The skyrocketing cost of produce is one of the top reason Australians are not eating enough vegetables for good health.
A national Fruit & Vegetable Consortium survey of 1020 grocery shoppers conducted in 2022 found almost a third of people eat just 1 serve of veggies or less per day.
Vegetables are nutritional superstars packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals that can also help us manage obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Eating just 1 extra serve a day brings health benefits so it’s important not to cut veggies out of your weekly budget.
Giving our wallet-friendly tips a go and looking for ways to minimise waste in the kitchen is a great way to bump up vegetable intake for better health and wellbeing.
Top tips to save on groceries
- Plan a veggie-packed 7-day menu upfront and only shop once a week.
- Chop up older veggies from the fridge and add them to stews, soups or pasta dishes.
- Instead of tossing stems, stalks and leaves, cut them finely to add to stir-fries, soups or salads.
- Consider frozen or canned varieties of veggies – these are a good alternative if fresh produce is too expensive. Look for low-salt options and use herbs and spices to boost flavours.
- Bulk up meals with cheap and filling legumes such as chickpeas, cannellini beans and lentils.
- Look for uniquely shaped veg often referred to as imperfect, odd, budget, seconds, farmers pick, or ugly.
- If you are not using a full tin of something, transfer the remainder to a container and use within 24 hours or freeze immediately to use another time.
- Scan catalogues and make a list before going to the supermarket. Shop the specials and buy bigger amounts when items are discounted.
