Grocery prices have risen for a number of reasons, including rising costs for gasoline, fertilizer and labor.
You could “shop” for cheaper groceries, but that would cost you more in fuel or travel, not to mention time.
Research shows a healthy diet costs low-income households 20 to 30% of your disposable income. But a healthy diet is still cheaper than one dominated by highly processed foods and drinks.
Reducing your grocery bill takes planning and flexibility, and knowing your budget.
So how do you do it?
Start by checking which vegetables and fruits are in seasonand look for recipes that include them.
Swap out some fresh vegetables and fruits for canned and frozen varieties, and substitute very expensive items for cheaper alternatives.
Have a meatless meal at least once a week.
Next, create a shopping list. This helps save money by reducing impulse purchases at the store. Look at what you already have in your pantry, fridge and freezer, and buy only what you need. This will reduce food waste.
Check online catalogs for special offers before heading to stores. Once in the store, compare prices and choose brands that are cheaper. This makes meals nutritious. more affordable.
How much do households spend on groceries?
A survey 2021 found that the average grocery bill in a supermarket was A$98 per week for one person, $145 for two, $168 for three, $187 for four, and $255 for five or more people.
A previous survey from 2016 found that the average household (2.6 people) spent $269 per week on all food ($237) and alcohol ($32) purchases, both at the supermarket and at other outlets.
About half of the money that was spent was on “discretionaryitems such as meals out or fast food ($80), with $20 spent on candy, chocolate, salty snacks, and chips, and $10 on cakes, cookies, and puddings. At the grocery store, $26 was spent a week in fruits and vegetables.
A survey 2019 found that the average person spent $300 a week on all food and drink. This included groceries ($135), eating out ($52), alcohol ($31), takeout ($22), barista coffee/tea ($13), food delivery services ($12), supplements ($12), and food healthy ($11) .
These surveys show that it is common to spend more on food and beverages consumed away from home than on groceries, and more on unhealthy items than healthy items.
How about saving $50?
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5 tips to help you save
Putting all of this together, here are five key tips to keep in mind when planning food for your household:
1. Have a food budget
Your total food budget will be influenced by the number of people you need to feed, their age, and your household income. A rough rule of thumb is that it shouldn’t cost more than one-third of your household’s total disposable income.
Allocate target amounts in your budget for basic and nutritious foods and discretionary food and beverages (soft drinks, chips, cookies, cakes, popsicles, tarts, pastries, and cold cuts) and in foods away from home (cafes, fast food, pubs, nightclubs, liquor stores, and restaurants).
2. Make a weekly plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks
Write a matching shopping list. Check the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer to see what you already have or if there are any. ingredients can be swapped to save a purchase.
3. Pack your lunch
Buy a lunch box and pack it the night before. Put it in the fridge so you can grab it and go in the morning. For ideas, check out our $5 home-cooked lunches.
If your mornings are too busy, pack breakfast foods too.
4. Cook more meals at home
Cooking more meals at home might include cheaper and healthier versions of some of your takeout favorites like pizza and burgers.
A US study found those who cooked the most at home spent half as much money on food away from home as those who cooked infrequently. They also spent 17% less on food overall.
Interestingly, both groups spent the same on groceries, suggesting that people who cook at home infrequently either wasted more food, ate more, or both.
5. Cook double batches
Cook larger quantities of foods such as currysoups and stews, and freeze them or eat the same food twice.
For those who need to shop on a significantly restricted budget, we’ve developed a $60 a week meal plan at our no money no time website. This free resource contains a meal plan with affordable recipes designed to meet key nutrients needed for health.
If you need help getting food right now, try the ask izzy website. Submitting your ZIP code shows support services, like free meals, near you.
The authors acknowledge the assistance of Hannah McCormick and Ilyse Jones of the No Money No Time Project team in the preparation of this article.
Clare CollinsLaureate Professor in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle Y megan whatnallPostdoctoral Researcher in Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Newcastle
This article is republished from The conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the Original article.
