As we all know, grocery prices have skyrocketed recently. A block of cheese costs upwards of $8, and tomatoes can be more than $10 a kilo! So maintaining a diet filled with whole, minimally processed foods can be pretty expensive. It can feel like saving money and eating healthily are often at odds, but fear not, dear Seniors Discount Club members! We've got some expert tips on where you can save on your weekly shopping without compromising your nutrition.



Nutritionist Susie Burrell has shared which supermarket foods could be unnecessarily draining your wallet while also not offering much nutrition. These items often find their way into our shopping carts out of habit, but it's time to reassess our spending choices, focus on our health, and stick to our budget. Let's delve into the top supermarket food items experts recommend avoiding purchasing.

1. Fresh milk​

We all want to support our local farmers and buy fresh Aussie produce. However, long-life milk is often a more affordable option that still provides a similar nutritional profile in terms of protein and calcium. It's also easier to buy in bulk when discounted and can save you from worrying about constantly running out of milk or wasting expired fresh milk.

2. Margarine​

Margarine is essentially a blend of heavily refined oils, offering little nutritional value. Other more natural alternatives can help lower cholesterol without adding processed vegetable oil to your diet. Better options include nut butter or avocados, negating the need to spend $6 to $8 on a tub of margarine.

3. Blocks of cheese​

Who doesn't love cheese? However, when cheddar blocks cost between $8 and $10, this once-staple item now feels like a luxury. Consider purchasing shaved or grated varieties, which usually offer a more favourable price point. As an added bonus, you'll likely use less grated cheese while still enjoying its flavour, and you won't be throwing away that hardened end of the block.

4. Chips​

Despite their convenience, pre-packaged frozen chips are more expensive than their homemade counterparts and often contain added fats and flavourings. By making your own, you can control the quality of oil and serve a more nutritious chip at half the price.

5. Dips​

It's tough to resist a delicious platter of dips, crackers, and cheese. However, many supermarket dips are high in fat and contain unnecessary additives like vegetable oil. When shopping for dips, check the labels and look for options made from vegetables or higher-quality oils.

6. Crumbed chicken​

While they might appear more affordable, crumbed chicken products typically contain only 50-60% chicken, with the rest being fillers and thickeners. Opt instead for fresh chicken breast and make your own breadcrumbs using leftover wholegrain bread – it's both healthier and more delicious!

7. Rice snacks​

Processed rice snacks offer minimal nutritional value and are often packed with additives and artificial flavours. Healthier, less-processed alternatives at a similar price point include edamame beans, popcorn, lentil bites, and roasted legumes.

The Benefits of Bulk Cooking and Meal Planning​

Bulk cooking and meal planning are two of the most effective strategies to both save money on groceries and ensure the quality and healthiness of the food you are eating. It involves setting aside a designated day or two during the week to cook multiple meals at once and portion them out for the upcoming days. An added bonus is that as you plan ahead, you’ll also have the opportunity to incorporate healthy ingredients in each meal.

Though it might seem time-consuming, the time spent preparing and packing meals during your designated day or two of meal prep will come in handy during the week. You’ll avoid unnecessary trips to the store and save time and energy during the week. Additionally, consistent meal planning can help your grocery budget and reduce food waste. When you have a planned list of recipes and ingredients, you are less likely to impulse buy items that don’t align with your budget or that you may not end up eating.

Effective meal planning and bulk cooking require careful preparation and a bit of strategy. Make sure to shop with an eye on how each ingredient recipe could be applied to more than one meal to minimise the number of ingredients needed. Additionally, be mindful of the freezer and refrigerator space you have available, as you may need to plan accordingly to store the additional dishes you make.

Not only can you save money by meal prepping, but you can also ensure that you and your family are eating healthy and quality food while taking stress and hassle out of meal time each day.

Key Takeaways

• Nutritionist Susie Burrell shares tips on grocery items that are a waste of money and suggests cost-saving alternatives for a healthier diet.
• Burrell recommends purchasing long-life milk, which is cheaper, lasts longer, and has a similar nutritional profile to fresh milk.
• For a healthier and more cost-effective option, she suggests ditching margarine for nut butter or avocado and avoiding heavily processed crumbed chicken, chips, and dips.
• Burrell also warns against buying rice snacks, which contain additives and have limited nutritional value and recommends edamame beans, popcorn, or roasted legumes instead.

