Eight homemade food swaps that can save you $3000 a year

Shave thousands off your annual grocery bill without missing out on popular trolley inclusions. See how to do it.

Savvy shoppers can save more than $3000 a year by taking the time to home cook eight food products commonly found in Australian trolleys.

Items including yoghurt, muffins and pizza are easy to whip up at home and can leave valuable dollars in your hip pocket.

A savings guide from Thermomix, created after 97 per cent of respondents in its 2022 Brand Health review expressed they were concerned about the cost of living, shows with a little effort and time in the kitchen, home cooks can save more than $60 a week without compromising on the food products they crave.

Ali Klein with her husband Ben, daughter Sienna and son Brooklyn.

Ali Klein, 35, of Melbourne says she is making as much of her family’s food at home as possible as she has seen her grocery bill rising by another $50 to $100 a week.

“Everything is going up, from meat at the butcher, fish and the supermarket. Plus everything in packets feels like it’s shrinking so you are shopping more often. It’s crazy,” Klein says.

“You can save a lot of money cooking yourself and you can freeze it, have leftovers for lunch the next day, and you know what is in it from a health perspective.”

Klein makes her own baby food, pesto, banana bread and more, and wouldn’t dream of buying store-bought options.

“I have a nine-month-old and babies cannot have sodium,

so I am not comfortable buying him store-bought stuff,” she says. “I honestly cook most of the time in my Thermomix because it’s quick and saves me money.”

Homemade yoghurt.

Accredited dietitian Bianca Mazur says there’s just no comparison when it comes to food made at home and store-bought options when it comes to health.

“Store-bought food naturally needs an extended shelf-life, so often times that means they come complete with preservatives, additives and flavourings we just don’t need. This is the case with so many of our everyday ingredients like breads, cakes and curry. When you cook it from scratch, you can sidestep all that and also make food with a flavour profile you know your family will enjoy,” Mazur says.

Thermomix managing director Graze Mazur says, with the continuing concern around cost of living, the “little” things we do can have a big impact, like choosing to make food at home instead of buying pre-made.

“Staples like yoghurt or stock pastes – they’re all quick and easy and you can create real savings on your grocery bill.”

BOUGHT v HOMEMADE

● Yoghurt 1kg (Chobani): $7 vs $2.86

● Cheese scroll (Bakers Delight): $3.90 vs 50c

● Pizza (McCain Margarita family size) 500g: $8.50 vs $3.43

● Blueberry muffin (Woolworths 4pk): $1.06 each vs 29c

● Cupcake with icing (Cupcake Queen): $5 each vs 39c

● Patisserie-style chocolate cake

(Fergusson Plarre drip cake, serves 12): $52.50 vs $11.52

● Breakfast protein drink (Boost Juice junior size): $6.20 vs $1.89

● Vegetable stock paste (Continental one portion): $1.10 vs 26c

TOTAL HOMEMADE SAVING: $64.12

Originally published as Eight homemade food swaps that can save you $3000 a year