Heart Foundation: How to plan well and stretch your food dollar

Over the past year, many of us have felt the pinch in our pockets as the cost of groceries and dining out has increased. In fact, the rising cost of food is one of the top concerns for New Zealanders¹. In 2023, food prices saw their fastest annual rate rise in more than 30 years ² and Statistics New Zealand figures show that the cost of food was 9.6% higher in July 2023 than in July 2022³.

The biggest increases for key food groups can be seen at the grocery store. Everyday staples such as meat, poultry, fish and fruits and vegetables have been affected the most.

Have you found yourself making changes to the way you shop recently?

In partnership with the University of Auckland, the Heart Foundation surveyed a sample of main household shoppers in June 2023. The aim was to understand how New Zealanders may be changing the way they buy and eat food in response to increasing costs. 

The survey found that 90% of respondents had made changes to what they buy. Some were also switching to cheaper brands or shopping at multiple locations to get the best deal.  Two thirds of households have changed the way they eat, which includes eating out less often, cooking more at home and adapting meals to use cheaper ingredients.

The most common and significant changes were in the fruits and vegetables category. Nearly two-thirds bought less fresh fruit and vegetables and around half purchased more frozen fruits and vegetables.

Here are some top tips for preparing healthy meals while stretching your food dollar.

1. Shop around. Keep an eye out for specials and shop at multiple food retailers to stretch your food dollar.

• Dave’s Advice: “Consider buying from a fruit and vegetable shop, food market and a supermarket to get the best deals. If driving, be mindful of petrol prices being high and take advantage of retailers that are located near each other.”

2. Stock up when you can. Buying more of a product when it’s on special can be a great way to save money on food over time. This is especially the case for longer lasting foods like canned foods and frozen vegetables if you have the space to store them.

• Dave’s Advice: “Consider preparing a larger batch of a meal that uses a food that is on special and freeze the leftovers.”

Check out our ‘Freezer is your best friend’ blog for more helpful tips. 

3. Eat what’s in season. Fruits and vegetables that are out of season, or that are in short supply, are often more expensive.

• Dave’s Advice: “Consider switching where you can to more affordable in season fruits or vegetables. Examples could be varying the fruit that you have as a snack or choosing different seasonal vegetables to use in your evening meals.”

4. Grow your own. Many people don’t have the space to have a large vegetable garden. However, did you know that tomatoes, courgette, capsicum, perpetual spinach (regrows once picked) and a range of herbs (coriander, parsley, thyme, basil) can all be grown in pots or containers?

• Dave’s Advice: “Try starting off by growing some herbs in small pots. They add freshness and flavour to dishes and there can be great satisfaction in using an ingredient you’ve grown yourself.”

5. Eat out less often. Takeaways can often be expensive and high in salt, sugar and unhealthy fats.

• Dave’s Advice: “Try preparing your own healthy takeaways at home such as homemade burgers, pizza or crumbed fish and oven wedges.”

Check our Cheap Eats recipe book for some popular eat-at-home versions of takeaway meals and other meals on a budget 

6. Frozen and canned vegetables are just as nutritious. Look at purchasing frozen vegetables where you can, they’re just as nutritious as fresh vegetables and provide a cheap alternative.

• Dave’s Advice: “Frozen peas are a versatile vegetable that can be served by themselves or as the green component of a pasta or rice dish. Corn is also excellent added to a mince dish to make it go further or can be added to wraps or pitas with other fillings to boost the vegetable content.”

Check out our recipe for chilli con carne, which is a great example of adding frozen and canned vegetables to a dish to make it go further. 

7. Plan Ahead. Planning is a great way to ensure you don’t overspend when shopping and only buy what you need or will use.  

• Dave’s Advice: “Create a plan of what you are going to cook for the week and a list for shopping. However, build some flexibility into your plan so you can take advantage of any supermarket specials that you might come across.”

8. Cheap can be just as good. When it comes to the cheaper or store-name brands of items like milk, cheese and rolled oats, they’re almost always the same nutritionally as higher priced brands.

• Dave’s Advice: “Just because a product is a cheaper brand doesn’t mean it has less nutrition. For foods containing many ingredients such as breads, breakfast cereals and sauces, the cheaper brands can be just as healthy and sometimes healthier than higher priced brands. If in doubt, check the nutrition information panel and compare products using the 100g column.”
  
  

9. Build some beans into your weekly meals. Beans and chickpeas are a great low-cost source of protein and contain soluble fibre as well as a range of other nutrients.

• Dave’s advice: “Canned beans and chickpeas are great for adding to a variety of dishes,  such as salads and mince dishes, to make the dish go further. Equally they can be the protein source in a plant-based meal. I recommend trying to include some meals built around beans each week.”

Check out our Full o’ Beans cookbook for a great range of recipe ideas. 

10. Pack lunch! Buying lunch at work can often be a drain on the wallet. Consider preparing your lunch ahead of time and taking it to work to save money.

• Dave’s advice: “Work lunches can be as simple as cheese and tomato on toast with fruit, or something more creative like a poke bowl. Think about covering off the major food groups – a protein source, some grain foods, healthy fats and a good amount of fruit and vegetable content.’

Check out our blog on bowl meals for some inspiration. 

With a bit of planning, mealtimes and lunches on the go don’t need to be overly complicated to still be nutritious. Why not bookmark a couple of these recipes and let us know how you go!