Mum's ALDI-cious meal planning and budget-friendly feasts leave more dough in wallets!

In a time when the cost of living is soaring and every penny counts, finding ways to stretch the family budget without compromising on nutrition or taste can seem like a daunting task.

However, one Sunshine Coast mum has cracked the code to economical meal planning, and she's sharing her secrets with us!


Eisha-Marie Eisel, a 29-year-old mother of three, has become something of a budgeting wizard.

She manages to feed her family of five on a remarkably lean $175 weekly budget.

That's right, Eisha feeds her entire family for seven days for the price of a fancy dinner out. And before you ask, no, they're not surviving on instant noodles and canned beans alone.


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Aussie mum-of-three, Eisha-Marie Eisel, shared her ALDI shopping strategy to feed her family on a $175 weekly budget. Credits: Instagram / Eisha-Marie Eisel


Eisha's strategy involves a fortnightly shopping trip to ALDI, where she spends a total of $350.

The budget supermarket, known for its cost-effective pricing, provides ‘99 per cent’ of what Eisha's family needs, from food to cleaning products, hygiene and pet essentials.

‘I try to thoroughly plan our shop out before going so I don't need to return for any top-ups to curve those impulse purchases,’ Eisha explained.


Eisha recently spent only $88.43 on ingredients to prepare 34 meals for herself, her husband Zac, aged 29, and their three young sons—Ben, aged 11, Ollie, aged 8, and Teddy, aged 5.

She purchased ingredients from ALDI to prepare a variety of meals, including chicken panang curry, baked gnocchi, chicken tikka masala, pork rissoles with mashed potato and beans, vegetarian chickpea pad thai, teriyaki beef with broccoli, and Tuscan-style beans with garlic bread.

According to the mum, ‘99 per cent of my groceries are bought from ALDI—they have most of what I need week to week. I only need to shop elsewhere for more niche specialty items like bread, flour, and yeast.’

‘There is nothing I avoid buying from Aldi, I have had great experiences across the board with all their products, so they are always my first pick.’


The meals she prepares are not only budget-friendly but also straightforward to make, often requiring just four to seven ingredients.

She consistently adds inexpensive seasonal vegetables and legumes to meals to extend portions and save on costs.

‘I also always plan out my meals and balance special dinners with more affordable dinners,’ Eisha shared.

‘Outside of groceries, I am regularly reviewing our budget and expenses, making sure we have the best deals on our utilities and plans.’


Now, for the ‘number one question’ that Eisha is often asked: How does she keep her fresh food from spoiling over a fortnight?

The answer lies in her savvy storage techniques. She prioritises eating perishables like strawberries and bananas first.

Eisha then stores other produce in airtight containers with a paper towel at the bottom to absorb excess moisture, a trick that significantly extends the life of fruits and veggies.

She even puts an extra piece of paper towel on top of moisture-sensitive items like cucumbers, which are changed weekly.

‘Moisture is not your friend when it comes to storing fruit and vegetables,’ she said.

‘If you have a particular item like cucumbers, these will go bad a lot faster when they're exposed to moisture. So I always add an addition piece of paper towel on the top.’


Eisha highly recommends this trick for preserving beetroot, tomatoes, capsicum, onions, berries, and other produce.

Meanwhile, Eisha submerges carrots and celery in water within sealed containers to prevent dehydration, and melons aren't chopped until they're ready to eat, locking in freshness.

Additional fruits and vegetables are stored without packaging in the refrigerator's crisper drawer.


As savvy shoppers continue to share their strategies for stretching grocery budgets, the story of an Australian ALDI mum's budget-saving meals has garnered attention.

Her resourcefulness in preparing affordable yet nutritious dishes has inspired many families to rethink their approach to meal planning and grocery shopping.

This tale of culinary ingenuity resonates with others seeking ways to trim expenses without sacrificing quality or flavour.

In a similar vein, another mum's success in slashing $100 off her weekly grocery bill, thanks to ALDI, further underscores the supermarket's reputation for offering value and quality.

Together, these narratives offer insight and inspiration for those looking to make the most of their food budgets without compromising on taste or variety.
Key Takeaways
  • An Australian mum-of-three shared her strategy for feeding her family on a $175 weekly budget by shopping at ALDI.
  • Eisha-Marie Eisel plans her shopping to avoid impulse purchases and only shops once a fortnight, buying ‘99 per cent’ of items from ALDI.
  • She cooks budget-friendly meals using a small number of ingredients, bulking them up with seasonal veggies and legumes.
  • Eisha preserves the freshness of produce with storage techniques like airtight containers with paper towels and keeping certain vegetables in water.
Have you tried any budget-friendly meal-planning tips that have worked wonders for your household? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below!
 
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Notice the Asian & Mediterranean meals she cooks. Meals from these areas are very cheap because of the ingredients - I cook many Indian curries which go a long way for two of us, and using and combining your own spice powders are a lot cheaper than using store-bought ready-prepared sauce bases. Try some ready-prepared stuff and see how far that goes, then perhaps buy an easy recipe book to try the Asian recipes - it’s not hard. It’s the meats that cost the most.
 
Yes. But I am in the opposite position. I am a pensioner and live alone, so it can be difficult to "buy small" in a budget. Supermarkets charge exorbitant prices for small individual items so they are not practical.

I therefore "buy big" and make multiple meals and freeze. Spaghetti Bolognaise, boscaiola sauce, lasagne, cottage pies, meat pies, casseroles, curries, nachos/chilli mince, fruit crumbles and pies, etc. I cook everything immediately so the fresh produce that goes in doesn't spoil.

I buy fruits when in season and cheap to make jams and marmalade which lasts a long time.

I buy a chicken which I roast and from that chicken I get 2 roast dinners (for me), carve off the breast and make school sandwiches for my grandkids (chicken cheese, lettuce, salad cream and Branston pickle). Their favourite "Nanny Special" sandwich. Then I put the carcass with any stuffing, in a pot with a can of creamed corn, chicken broth and any fresh vegies I have, including potatoes and make a great soup. This serves 6 so I give the excess to the family. Delicious with crusty bread.

And yes. I too buy almost everything from Aldi but check online first for any specials on offer
 
Just an add-on to the above. I use empty yogurt containers for celery, lettuce, spring onions. They are air tight and the contents keep for weeks. A bit of paper towel at the top helps too.
 
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Reactions: Gsr
not sure what is new or different here to warrant a fuss over what she spends, how she stores and makes. It's all such common sense. Maybe not a lot of common sense out there any more?
 
  • Angry
Reactions: marni
I am sure your selection are good for your family however I eat none of the ingredients you use due to allergies and intolence for spicy foods. So thank you for sharing I am sure there those out there who enjoy your food types. Good shopping and cooking for your family.
 

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