When it comes to grocery shopping, we all strive to find the perfect balance between saving money and providing nutritious meals.

However, we all recognise the hefty price tag that comes with nutrition-packed, home-cooked meals these days.

Even when you're cautious with grocery shopping, eating healthy can be expensive. Trying to stay budget-conscious, too, can be a real challenge!

But there’s no need to be disheartened; with a bit of imagination and savvy shopping, you can make even the tightest of budgets go a long way.

Take, for example, one incredible mum from New South Wales.

The savvy shopper managed to make nutritious meals on a budget of $111. Credit: ALDI Mums/Facebook.

The savvy shopper recently ‘challenged’ herself to see how many meals she could make with ‘unprocessed’ food from just a single ALDI shop.

And with an impressive grocery haul costing just over $111, she managed to whip up ‘reasonably healthy’ dinners – with a few leftover ingredients for lunches and extras!

This kind of 'stretch shop' is no easy feat. With a little bit of foresight and savvy meal planning, however, she had pulled it off with ease.

She decided to share both her grocery haul as well as her coveted tips for limiting your spending at the supermarket.

The successful shopping trip started off with a list of ingredients drawn up from her pantry, fridge, and freezer. This allowed her to make a meal plan that worked within her tight budget and took into account what she already had stocked up at home.

As we all know, ingredient prices vary by store. To combat this, she recommended shopping around for lower prices and even trading and sharing ingredients with friends.

The mum’s haul included meat and vegetables, allowing her to make eight meals for her family. Credit: Facebook/ALDI Mums.

She also recommended opting for more affordable cuts of meat as it can result in big savings.

Her last tip? Growing your own ingredients (or having a friend who can)! Being able to grow your own herbs, spices, and vegetables can help you reduce your expenses as they are readily available in your garden.

The home cook even went so far as to share all her delicious recipes in the discussion group.

Here's what she managed to whip up with her ALDI shop (see recipes below):
• Halloumi and bacon wraps with homemade chips
• Thai-style chicken mince lettuce cups and salad
• Creamy chicken and bacon pasta
• Vegetable and beef cottage pies
• Stuffed capsicum with chargrilled vegetables and pita chips
• Vegetable and sweet potato patties
• Chicken and vegetable curry
• Vegetable fried rice

Key Takeaways

• A money-saving mum made eight healthy dinners for her family from a $110 grocery haul from ALDI.
• The woman managed to make eight 'reasonably healthy' dinners with fresh vegetables and meat from ALDI.
• She shared her best tips for spending less at the supermarket, from selecting cheaper cuts of meat to growing her own herbs and vegetables.
• The mum also recommended going to halves and swapping ingredients with friends, buying meat in bulk, and planning meals in advance.

Members, whether you’re on a tight budget or just looking for some meal-stretching tips, then you’ll want to take note of the strategies this mum used for her shop.

A summary of the mum’s tips for making nutritious meals without breaking the bank. Credit: Seniors Discount Club.

We’ve listed some of her best money-saving tips below, and now we want to hear from you: what are your tricks for getting the most bang for your buck at the grocery store? Share your tips in the comments section!

We also recommend checking out this article where a mum shared how she managed to make 28 meals with a budget of $106.

Halloumi and bacon wraps with homemade chips recipe

Ingredients:

Halloumi blocks
Olive oil
Italian herbs
Bacon slices
Potato chips
Salt and pepper
Seasonings of your choice

Method:

1. Cut each halloumi block into 4 pieces.
2. Marinate your halloumi in olive oil and Italian herbs.
3. Lightly fry each side.
4. Serve on your wrap with desired salad and sauce.
5. Add a slice or 2 of bacon if you want.
6. Chips are air fried and seasoned with salt, pepper, light olive oil and all-purpose seasoning.

Thai style chicken mince lettuce cups and salad

Ingredients:
250g Chicken mince
Garlic
Chilli Soy Sauce
Ginger
Corn
Carrot
Coriander or Parsley
Lettuce

Method:

1. Fry the 250g chicken mince in 1 teaspoon each of minced garlic, minced ginger, chopped chilli, and soy sauce.
2. Add in your cup of corn and grated carrot. (Approx 1 1/2-2 carrots depending on size)
3. Stir through chopped coriander or parsley.
4. Scoop into lettuce leaves and serve with salad.
5. Squeeze lime over for that nice tangy hit with the chilli.

