Low-cost food

Are you struggling to pay for food? Below are voucher schemes, community-run food outlets that will help you save money on food.

Low-Cost Shopping

Do you need to save money on food? Here are some low-cost food outlets in Lambeth and nearby.

Borough Food Co-op

Become a member and pay £4.50 for up to 16 grocery items. Anyone can join the co-op.

Brixton Wholefoods

Brixton Wholefoods has a great supply of cheap herbs and spices, you can buy by weight.

  • Monday & Friday 10am-6pm
    Tuesday to Thursday 10am-5.30pm
    Saturday 10am-5.30pm
    Sunday 11am-4pm
  • 59 Atlantic Road, London, SW9 8PU
  • 020 7737 2210
  • brixtonwholefoods.com

Community Shop

Community Shop is a social supermarket for Lambeth residents receiving benefits. They also offer volunteering and mentoring opportunities, training, and support courses. Plus, hot food from their kitchen for £1.50. Call or visit to join.

  • Monday to Friday 9am-4.45pm
    Saturday 9am-2.45pm
  • Vale Street, London, SE27 9PA
  • 020 8761 9660
  • community-shop.co.uk

Fareshares Food Co-op

Fareshares Food Co-op is a volunteer-led community wholefood shop. It sells cheap, dry good, fruit, vegetables and more.

Kata Kata Food Pantry

Community Food Pantry at Kataka Restauant offering healthy fruit, vegetables, and dry goods for £5.

Liz Atkinson Pantry

A community shop offering members healthy, affordable food. Pay £2.50 or £5 for fresh fruit, vegetables, and store cupboard goods. For families with children aged 0-4 years.

Moorlands & Southwyck Pantry

A community shop offering members healthy, affordable food. Pay £2.50 or £5 for fresh fruit, vegetables, and store cupboard goods. Everyone welcome.

Myatts Field Pantry

A community shop offering members healthy, affordable food. Pay £2.50 or £5 for fresh fruit, vegetables, and store cupboard goods. Everyone welcome.

St. Stephen's Pantry

A community shop offering members healthy, affordable food. Pay £2.50 or £5 for fresh fruit, vegetables, and store cupboard goods. For families with children aged 0-4 years.

The Food Bus

Healthy, affordable groceries, cupboard items, café and more. The food bus visits sites in Lambeth and Wandsworth each week. Lambeth sites are:

Wednesday (2pm-4pm): Allen Edwards School, Studley Road, London SW4 6RP

Friday (10am-12pm): Heathbrook Primary School, St Rule Street, London SW8 3EH

Friday (12-2pm): Larkhall Primary Campus, Smedley St, London SW4 6PH

For Wandsworth information, visit Be-Enriched website.

Food Voucher Schemes

Does your family have a low-income? Here are some schemes that may help you pay for food.

Healthy Start Card

If you receive benefits and are pregnant, or have a child aged under four, you can apply for a free Healthy Start Card. With the card you can buy milk, fruit and vegetables, infant formula milk, and vitamins. Visit the website to apply. Or speak to your doctor, midwife, or health visitor.

Rose Vouchers

Rose Vouchers help families on low incomes buy fresh fruit and vegetables. Families receive £4 of Rose Vouchers for each child aged under 5, and each older sibling up to the age 11, every week; or £6 if the child is under one year old. Children's Centres issue the voucher, ask staff if they are part of the scheme.

Surplus Food & Zero Waste

Foodcycle

Enjoy company with others from your local area over a free, delicious meal, prepared with care by FoodCycle volunteers.

Everyone is welcome, no matter your background or circumstances. No referral needed, just turn up.

Love Food Hate Waste

Love Food Hate Waste is national campaign for reducing food waste to save money on food. It has lots of ideas on how to store, cook and buy food to reduce waste.

Oasis Community Fridge

Anyone can collect free, surplus food, or donate. Local businesses can donate food surplus too.

Olio

Olio is a free, food sharing app. You can use it to share or receive unwanted, good food. Share food with people in your neighbourhood. Food businesses can sign up too.

TooGoodToGo

TooGoodToGo is a free app lets you cheaply buy unsold food from nearby restaurants, cafés and supermarkets, at the end of the day, so it gets eaten instead of wasted. Buying a 'Magic Bag' of groceries is a really cheap way of shopping.

Save Money On Food

Feed Yourself for £1 a Day

Feed Yourself for £1 a Day is a Facebook group with lots of ideas low-cost cooking and shopping. It has a supportive online community.

Pat's Food

Pat's Food is brilliant website with low-cost recipes, food plans and lots more. Pat Parker set up the popular Facebook Group Feed Yourself for £1 a Day, she knows her stuff.

Reduce Your Supermarket Spend

Reduce Your Supermarket Spend is a supportive Facebook group with plenty of ideas on how to spend less on shopping.

Skint Dad

Skint Dad is an award winning website that lots of info on how to save, make and manage money. It has a great recipe page too.

Food & Wellbeing

The Food Chain

The Food Chain supports people living with HIV and their families across London. They provide healthy food, support and advice. Your doctor, clinic, or social worker must refer you to use their services. Their website has useful information about food and nutrition, plus recipes.

FOOD LABELS: WHAT DO THEY MEAN?

Understanding how food labels work can help you waste less food and save money.

USE BY: Food must be sold and used by the final date. It may be dangerous for your health when the date has expired, even if it looks and smells fine.

BEST BEFORE: Foods with a 'best before' date should be safe to eat after the 'best before' date, but they may no longer be at their best quality.

SELL BY/DISPLAY UNTIL: ‘Sell by’ and ‘display until’ dates are used for controlling stock in stores. They are instructions for staff, not shoppers.