Groceries feel different lately. No matter what your budget is, the last six years or so have changed the way we shop. From the cost at the checkout to the quiet shrinkflation that has you double-taking a packet thinking, wait, this used to be bigger.
You walk into the supermarket for a few basics and somehow the total climbs much higher than expected. It used to be that you might spend $20 when all you wanted was milk. Now it’s more like $80–$100, and you’re looking at your bag wondering, what did I actually buy?
The reality is we are all having to adapt slightly to the increases, and because groceries are essential items we can’t simply cancel a subscription and go without them.
And while none of us love seeing prices rise, the reality is that we will continue to feel the pinch for a while yet. The good news is we don’t have to stop buying the foods we enjoy we simply adapt to the times.
Some of the small ways many of us are already adapting, or ways you might start adapting, include:
- Paying more attention to prices and weekly specials. One week something may be 20% off, the next it might be 50%. When you know the usual price, you can shop accordingly.
- Cooking more meals at home.
- Repeating trusted recipes more often.
- Planning meals a little more carefully, such as writing a weekly menu and shopping from a list.
- Choosing seasonal produce that is naturally more affordable.
- Buying store brands instead of name brands, or switching to some Aldi products. Knowing your prices helps here too, because some items are cheaper while others aren’t.
- Freezing leftovers and using them instead of throwing them away.
Homemade doesn’t have to mean making everything from scratch, but it can help stretch the grocery budget in small ways.
For me, it’s one of the reasons I started baking sourdough bread at home. My favourite loaf is now around $15.00. I completely understand why bakeries have to charge that, I have a food business myself, but it becomes more of an occasional purchase rather than a weekly one. Making my own takes time, but I enjoy the process and can make it whenever I like.
It’s also simple swaps, like making my easy homemade slider rolls, which come together in one bowl the same day, or making no churn ice cream at home instead of buying it.
Another big one is making sure we use what we already have. I try to use leftovers before they go bad and make good use of my freezer so that food doesn’t end up in the bin.
Cooking has always adapted to the moment we’re living in. Right now that might mean repeating simple meals, planning a little more carefully, or making a few more things at home. And that’s not a bad thing, it’s simply how kitchens evolve.
Many of our favourite recipes actually started out of necessity, created from whatever ingredients people had available at the time.
If you’re interested, I’ve also written a separate blog post sharing in more detail how I menu plan and save money at the checkout each week.