So, let’s face it, we all have to do the food shop – I tend to do mine fortnightly and with a few top-ups in between. It usually involves 3-big blue Ikea bags (you know the ones, the sturdy bags with handles!), a very full car boot and a mammoth unpacking job back at home – you guessed it, it’s not my favourite part of running a home!

Having a uber hungry 11-year old, who is ‘always hungry’ and ‘needs a snack’ coupled with a husband who not only eats for England, but is also Coeliac, we try and keep costs down where possible. We’ve found that by meal planning & writing lists help, BUT a game changer for us was switching over to Lidl, which I would say reduced our shopping bill by around 20% on each shop. Here’s some of the reasons why we love it….and you could too:

Own brands

Around 90% of everything sold in Lidl stores is packed under their own brand. Although you may be put off by the name as it’s not something you recognise, the products are usually created by some of the largest food producers, but are available at a much lower cost. By switching over from your usual brands for your essentials, you can save some serious cash.

Fresh fruit and veg

One of the first things you will see when you go into your Lidl store will be their special offers on their fruit and veg at the front of the store (well, it is at the stores I’ve been to!) – they usually have their weekly specials, which are much cheaper (in my experience) than other supermarket chains.

The bargain orange stickers!

Lidl has bright orange signs throughout the store to highlight additional price reductions. This is mainly on their fresh produce – but can in some instances be a 20-30% price cut. Grab these bargains and freeze them if you won’t use them straight away. They’re worth picking up!

The Bakery…

I mean… this is just the best. Breads and pastries are baked fresh throughout the day at Lidl. The bakery is positioned at the front of the store and their blueberry muffins and flatbreads make the perfect go-to for a quick lunch and for a matter of pence you’ll no longer be hungry.

Lidl Surprises

You can find a lot more than just groceries at Lidl. The “Lidl Surprises” section in the middle aisle offers range of goodies at bargain prices, like toys, seasonal decor, kitchen appliances and clothing. Great to stock up on Christmas presents.

Cheeeeeeeses

Lidl have a great assortment of cheeses which allows me to create the best cheese board on a budget for a date night. So, I can buy a mass of cheese and try new ones without the guilt of spending too much! (Yes, I’m a greedy cheese eater)

Future deals

Lidl make it super simple for customers by highlighting new leaflet deals two weeks in advance, so you can grab a copy and hunt down those bargains ready for when they hit the stores!

Gluten-Free

Now, anyone who has a gluten-free bod in their household will know how expensive gluten-free staple products are….can you guess what’s coming…not at Lidl! They do their own gluten free pastas, biscuits, cereals, crackers and even have their own section like most other big super market chains now – so this is massively helpful for us!

So, start making those Lidl changes, switch from brand names, to own brands, meal plan and get writing those shopping lists – small changes really do add up to big savings! #SavvyWorkingMum

#ThisSOThing