Britons using ‘less oven, more frozen food’ to tackle soaring bills

A fifth of Britons no longer turn on their oven to save money, a recent survey has found, highlighting big changes in consumer behaviour- like rise in frozen and tinned food usage, reduced use of red meant and organic produce- as families struggle to cope with higher energy and food bills

According to the annual Good Food Nation report, one in four households said they were less likely to prepare a roast dinner, while a fifth were not baking as many cakes or biscuits. 

Nearly 20 percent of those polled said they no longer turned on their oven, while 23 percent said they were using their oven and hob less. People were opting for meals that are quick to cook in order to keep a lid on their energy use, with a fifth reporting using a microwave more. 

Furthermore, expensive foods like red meat, organic produce, fish and dairy are being crossed off the shopping list, states the survey’s findings, adding that shoppers are hunting for reduced stickers and visiting multiple shops for the best deal. 

Asked how rising costs had affected their family, children reported they were eating out less and having fewer takeaways. A fifth stated that they were eating more frozen food, while 15 percent reported given more meals from tins and packets. 

Christine Hayes, the editor-in-chief of BBC Good Food, said its report revealed how rising food prices and energy costs had changed the way the nation was eating in a relatively short space of time. 

“Traditional cooking methods, the oven and the hob, are being switched off in favour of appliances that use less energy, and shopping baskets and mealtimes at home are looking very different,” she said. “People have told us they are eating out less and ordering fewer takeaways, and more children are taking packed lunches to school.” 

Planning meals in advance and batch cooking were two of the most popular ways people felt they could control costs.