Winter appeal responds to cold reality of empty plates and shrinking portions

Fresh data has revealed the troubling number of Australians skipping meals as the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite.

Michelin-starred chef and Coles ambassador Curtis Stone launching Coles and SecondBite's Winter Appeal. Picture: Supplied

EXCLUSIVE: One in five Australians are skipping meals, new research shows, in a damning indictment of the cost-of-living crisis.

While inflation has eased to 2.4 per cent from a multi-decade high of 7.8 per cent in 2022, many households are still feeling the pinch, with one in four reducing portion sizes in an attempt to stretch their budgets.

The concerning data comes from a Coles survey released ahead of the supermarket’s annual winter appeal with food relief charity SecondBite, launching on Wednesday.

Celebrity chef and Coles ambassador Curtis Stone said the campaign would make “a huge difference” by donating excess food stock to those in need.

“Winter can be a particularly difficult time for Australians who are struggling to make ends meet,” he said.

“That’s why the Coles SecondBite Winter Appeal is such an important cause.”

SecondBite delivers more than 50 million meals each year to charities including soup kitchens, community centres, youth groups and women’s shelters.

The charity’s chief executive, Daniel Moorfield, said demand for food relief wass rising - particularly in winter, when people are forced to choose “between heating and eating”.

Originally published as Winter appeal responds to cold reality of empty plates and shrinking portions