5 ways to save money on your groceries

With cost of living rising on a daily basis, everyone is looking for ways to save money. One of the best ways to save money is with smart shopping strategies. Read on ahead to find out different ways to save money on groceries without compromising on the quality of your meals.

1. Make a meal plan

Make a plan in advance for the meals you want to eat for the week ahead – this includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and also snacks. Planning meals ahead of time means you only buy what you need. It also helps save time, money and food waste.

When making your meal plan, make sure to consider what products are in season. Fresh fruit and vegetable that is in-season tends to be more affordable, tastier and also sustainable. Check out this produce seasonality chart on what fresh produce is in season.

2. Make a shopping list

Once you’ve made your meal plan for the week, write down the things you need to make those meals. This can help stop you from buying any unnecessary extras. Keep in mind ingredients that you already have at home in your fridge and pantry, so you don’t double up.

Take your list to the store or place an online order for click & collect or delivery. This will help you stick to the plan, and not make impulse purchases. In saying that, do keep a bit of flexibility in your list. If items aren’t available or too expensive, pick a suitable affordable alternative. For instance, if Perfection blueberries aren’t in season get Perfection strawberries. If green grapes such as Autumn Crisp® aren’t in season, buy black grapes such as Midnight Beauty® or Sweet Sapphire®.

Download our grocery list shopping list and meal plan template here. 

3. Cook from scratch

Takeaway and pre-packaged meals from the supermarket can be expensive and can often be unhealthy. When you cook yourself, you have more control over ingredients – you are able to incorporate more fresh ingredients into your daily diet and are able to eat healthier. Cooking at home allows you to cook much fancier and gourmet meals at a fraction of the cost versus a restaurant.

Our recipe website has more than 700+ recipes across a variety of cuisines, and complexity. Featuring quick sides such as oven roasted Broccolini® (under $2/serve), weeknight dinners such as Chicken and Broccolini® noodle stir-fry – made in one pan and less than $25 for a meal of 4! If you are looking for something sweet, try the BBQ Chili Lime Mango featuring Calypso mangoes – the perfect Australian summer snack. Or the Havana® banana bread recipe – it’s dairy free, and less than $1.5 a serve – so much cheaper than the fancy café down the road.

From simple to complicated, from pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan to gluten free there’s something for everyone.

4. Take lunch from home

An average lunch outside can cost around $15 - $25 a meal, or $75 - $125 / week. Plus options can be limited and often unhealthy. Taking lunch from home is healthier and also affordable. Some of our favourite items to add in our lunchbox are our Qukes® Baby Cucumbers, Petite™ Tomatoes and Perfection Berries. Great for snacking, be it kids or adults and super healthy!

5. Batch Cooking

Batch cooking is an excellent way to save money as well as time. Double whatever you are making for dinner tonight. Leftovers can be frozen to be taken out another day or used for another meal. For instance, a double batch of mince can be used for bolognaise one day, and then a beef rice bowl the next day. Having meals in the freezer also reduces the need for convenience or pre-packaged meals, which tend to be pricier.

Plus, when you incorporate batch cooking in your meal plan you can purchase ingredients in bulk, often at a lower cost per unit, resulting in immediate savings.