Paying attention to the contents of your grocery cart and making more informed choices can save you money and improve your overall health. With a little savvy shopping, you can save your budget and your wellbeing! Happy shopping!

 

[Macarj]

Avocado would cost a lot more than a tub of margerine

 

[Liz49]

Margarine is junk. No nutritional value at all. One step away from plastic. Seed oils ruin your health. Butter, lard, dripping, duck fat all so healthy but doctor won't tell you that. Also I'd never buy shredded cheese. Got added rubbish like humectants and oils. You can make dips with cream cheese and flavours like packets of French onion soup or make it fully yourself

 

[Penny4]

Nut butters are nice, but not suitable for a salad sandwich. Instead, for a salad sandwich I spread the bread with cottage cheese, mayo or cream cheese for a change.
I do like butter for baking.

 

[Joseph Gallina]

Sorry, from my point of view a percentage of the information offered is incorrect. Always remember buy and consume foods that are next to zero in sugar, very low carbs and high in good quality fats. Remember it's not the fat (unless its trans fats etc) that is the culprit in healthy eating, it's the sugar and carbs. Fats will become your go-to energy. Sugars and carbs only add to the current epidemic of pre-diabetes or diabetes in a large percentage of people. Fats do not cause insulin spikes like sugars and carbs do and eating less regularly throughout the day will reduce the insulin spikes that contributes greatly to insulin resistance. I like the fact that the above story wards people off 'Vegetable oil'. People should not use vegetable oils at all and avoid them at all costs. Also, in a number of these products you will find many other products like fructose, glucose, sucrose, dextrin, maltodextrin, high fructose corn syrup etc. Also avoid these at all costs. They are also contributing to state of people's metabolic health. Always buy fresh, remove processed foods from your eating habits, buy organic, grass-fed meats and pasture raised eggs and chickens, wherever you can. Remember good food is medicine, bad food requires medicine. We always try to invest finances into our future and retirement, but we never invest into our health particularly when we get older, and our youth has left us. Hope this provides an interesting discussion point for everyone to consider.

 

[Joseph Gallina]

Margarine is junk. No nutritional value at all. One step away from plastic. Seed oils ruin your health. Butter, lard, dripping, duck fat all so healthy but doctor won't tell you that. Also I'd never buy shredded cheese. Got added rubbish like humectants and oils. You can make dips with cream cheese and flavours like packets of French onion soup or make it fully yourself

Spot on Liz. You can read my comment below which I think emphasises your point.

 

[WADuck]

Avocado would cost a lot more than a tub of margerine

Try buying the odd ones at woolies. Misshaped and sized but equally good and half the price.

 

[Joseph Gallina]

When it comes to your health the extra expense is worth it. Remember I said investment for your future health.

 

[SGH]

We freeze our butter, so I get extras when it is on sale. The same with cheese, on sale, grab extra, freeze. Have only long life milk because we were wasting so much. We make our own chips and wedges or buy them from a local takeaway. To use up all the leftover vegies and such we make a quiche. Try deep fried okra, dip in milk, then rice flour, a quick deep fry. It tastes great.

 

[Defiant540]

Sorry, from my point of view a percentage of the information offered is incorrect. Always remember buy and consume foods that are next to zero in sugar, very low carbs and high in good quality fats. Remember it's not the fat (unless its trans fats etc) that is the culprit in healthy eating, it's the sugar and carbs. Fats will become your go-to energy. Sugars and carbs only add to the current epidemic of pre-diabetes or diabetes in a large percentage of people. Fats do not cause insulin spikes like sugars and carbs do and eating less regularly throughout the day will reduce the insulin spikes that contributes greatly to insulin resistance. I like the fact that the above story wards people off 'Vegetable oil'. People should not use vegetable oils at all and avoid them at all costs. Also, in a number of these products you will find many other products like fructose, glucose, sucrose, dextrin, maltodextrin, high fructose corn syrup etc. Also avoid these at all costs. They are also contributing to state of people's metabolic health. Always buy fresh, remove processed foods from your eating habits, buy organic, grass-fed meats and pasture raised eggs and chickens, wherever you can. Remember good food is medicine, bad food requires medicine. We always try to invest finances into our future and retirement, but we never invest into our health particularly when we get older, and our youth has left us. Hope this provides an interesting discussion point for everyone to consider.

too much $$$$