sinse starting shopping at aldi i have found my weekly spend to be a bit lower but i have a fuller trolley. i usually find all the little extras (usually treats/takeout) end up ruining our family food budget.

Meal plan & buy on specials and use the freezer for big batches of foos

Buying frozen veggies when fresh is expensive, and replacing some of your meat dishes with beans and pulses. It’s healthier and much cheaper.

I’ve found meal planning has saved us money when shopping as there is less waste and you can often buy meat in bulk, use what you need – freeze the rest for later. I get my kids involved when choosing meals so they feel they’ve had a decision in what we have….gives them a bit of ownership. I find baking my own treats and cutting out processed foods has helped slash the budget too.

We tend to buy home brands , but I do know feeding pets are not cheap as a friend of mine have 4 cats and the cat litter she says are expensive .

Dogs and cats are fed quite easily and cheaply with dry food. I buy when on special and stock up. Same with tinned food for them, stock up when on special. Pretty much the same for people food. When on special, stock up. Packet foods gave a fairly long life, fresh foods generally freeze well

We make meals with a lot of leftover like, hash browns, casseroles, rissoles, baked potatoes with the spaghetti sauce. We probably get 3 meals per week out of other meals we’ve made

Lots of the. If supermarkets will mark food down at night so will often shop around 7:30 meat in particular can be heavily discounted and you can just get enough for a few days at a time or cook it up and it as ready to eat in the freezer. Fruit shops will also have a box of fruit and veggies that is discounted heavily afternoons and you can the. Plan meals around what needs to be used first.

Have a small garden that grows basics that you eat a lot and grow well. Eg tomatoes and capsicum in summer, corn and peas in winter/spring and potatoes most of the year in a potatoe bag most of the year. You only need a really small area. Also if you have a bigger area say 3m x3ms you can grow a huge variety of veg again pick what you know you will definitely eat. Also if you guys use a lot of mushrooms a mushroom box is a great idea.

Get on https://m.groceryrun.com.au/ you WILL save loads!

If it helps you with your averages I spend $250 per fortnight on our groceries! I feed a family of 5, 2 adults, 14, 3, & 2. That $250 includes nappies and lunches for all bar the little ones on weekdays. I believe we are on the lighter end of the grocery averages, although I’m sure there are familes out there doing it cheaper than us!
Nothing but generic brands, a willingness to do without something if it isn’t on sale, and knowing a luxury for it is and being willing to forgo it in particular priority order according to the budget – most people I know are still very confused about the defition of luxury. Coffee pods, razers, store bought school snacks (instead of home made), out of season fruit, these are all luxury items people mistake for neccessities. I’m not saying don’t buy them, but do understand their place on your shopping list.

We menu plan for the week and I only buy what we need for the recipes I also have a self serve meal for tea on the weekend where the kids can choose to make there own with a selection on the bench….kids love it

Thank you ladies. I hve set up a vegie garden with cos lettuce, corn, zucchini and strawberries. Did a big shop at aldi that im hoping it wil spread two weeks. Ive written down ideas of food meals my family will eat and how much meat is left in the freezer. When kids back at school, i dont hear mum im hungry every 5mins. Did food games of trying diff snacks tht i can easily buy in bulk for kids school lunch n home but also making food from stratch. Think after reading comments, given me some reliefs and ideas too. Homework will always be part of it.

Buy in bulk if you can.
Do you have room to grow some of your own veggies? I find that tomato, zucchini, cucumber spring onions are easy to grow and add stacks of flavour to many meals.
Also I find that doing a “batch” Cook when I have time (pre-cooking in bulk and freezing) is way more time efficient as well as money saving. It also helps stop over eating as you freeze it in portions you should eat and greedy family members don’t eat the leftovers which could be another meal!

Shop only for things that are on special.

I agree with making your freezer your friend and part of your weekly routine to fill it with meals made out of leftovers ie quiche made up with aging veges and ice-creams made out of aging fruits and milk.

Make your freezer your best friend. Freeze any left overs you have and have meatless nights. Cook with eggs use rice to add to meals.

I try to buy food in bulk mainly meat, and freeze it. investing in a deep freezer or chest freezer is a very good idea and helps in more than one way. When I cook I cook big meals that can be separated and frozen.eg. mince sauce, casseroles, soups and pasta bakes to name a few.

We buy extra of what we use all the time when it is on special then we don’t need to buy any at full price too soon. Some people meal plan then buy meat etc according to plan. Often it is better to check what is on special then take a couple of minutes to decide what meals you can make with it. Shopping to budget especially if there is special medical dietary restrictions can be difficult. e.g. Coeliacs have to have gluten free including when you cook from scratch. In some cases gluten free is about double the price. A loaf of gluten free bread is about 2/3 size of a standard loaf the the cheapest (coles brand) I have found is normally $4.99 a loaf. I have insulin resistance so I have to check products for carbohydrates and fats levels. I have to include a balance between protein and carbohydrates. A close friend of mine is Lactose Intolerant. She has to buy special milk, cream, cheese, yoghurt and icecream if she wants any. She can’t have a lot of food because it has milk in it – especially bakery, biscuits etc. As a young child she was rushed to hospital on a few occasions when she was given 1 or 2 small plain biscuits with milk in them when friends she was visiting forgot about it. On one occasion a friend ran out of biscuits the little girls Mum had given for her, forgot and gave her some of theirs. Her Mum didn’t know the supply had run out. Unfortunately there are all sorts of things that can blow your budget. Some supermarkets mark meat and bakery in the morning not at night. It varies from store to store within a Company. I have been told that Aldi is pretty good pricewise. Costco you pay an annual membership of just over $60.00 and a lot of things you have to buy in bulk. If you use a lot of fuel and are a member their fuel can be 0.30 a litre cheaper than other servos. Some things are very cheap. I know soembody in SA who got 1kg size yoghurts at $1.99 per container. The cheapest in Coles is $3.60. They have huge general grocery, dairy, frozen, fruit & veg and various others A double pack of professional insect spray in 2 litre containers was $37.00 (=$18.50 ea) A single one in a supermarket is about $24.00. It is like anything – you need to know your prices. They even have one design of garden sheds, toys, clothing, outdoor furniture – good quality and cheaper than some other outlets.

Don’t eat out. Cook at home. That will save a lot.