Creamy chicken pasta with bacon

Ingredients:

500g chicken thighs
Pasta of your choice
Olive oil
Butter
Green onion
6 cloves of garlic
Bacon
Zucchini
2 tsp chicken stock
Parmesan cheese
600 ml Thick cream
Parsley
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Fry 500g seasoned chicken thigh and set aside.
2. Cook pasta and strain, keeping 1 cup of pasta water. Set aside.
3. Add olive oil, butter and chopped green onion with 6 cloves of crushed garlic to the pan.
4. Cook for a few minutes, and add in chopped bacon and chopped zucchini.
5. Add lots of cracked pepper.
6. Add 2 teaspoons of chicken stock powder. Let it reduce. (Optional: You can add 1/4 cup of white wine)
7. Add in 1/2 or 1 cup of pasta water once reduced.
8. Add the chicken back in.
9. Let reduce again and add in half a block of parmesan cheese.
10. Add 600 ml thick cream and your cooked pasta.
11. Add chopped parsley and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese before serving.

Vegetable and beef cottage pies with chargrilled vegetables and pita chips

Ingredients:

• 250g mince beef
• 2 grated carrots (or 1 and 1/2 if they are really big)
• 1 cup of corn
• 1 large grated onion
• 1 tbsp Italian herbs
• 1 tbsp normal herbs
• 1 tbsp all-purpose seasoning
• 4 cloves of crushed garlic (or minced)
• 1 tbsp beef stock powder
• 3 tbsp Gravox
• 1 cup water
• Mashed potato
• Bacon, diced
• Cheese
• Chargrilled vegetables (bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant)
• Olive oil
• Cajun seasoning
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Celery salt
• Pita bread
• Zaatar spice
• Chutney

Method:

1. Brown the minced beef in a pan.
2. Add in grated carrots, corn, grated onion, Italian herbs, normal herbs, all-purpose seasoning, crushed garlic, and beef stock powder.
3. Cook on medium heat until the carrot has softened.
4. Add in Gravox and water, and let it simmer uncovered until it has reduced to a thick pie mix texture. Add more water if necessary.
5. Spoon the mixture into ramekins.
6. Top with mashed potato, diced bacon, and cheese.
7. Bake on low-medium heat until heated through and the bacon is cooked.
8. While the pies are cooking, prepare the chargrilled vegetables by seasoning them with olive oil, Cajun seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and celery salt. Skewer the vegetables and grill them in a Ninja on the grill function.
9. Cut up pita bread into chips and season with olive oil and zaatar spice. Bake on the low shelf while the pies are cooking.
10. Serve the pies with char-grilled vegetables and a spoon of chutney on the side. Enjoy!

Stuffed capsicum, beans, asparagus and sweet potato fries

Ingredients:

• 6 small capsicums or 3 large capsicums cut in half
• 250g lean mince
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup of water
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 1 cup of cooked rice
• 1 grated onion
• 1 grated zucchini
• 2 tablespoons mixed herbs or Italian herbs
• 6 minced cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley (optional)
• Olive oil
• Grated cheese

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 170-180 degrees Celsius.
2. Slice off the tops of the small capsicums or slice the large capsicums in half lengthwise. Clean out the seeds and set aside.
3. In a large pan, fry the mince until browned and remove any excess fat. Add in the grated zucchini, onion, garlic, and mixed herbs. Sauté for a few minutes until fragrant.
4. Add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water, cooked rice, oregano, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the liquid has reduced and the mixture has thickened. If desired, add in chopped parsley.
5. Stuff the capsicums with the mixture, leaving a centimetre at the top for the cheese. Stand the capsicums upright in a baking tray. If needed, use a small ramekin to support any capsicums that are not standing up.
6. Brush the capsicums with olive oil.
7. Cover the tray with foil and bake in the preheated oven for about 30-40 minutes or until the capsicums are soft.
8. Remove the foil and sprinkle the grated cheese over the capsicums. Return to the oven and bake for another few minutes until the cheese has melted and is golden brown.
9. Serve hot with stir-fried vegetables and sweet potato chips or as desired.

