With the cost of living crisis, parents may find themselves struggling to feed their children, especially given the high cost of healthy foods and drinks.
But some parents, those with children under the age of four could be eligible for up to £1,232.50 to help buy fruit, vegetables, milk and infant formula, and many may not have realised they can sign up.
UK baby brand Nuby is encouraging parents to check their eligibility for the NHS Healthy Start Scheme after surveying 1,000 parents with children under four.
They found that 37% consider buying healthy food their biggest financial challenge when feeding their child, while 27% struggle with the cost of providing multiple daily meals.
To help parents out, Nuby has explained just how to sign up for the NHS Healthy Start Scheme and has shared some more tips on feeding a young family on a tight budget.
Sign up for the NHS Healthy Start Scheme and get up to £1,232.50
The NHS Healthy Start Scheme has been set up to help eligible parents afford essential items like milk, infant formula, fruit, and vegetables.
You may qualify if you receive Universal Credit (with a monthly take-home pay of £408 or less) or Child Tax Credit (with an annual income of £16,190 or less and no Working Tax Credit)
These funds are then loaded onto a Healthy Start card, which can be used at supermarkets, grocery stores, pharmacies, markets, butchers, and even some petrol stations—anywhere displaying the Mastercard symbol.
How much can you get if eligible for the NHS Healthy Start Scheme?
- £4.25 per week from the tenth week of pregnancy
- £8.50 per week for children under one
- £4.25 per week for children aged one to four
- This gives parents a total of £1,232.50 that they can put towards childcare essentials
Other ways to feed a growing family on a tight budget
One tip shared by the experts at Nuby is to buy frozen fruits and vegetables rather than fresh ones. The lower cost and longer shelf life make frozen produce a great budget-friendly option.
Their research found that fresh strawberries cost an average of £0.84 per 100g, while frozen strawberries cost only £0.66 per 100g.
Fresh green beans cost £0.48 per 100g, while frozen ones are just £0.13 per 100g.
The childcare pros have advised against cooking separate meals for your young child and the rest of the family, as this can quickly become expensive and time-consuming.
Another tip is to check price comparison sites before doing your weekly grocery shop. You might find better deals at a different supermarket than your usual choice, which will help you save money while still getting everything you need.
If you have some free time on your hands, you can bulk-make your own baby purees, which is much more cost-effective than buying pre-made.
To make a puree, just buy fruits and vegetables in larger quantities, puree them, and freeze them in portion-sized ice cube trays — then defrost what you need for each meal.
Batch cooking is just a cost-saving method for purees, but it works for your family meals too – just buy ingredients in bulk, cook larger portions than needed for one meal, and then refrigerate or freeze until ready to reheat either in the microwave or oven.
Nuby has highlighted that many supermarkets have baby clubs that offer exclusive discounts and perks for members. Signing up for these is an easy way to save money when purchasing childcare essentials.
Further suggesting swapping brand items for supermarket-owned brands, the experts explained: “Swap expensive branded baby foods and purees for the supermarket’s own versions. They often offer the same flavours but come at a fraction of the price.”
Their final tip is to plan your weekly meals and stick to this plan, with the babycare pros adding: “It’s easy to get tempted by buy one get one free offers but only buy them if it’s already on your list to make the saving. A clear plan will keep your spending under control and help reduce food waste.”
