Christmas is fast approaching, which means it's time to get organised and start ticking items off your grocery list.

But before you head out and do your seasonal shop, there's one thing you should know: some holiday staples are set to become more expensive as labour shortages and foul weather take their toll on food supply chains.


We’re here to give you a heads-up about which items are going to cost a bit more this year.

That way, you can either budget for the increased expense or find an alternative item that better suits your wallet. Win-win!

So without further ado, here are some of the Christmas food items that will put a slightly bigger dent in your savings this year…

First off, oysters!


These little luxuries are always popular around Christmas, but they're also set to become more scarce (and thus more expensive) due to foul weather conditions affecting oyster farms.

Terry Arhontogiorgis of Tim and Terry’s Oyster supply is one example of a producer experiencing difficulty.

‘Mother nature has had a lot to do with it this year, with all the floods we have had it has been very hard for us to process the amount of oysters we need,’ he said.

Australia’s oyster industry is still recovering from bushfires a couple of years ago that tainted the water with ash.


Now, the too-rainy weather is dumping pollutant-laden water in the areas where oysters grow, which has led to declines in harvests of commercially viable oysters, especially in New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania, where virtually all oysters in the country are sourced.

So if oysters are on your menu this holiday season, brace for higher prices!

Another casualty is the beloved Aussie Christmas staple, cherries.

Above-average rainfall has also hit orchards in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania, which account for 81 per cent of cherries produced in the country.

The wet and humid weather is said to make conditions for proper cherry growth impossible, which impacts supplies down the line.


But we don’t want to paint the holidays as all doom and gloom where your money is concerned!

For one, pork seems to be a safe product for the holidays.

According to Pork Australia Chief Executive Margo Andrae, pork hams are ‘probably a good news story’ this year.

‘We recognise how important Christmas is, so our producers are working hard to make sure the hams are ready. They’ve been working since July,’ she said.

Coles National Communications and Media Manager Martine Alpins also said there was plenty of ham to go around.

‘With Christmas ham, you can plan ahead and buy that now to get that big item out of the way,’ she said.

Coles’ pork ham offerings range from $15.40 to $72.00.


And lastly, prawns are another Christmas staple Aussies won’t be lacking on tables for the holidays.

‘We've got an abundance of prawns this Christmas; we've got another bumper crop so it's looking really good,’ said Australian Prawn Farmers Association Chief Executive Kim Hooper.

‘It certainly pays to shop around at your reputable suppliers and your retailers because there are some real bargains to be had this Christmas.’

If you’re looking for ways to cook these holiday staples, be sure to check our Cooking and Recipes section for ideas!

You may also want to check out why we all might be in for quite a surprise at supermarkets early next year — and not for a good reason.

So, what do you think? Will you be including these items on your holiday hit list of foods or will you be looking for more budget-friendly options?

Share your thoughts and opinions below!