Supermarket savings and Aussie mum’s top tips help feed a family for $3 a serve

As grocery prices soar, knowing the best route to take your trolley through a supermarket could be crucial in saving thousands. Find out the latest shopping tips here.

For many Australians, a trip to the supermarket these days can be a weekly battle that ends in having not much to show after forking out big money at the cash register.

A jump in the price of grocery staples means that even a small basket of items can result in bill shock for the shopper — already battling the financial strain of higher interest rates and mortgage costs.

However, there are ways to slash your grocery spend and feed your family on a budget despite the soaring cost of living.

Buying in season and in bulk, planning your meals, choosing cheaper cuts of meat, opting for generic products rather than big brands and keeping track of weekly supermarket specials are all important steps.

What’s your best tip to save on groceries? Share in the comments below.

HOW TO FEED YOUR FAMILY ON A BUDGET

When it comes to dishing up cost-effective yet nutritious meals, TikTok star Mel Melbourne said meal planning was essential to avoid busting the budget.

The 34-year-old, from Melbourne’s southeast, has amassed a huge social-media following — with over 79,000 followers on TikTok and over 20,000 on Instagram — by posting videos of wallet-friendly and delicious meals that can feed a family of four for $3 per serve.

Ms Melbourne said she was passionate about helping others by sharing the meals she cooks for her husband, 12-year-old stepson and four-year-old son.

Despite her impressive social media presence, she said she does not consider herself an influencer but rather “a mum who likes to share my food”.

Watch her give her best tips in our video above.

Mel Melbourne says meal planning works a treat with her son Jasper. Picture: Andrew Tauber

She says she purchases seasonally and has a calendar pinned on her fridge as a helpful guide to slash costs.

“I also make sure to check the supermarket freezer section,” she says. “There’s nothing wrong with the frozen peas, corn and carrot mix — I use it all the time.

“Also freezing what’s in season, like berries. You can buy bulk berries from the local fruit and veg shop and freeze them yourself in portions.”

The savvy foodie is also a big proponent of shopping local and supporting family businesses.

“The other way I love to save money is through meat and protein, using the cuts that aren’t necessarily so desired, like the chicken wings, the drumsticks, cooking a whole chicken, using mince meat and slow-cooking cuts of beef.

“Also purchasing bulk bags of frozen fish and also I use a lot of meat packs from local butchers, they do lots of different meat packs and I have found that to be really cost effective … it’s a really good way to keep it local and help local businesses.”

Ms Melbourne said she steered clear of pre-made stir fry and pasta sauces, preferring instead to make her own more cost-effective versions.

Batch cooking is her go-to method and leftovers are consumed for lunch or dinner to avoid food waste.

Expensive takeaway nights have been replaced with her own “fakeaway” meals, such as fish and chips from the freezer.

She is also a fan of harnessing the power of legumes and lentils as a great protein source that’s easier on the wallet.

“One of the things that I’ve been sharing quite a bit lately is just reimagining what protein needs to be,” she said.

“You can use mince in a stir fry instead of beef chunks, utilising things like legumes and lentils instead of meat, understanding that they’re also a great protein source.”

WHAT THE SUPERMARKETS ARE OFFERING

Australia’s big supermarkets — Coles, Woolworth, Aldi and IGA — offer cost of living relief with their various sales and rewards program bonuses.

Coles has lowered the price of basic household staples with its range of Coles Simply range of products, which includes items such as lasagne, sausages and pasta sauce.

The supermarket giant has also launched a bulk-buying line called Big Pack Value, which features more than 50 bulk-size household products, including coffee, dishwasher detergent and nappies, and offers customers savings of between 50 per cent and 80 per cent.

Coles, Woolworths, IGA and ALDI all have deals and different price points to help customers.

Woolworths also has more than 6000 weekly specials, including half price offers.

Around 4000 of those products feature on Woolworths’ Everyday Low Price and seasonal Prices Dropped programs. And this winter, the shopping giant lowered the price of more than 450 staples such as chicken, corned beef, soup and pasta.

Customers can save on average 30 per cent at the cash register by opting for Woolworths’ Own Brand and exclusive products compared to similar branded products, a spokesperson said.

Aldi prides itself on offering permanently low prices across its entire range of products through its everyday low pricing model.

“We take this commitment seriously and everyday, every element of our business is oriented around how we can deliver on our ambition to provide high quality groceries at the lowest prices, especially now at a time Australian families need it most,” an Aldi spokesperson said.

IGA has launched the Low Prices Everyday initiative as part of its commitment to making shopping more affordable, slashing prices on more than 3000 essential food items for the next three months.

Both Coles and Woolworths offer significant savings on imperfect fruit and vegetables – Coles with its I’m Perfect range and Woolies with The Odd Bunch program.

TAPPING INTO SAVINGS

Customers can also tap into huge savings on the supermarket giants’ respective apps.

The Woolworths app has a wealth of features and tips to help customers save by comparing unit prices. They can also use meal planners and generate shopping lists online, reducing the temptation of overspending through impulse buys.

Customers can check how much their weekly shop will be in advance and budget accordingly.

The newly improved Coles app lets customers link their Flybuys account to the app to see personalised Coles offers including money off their grocery shop as well as bonus Flybuys points on specific products or entire categories.

Originally published as Supermarket savings and Aussie mum’s top tips help feed a family for $3 a serve