Data suggests families are set to see their annual grocery bills jump by £380 this year and many households are feeling the pinch

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Keeping produce fresher for longer will hopefully help cut down on trips to the supermarket amid a cost of living crisis that means many households are feeling the pinch. Data suggests families are set to see their annual grocery bills jump by £380 this year, as food price inflation hits a 13-year high.

While a few money-saving hacks won’t take all of the heat off rocketing energy bills and petrol prices, every little helps – and making a food shop last a bit longer could go a long way. These hacks will slash the amount of food needing to be thrown away - cutting down on those expensive shopping trips.

1. Store herbs like a bunch of flowers

There’s nothing worse than buying a beautiful bunch of herbs, only to have them wilt within days. But there’s an easy hack to fix this: simply fill a glass with a few centimetres of water, and pop the herbs in like a bunch of flowers. To really extend the lifespan, put a sandwich bag over the top.

If herbs are looking a bit limp, freeze them. Chop the herbs up, put them in the bottom of an ice cube tray, and fill to the top with water. When you want to use them, pop them out and let them defrost.

2. Freeze any fruit on the turn

The same goes for any greens starting to look a bit sad – they’ll be perfect in a smoothie at a later date.

3. Pop old bread in the oven

There is no need to dump bread when it goes stale – instead, quickly run it under the tap and pop it into the oven for a few minutes. The water helps rehydrate the bread, and it will come out of the oven tasting fluffy and fresh.

4. Wrap cheese in baking paper

Cheese might come in plastic wrapping, but it won’t survive for long like that in the fridge. Instead, wrap it in a porous material – such as baking paper – so it can still breathe, but doesn’t harden up like it would fully exposed to the air.

5. Put wine in the freezer

If a bottle of wine is unfinished, freeze it in an ice cube tray to stop it going to waste. This creates perfect portions of wine to add to a stew or bolognese sauce, or to use to make a sangria.

The jump in the cost of living is putting household budgets under pressure, with some having to choose between heating and eating.

Here are some resources available if you need help.

Citizens Advice is an independent charity offering free, confidential support with legal, consumer, housing, debt and other problems. Its website details what help is available and where your nearest bureau is, for face-to-face advice.

Helpline: 0800 144 8848 in England / 0800 702 2020 in Wales (open 09.00 – 17.00 Monday-Friday)

The Trussell Trust supports a national network of more than 1,200 food banks, providing emergency food for free to those who need it. You can use its website to locate support wherever you live.

Turn2us is a national charity providing practical support to people who are struggling financially. Its website includes a benefits calculator and details of schemes and grants in your area, including for energy and water bills.

6. Only wash salad when it's ready to serve

Moisture is the enemy of salad, so next time you buy a bag of greens, don’t be tempted to immediately rinse it under a tap. Instead, line a plastic container with paper towels, put the leaves on top (not too tight), and place some more paper towels on top. When you’re ready to eat, give them a quick rinse and you’ll be good to go.

7. Rinse berries in a vinegar solution

Washing berries in a solution of three parts water, one part vinegar apparently makes them fresher for longer – as long as they are dried properly after washing, and stored in a paper towel-lined plastic tub.

8. Wrap clingfilm around banana stems

To avoid brown bananas, buy a bit of time by wrapping the stems in cling film. Bananas produce ethylene gas, and this speeds up the ripening process when it travels to the rest of the fruit. Slow things down by wrapping the stems in cling film – equally, production of ethylene gas is slowed when you hang bananas up by a hook.

9. Put carrot and celery sticks in water

To maintain that crunch, you could try cutting the veg into sticks and storing them upright in glass jars, fully submerged in water.

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