Food prices are adding pressure on household budgets , especially for Australians on the lowest incomes. To help save money on the weekly groceries, consider adding these five staples to your shopping trolley: eggs, oats, carrots, UHT milk and apples. These foods rate highly on the nutrient-rich foods index and on cost, meaning they represent good value for money when it comes to buying nutritious food.
Loading up on these items helps push more expensive, less nutritious foods out of your trolley. Keeping a supply at your place will also save extra trips to the shops, which saves petrol and time. 1.
Eggs Eggs are extremely good value at around A$6 a dozen (50 cents an egg). Meat, chicken and fish prices vary from $12 a kilo for mince, $12–$20 a kilo for chicken, to $20–$50 a kilo for steak and fish depending on cut or type. Selecting the cheapest cuts still costs $2–$3 a serve, compared to two eggs at a $1 serve.
When you swap a red meat meal for an eggy dish, this can add up to a big saving. Try our egg recipes on the No Money No Time website , from fritters , to omelettes , or fried rice . These recipes also help use up other items you have in the pantry, fridge and veggie crisper.
Eggs are a good source of protein and also contain choline, lutein and zeaxanthin, vitamins A, B2, B12, D, E and folate, and minerals iron, zinc, iodine and selenium. For people concerned about eggs raising cholesterol, a recent review of research evidence concluded there wasn’t likely to.