Support with Food

If you find that you or your family cannot afford to eat, perhaps because of a change in your circumstances, food banks and clubs can help. You can ask us about getting help from a local food bank, or ask to be referred by a doctor, health visitor, social worker, or advice agency.

Find out more

Find your local food bank on the food bank map on our website, or see the Trussell Trust website. Or call them on 01722 580 180.

if you contact us about food support, we can also help you with with accessing food banks and referals - contact us.

1. Check the unit price of products Check labels - they will often display unit price in pence per 100g/100ml or kg/L. Remember, sometimes bargains are really just clever packaging.
2. Buy what you need It's often cheaper to buy fresh food loose, meaning you won't overspend or overbuy.
3. Try own brand alternatives In blind taste tests, people usually can't tell the difference, or prefer own brand!
4. Beware: special offers aren't always best value 'Buy one, get one free' offers are tempting, but are usually still more expensive than own brands.
5. Check for short-dated steals Look out for brightly labelled discount food, which is sold at a fraction of the full price.
6. Use everything you have before shopping for more Note expiry dates and use the internet to search for recipes using things you already have in. You'll also be a more creative cook.
7. Buy food with longer dates Check the products further back on shelves, and only buy what you can use before it expires.

Statistics show that about 20% of food we buy ends up being thrown away. If even half of this can be avoided, it equals the 10% we have seen in food price increases overall. Below are some tips to reduce food waste and save energy costs.

• Batch cooking using a recipe that uses up what ingredients you have also reduces the cooking costs for each meal. You can then freeze ready-made dishes. Keeping the freezer full also reduces the running costs.
• Make shopping lists and stick to them. Most food waste is from buying extra items that we fancy but don't have specific plans to use.
• Plan weekly meals so each day makes the most of ingredients you have in. For example, a large roast chicken on Sunday can be used subsequently for chicken and mushroom pie and a curry [if necessary topped up with veggies]. Curries can be frozen for another time and are even better when reheated.
• Buying items in the reductions section of supermarkets can save you big amounts, but make sure you can use them quickly as they may be close to their use-by date and items like fruit can go off very quickly. Making a fruit salad with lemon and sugar can make good use of bruised or slightly imperfect fruit and will keep for a couple of days in the fridge. Fruit that needs using can also be made into delicious smoothies blended with banana.
• Sort through your fridge regularly to see what needs using up before it's too late. Things like stir fries and Spanish omelettes are really useful dishes for using up whatever you have left, even if it's only a small amount.