Cash-strapped Queenslanders turn to supermarket copycat versions of restaurant dishes

Amid a cost of living crisis, cash-strapped Queenslanders are turning to supermarket copycat versions of popular restaurant dishes.

Cash-strapped Queenslanders are turning to supermarket copycat versions of popular restaurant dishes, as they try to replicate the dining out experience on a budget at home.

Woolworths and Coles have seen a boom in their ready-made meals and heat-and-eat entertainment products with shoppers embracing everything from croquettes and beef ragu to fish tacos and sliders at about a third of the price of eateries.

“The entertaining and ready-made range is very popular with customers as it provides alternatives for different consumer needs and budgets,” said Coles development chef Michael Weldon.

“This range really resonates with our customers who are looking for restaurant-quality food at home that is easy to prepare.”

Lochlan, Charli, Clare, Darcy and Shannon Kellam with Greer Gardiner and a range of Click Chef meals at their Clontarf home. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Mr Weldon said some of the biggest hits included their popcorn chicken, cheeseburger spring rolls and skewers, found regularly at trendy restaurants, bars and pubs.

Woolworths has also seen huge demand for its cook-at-home products, with its bao bun kit flying off shelves, while a number of its new fish kits, which include tacos and sliders, sold out upon release.

“For those who may want to spend less on dining out, we want to offer a solution that comes with the convenience of a kit, like the fish sliders, and tastes great too,” said Madeleine Tapley, Woolworths seafood product developer.

Cost is one of the major factors behind the boom of these products Taste.com.au digital editor Rebecca Nittolo said, with products such as the fish sliders coming in at less than $2.70 per serve, compared to about $10 per serve at a restaurant, or even more than $7 at McDonald’s for their Filet-O-Fish.

“The current cost of living absolutely plays into the nation’s obsession with fakeout,” she said.

“What used to be a cheap grab-and-go option is now seen as a luxury that people can’t afford.”

She said the high quality of supermarket options, particularly compared to well-loved takeaways, was another factor driving the boom.

“They’re better than ever before. The ready-to-roll pizza dough in Coles is really delicious, easy to roll and a steal at just $2!,” she said.

“[Coles] has got gravy-filled potato balls reminiscent of KFC’s iconic menu item, plus croquettes and mozzarella bites that are just as good as the pub grub we grew up with.”

But it’s not just supermarkets offering chef-inspired meals at home for less.

Owner and executive chef of Brisbane’s coveted French fine diner Montrachet, Shannon Kellam, has just launched Click Chef – a Brisbane meal delivery service trying to give consumers an affordable restaurant-quality experience at home with everything from soups and salads to slow-cooked meats, curries and ragus.

“We wanted to make it really cost effective. It was about making it value for money, which is obviously key this year,” said Mr Kellam, claiming customers could save up to 30 per cent compared to making the dishes from scratch themselves.

“We’re making it in bulk so, therefore, when you’re portioning it out everything becomes a lot more viable and cheaper that way.”