Resource Management

• Resource Management 


  Refers to how we manage our time, energy and money. This can be affected by a number of factors including income, personal circumstances and family size
• Food Choice


  To manage time/energy/money

  • choose own-brand foods items that can often offer better value for money
  • choose local and seasonal produce to reduce the amount of energy used during production, transportation and storage
  • Consider what form of food offers best value for money/alternatives that can be cheaper to cook e.g whole chicken instead of cut, quorn bolognese instead of minced beef
  • Choose alternative ingredients that can be cheaper and quicker to cook e.g veg curry instead of chicken curry
  • Plan meals carefully, shop once a week/fortnight to save time and effort
• Food Shopping

  • prepare a shopping list to avoid impulse buys
  • price check between stores to ensure value for money
  • Consider shopping options that may save time e.g shopping lists can be saved online, scan as you go saves time at checkout
  • Compare cost of bulk buying to unit prices to ensure best deal as bulk isn’t always cheaper
  • Check if special offers available will actually save money
  • Avoid special offers unless provide real value for money and food can be used
• Food Preparation

  • Use leftovers e.g leftover pasta could be used in a pasta salad
  • Prepare and cook meals from scratch to avoid price premium of convenience foods and ready meals
  • Choose most energy efficient cooking methods e.g bake potatoes in microwave rather than oven
  • Choose most energy-time efficient appliances e.g slow cooker or food processor or air fry
  • Cook and serve the correct portions for specific needs to save time and energy
  • Cut food into smaller pieces as cook quicker
  • Always cover pots and pans as this will use less energy to heat/cook food
• Food Storage

  • Store leftovers correctly and use within 2 days or freeze and use within 1 month to reduce food waste
  • Consider type of ingredient e.g frozen, fresh or tinned so they can be stored until needed
  • Store all food correctly in fridge, freezer and cupboard to extend shelf life and position correctly e.g hang bananas or store away from other fruit
  • Check date marks regularly for foods approaching these dates and try use them up
  • keep food wrapped or stored appropriate packaging to extend shelf life
• Strategies to reduce food waste


  1. Plan meals and write a shopping list to ensure you buy only what you need

  2. Be accurate with portion size e.g pasta portion for adult is 100g

  3. Buy food with longest use buy date so time to use it

  4. Make most of food purchased by using leftovers for second meal

  5. Buy versatile ingredients as can be used in range of meals

  6. Keep range of useful store cupboard essentials that can be used to create meals quickly such as pasta, rice, noodles

  7. Store food correctly to keep fresher for longer e.g potatoes in dark cupboard

  8. Freeze food before use by date, defrost when needed and use within 24 hrs

  9. Cook and eat food bought first and store new food at back

  10. Avoid marketing strategies as can often lead to impulse buys and generate food waste
• Cash - advantages

  • Paying is quick, efficient and cost effective
  • easier to track spending and stay within budget, can only spend the amount of cash you have available
• Cash - disadvantages

  • have to access cash from bank account
  • security issues associated with carrying large amount
• Credit card including contactless 


  a credit card enables a consumer to borrow money from card issuers to pay for products/services. Card holders receive regular statements of how much borrowed and needs to be paid
• CC including contactless - advantages

  • enables consumers to receive benefits linked to card such as cash back/rewards/loyalty points
  • don’t need to carry large sums of cash, and if bill is paid at end of the month, offers interest free borrowing
  • contactless offers convenience as speeds up payment process
• CC including contactless - disadvantages

  • form of borrowing: can be a high risk decision to meet basic needs
  • if bill isn’t paid in full at the end of the month, interest is applied, increasing cost of food bill and risk of debt
  • concerns regarding security of contactless as security info doesn’t have to be entered meaning anyone can use it
• Debit Card including contactless 


  a debit card draws funds from bank account to pay for products purchased or services used
• DC including contactless - advantages

  • quick and efficient
  • cost effective as don’t usually incur charges
  • some allow consumers to request cash back
  • contactless offer convenience at checkout as speeds up payment process
  • many food retailers accept contactless improving access to this method
• DC including contactless - disadvantages

  • only allow customers to spend amount of money available in their account so consumers must ensure accounts are in credit
  • concerns regarding security of contactless as security info doesn’t have to be entered
  • maximum amount per contactless transaction, may not be possible to use when food shopping