Chicken and vegetable curry

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons of curry powder
• 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 teaspoon of minced ginger
• 500g chicken thigh, diced
• 2 cans of coconut cream
• 1 fresh chilli (optional)
• 4 large cloves of garlic, crushed
• 2 small potatoes, diced
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 medium carrot, sliced
• 1 medium zucchini, sliced
• A handful of green beans, cut in half
• 1 cup of corn (optional)
• 2 cups of rice
• Olive oil

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium to high heat.
2. Add sliced onions, crushed garlic, and chilli (if using) to the pan and fry for a few minutes.
3. Add in all the spices (curry powder, coriander powder, cumin, turmeric, paprika, onion powder, salt, cayenne pepper, and minced ginger) and cook for another few minutes until fragrant.
4. Add in the diced chicken thigh and sauté with the spices for a few minutes until the chicken is coated.
5. Add in the diced potatoes, sliced carrots, sliced zucchini, and cut green beans. Mix well.
6. Pour in the cans of coconut cream and stir everything together. Bring to a simmer.
7. Turn the heat down to low and allow the curry to simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer it simmers, the more tender the chicken will become.
8. A few minutes before serving, stir in some gravy flour or semolina to thicken the curry.
9. Serve the chicken and vegetable curry with cooked rice. Enjoy!

Sweet potato, zucchini and chicken mince patties

Ingredients:

• 250g chicken mince
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 zucchini, grated
• 1 sweet potato, grated
• 1 onion, grated
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 eggs
• 3 tbsp Italian herbs and spices
• 3 tbsp BBQ sauce
• Pepper
• Parsley, chopped
• 1 cup breadcrumbs

Method:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken mince, grated carrot, zucchini, sweet potato, onion, and crushed garlic.
2. Add the eggs, Italian herbs and spices, BBQ sauce, pepper, chopped parsley, and breadcrumbs. Mix well until all ingredients are combined.
3. Form the mixture into palm-sized patties.
4. Heat a shallow frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
5. Serve the patties as a snack or light meal or as a main dish with baked potatoes, beans, and other vegetables.
6. Leftover vegetables can be used to make soup. Enjoy!

Vegetable fried rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cooked rice, cooled and refrigerated
• 2 small carrots, diced
• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1-2 cups of baby spinach, diced
• 6 slices of short-cut bacon, diced
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of frozen corn
• Olive oil
• Soy sauce
• Salt

Instructions:

1. In a pan, whisk the eggs with a bit of water and make thin crepe-like omelettes. Chop them in the pan with the egg flipper and set aside in a separate bowl.
2. Fry the diced bacon in a large pot and add the diced vegetables (carrots, zucchini, onion) and frozen corn. Add the chopped spinach for the last minute and then transfer everything to a plate or bowl.
3. Take the cooled rice from the fridge and fry it in batches on medium heat with a drizzle of olive oil and soy sauce. Mix it well and fry it until it is an even light brown colour with no white clumps.
4. Transfer the fried rice to the big pot with the vegetables and bacon. Mix everything until even, and add salt to taste.
5. Gently fold in the chopped eggs.
6. Serve hot, and enjoy!

So, there you have it, folks! Will you be trying these recipes? Better yet, do you know other budget-friendly meal preparation tips? Share them with us in the comments below!

 

[Ian Crane-Luff]

Cheaper to buy Lite & Easy meals and likely more nutritious

 

[Big M]

Cheaper to buy Lite & Easy meals and likely more nutritious

Where are the green leafy vegetables, carrots, peas etc in this lot? Not very healthy as far as I can make out!

 

[Ian Crane-Luff]

Where are the green leafy vegetables, carrots, peas etc in this lot? Not very healthy as far as I can make out!

5 veggies in most meals plus some fresh chilled, not frozen meals, I eat them daily

 

[Jennylolo]

non processed foods? Really. She has several items that have been processed.
But a good variety of meals created.

 

[Rosalie30]

Well done Mum! Not easy to keep a Family fed these days. To those criticising a lack of leafy veg. I‘m sure salads and green veg. find their way onto the menu on week 2.

 

[MindyMac]

Cheaper to buy Lite & Easy meals and likely more nutritious

No. Sorry I do not agree. However, saying that, I could have done better than this lady.

 

[MindyMac]

She needs to learn to buy whole fresh chickens and cut them up and utilise more. Even get whole fresh chickens when on sale for $3.50-$4.00 per kilo. Plus, use potatoes and not sweet potatoes.

Could not find how many people (adults and/or children) that she was cooking for. There are still cheaper and yes healthy meals and had more dinners for more nights. I'd say at least another 3-5 nights.