I Cut My Grandad's Grocery Bill by £120 a Month by Switching from Meals on Wheels to Aldi

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A New Approach to Grocery Shopping

In a new series called Supermarket Swap, a family is challenged to change where and how they do their weekly grocery shop. The goal is to see if they can save money by replacing old habits with new ones—and whether they will decide to switch to another supermarket as a result.

This week, we spoke to Nathan Walters, 28, from New Tredegar, Wales. Nathan’s 92-year-old grandad was spending £207 a month on Meals on Wheels. Could Nathan find him a better deal with supermarket ready meals?

Old vs. New Supermarkets

Old Supermarket: Council Meals on Wheels delivery service
New Supermarket: Aldi
Saving: £120

When Nathan Walters's 92-year-old grandfather, Raymond, was diagnosed with dementia six years ago, he lost his ability to cook. Ensuring he had a nourishing hot meal every day became a top priority for his family. Raymond has lived alone since his wife and Nathan’s grandmother died over seven years ago, so signing him up to his local council’s Meals on Wheels food delivery service seemed like the obvious choice.

After a year of Raymond eating the same four meals on repeat, Nathan, who visits regularly, started to pay closer attention to the cost of the meals compared with the quality and overall value. For £6.89, Raymond would receive a hot main meal at lunchtime, which came with a juice box and a pre-packed individual portion of dessert like jelly or custard.

Raymond opted out of the breakfast and dinner options because they would increase the cost further, and he is still capable of making toast and tea for breakfast. He usually makes a sandwich or heats up a can of soup for dinner.

Nathan began to question whether the cost of Meals on Wheels was good value, as it amounted to around £207 a month, paid for out of Raymond’s limited pension money from the years he spent working as a miner.

As a money-saving expert for the website MyVoucherCodes over the past four years, Nathan used his comparison skills to reason that Raymond could get a better deal with a supermarket ready meal, which would be a similar size portion. Raymond often didn’t need a drink or dessert—opting for tea again or squash, and tea and a biscuit after a meal—so Nathan was convinced there were savings to be made.

“We wanted to give the Meals on Wheels a fair try, but then after a while, the cost started to add up, and it didn’t feel feasible. I felt we could get so much more value by looking at other options,” says Nathan, who does most of Raymond’s grocery shopping for him, with his mum and aunt stepping in if he’s not available.

Exploring Ready Meal Options

First, Nathan explored the ready meal options at Morrisons, as it’s the closest supermarket to where he lives. He looked at the supermarket’s “The Best” range, which includes options like slow-cooked duck legs, chicken biryani, and cottage pie with ale gravy. These are available for £4.75 each, or two for £8.50.

Buying a month’s worth of these would come to around £127.50, saving £79.50 compared with Meals on Wheels. The family also sometimes get together for a Sunday roast, so on those occasions, Raymond can save his ready meal in the fridge or freezer for another day, whereas Meals on Wheels dinners are not recommended to be reheated.

However, Nathan was still keen to try another option. The nearest Aldi wasn’t much further, and, being vegetarian, he’d become fond of the discount retailer’s vegetarian ready meal options, so he thought he’d see what options would go down well with Raymond.

He came across Aldi’s “Inspired Cuisine” ready meal range, with prices ranging from £2.69 to £2.89. Raymond has become a fan of the chicken curry, beef hot pot, and Korean chicken. A month’s worth of these Aldi meals comes to around £87—a saving of £120 when compared with Meals on Wheels.

“My grandad gets one a day that he can just pop in the microwave easily and eat stress-free while watching The Chase,” says Nathan.

“Let’s be honest, they are still microwave meals. It isn’t home cooking or gourmet delivery. But the quality at Aldi is surprisingly good, and my grandad enjoys them just as much as the Meals on Wheels delivered ones anyway, plus there is often more variety.”

A Closer Bond and Financial Management

Nathan and Raymond are close, with Nathan having grown up living in the house in front of his grandparents’ and often spending afternoons there when his mum would be at work. As Raymond’s dementia has now advanced considerably, he is no longer able to manage his money, so Nathan’s mum and aunt withdraw a set amount of cash for him to use each week, and manage his bills and expenses.

Raymond spends his cash allowance on things like attending a dementia club on a Monday for £2. On Saturdays, he takes a taxi to the community centre in the town of Fleur-De-Lys where he lives, to watch a band and enjoy a beer.

Nathan is pleased he’s been able to help his grandad have more money to spend on those simple pleasures, and, when times get tough, put the spare cash towards heating bills or any emergencies that may crop up.

“It’s a simple, easy change that makes a huge difference,” says Nathan.