."

Olivia's methodical organisation includes vacuuming, defrosting and wiping down your cupboards, fridge and freezer; taking notes on pantry items; and sorting so labels are clearly visible.

Next, start meal planning for the week – using as many of your existing cupboard supplies as possible.

Try using a supermarket meal planner to search for recipes including your staple ingredients.

Olivia adds: "Try to find meals that are easily batch cooked and can be used throughout the week, using as much as you can from your pantry and saving you on time."

Olivia's easy pantry dinners

Homemade baked beans: Different tins of beans and crushed tomatoes.

Bolognese sauce: Frozen mince, onions, carrots and tinned tomatoes.

Vegetable soup: Leftover sweet potato, carrot, red onion, capsicum (peppers) and vegetable stock.

Tuna bake: Tuna, frozen corn, pasta.

Fried rice: Fresh or frozen vegetables, eggs and rice. 

Freeze any leftover meals from the batch cooking, for busy evenings and those when you're tempted to get a pricey takeaway.

Olivia advises: "We do around 90% of our weekly food shops online. I find this is a much more manageable way to keep track of spending. As well as not overspend on impulse items."

At the end of every week, take stock, track your spending and see what you can cut back on next time.

For cheap batch cooking with cupboard essentials, Olivia recommends recipes like pasta bolognese, homemade baked beans, vegetable soup, tuna bake and fried rice.

Olivia has a handy pantry inventory, weekly shopping list and food planner – including daily breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks – to download for free on her website.

Olivia previously revealed how she made £8,000 by selling her old junk on Facebook.

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