Its great that Aldi is working for you. I dont find it actualy saves me money but I like some of their products so I got there for that ;)

Depends where you live too. Some places have more cheaper options than others.

I’ll spend a lot because I live remotely where there isn’t the option to buy from anywhere except the local supermarket.

I think its possible but you would have to be pretty frugal, stick to home brand, only buy in season veggies etc.

Not always
We buy an organic mixed box for $70 from a local farm and spend another $30-$40 at Woolworths “odd fruit” section.
Frozen fruit sections can save a lot more buying non organic and home brand though.


This isn’t meant as snarky but my husband and I aren’t smackers and I never supported or really alllowed lots of snacking with my kids other than apples.
By the time they are 5 they have well established eating routines and basically only eat set meals for the most part

^ 👍👍

It's all about getting creative with things. For example, my kids LOVE ponyo food (ramen). Which is fairly cheap to make. Soup and dumplings is another cheap meal we like. I'm not brand specific for most things, and fortunately I already have a small stockpile of shelf stable foods (no I didn't stockpile while the shelves were clear from COVID panic, I'd started mine well before then). So I'm basically just topping up as we go and purchasing fresh stuff. As someone said, the misshapen produce at coles and woolies is very economical.

Yes I agree to cut it down you have to be flexible, and yes in season produce helps a lot.
But if you find a routine of food it can still be done. If I’m not flexible and just buy what I want we still do $200 or less for 4 people.

Im the first commenter, Im pretty frugal and I spend about 180 but have 2 adults 3 children so was just going off my own experience, wasnt meant to be snarky sorry if it sounded that way. I do drink a lot of tea and coffee so that might be an expense others dont have.

^ Nothing snarky about it babe x

That's great. I wish I had just some of your motivation :)

Yes it does, it includes pretty much everything cleaning stuff as well

How?

Yes please tell:)

I commented on a few posts, I do buy a local farm box for $70 of organic produce , which is just whatever he has.
I use woolies “odd fruit and veg” section.
I bulk buy the kids snacks as I buy the expensive healthier options so when they are on sale I buy a bunch.
I taught my kids not to perminantly snack so they basically eat only at meal times (with expeditions sometimes but generally speaking) some kids can come over my house and eat 3 days worth of my kids food in an afternoon.
The farmer often gives us a cheap box of over ripe bananas for $5. I will freeze them and make 3 batches of a healthy banana bread.
Sometimes we catch fish on the weekend and that saves $10/$15 but we don’t usually buy it anyways just if the kids ask or I feel like it.

Examples of the meals we make
Rice noodles cooked in tune rice with parsley and veggies or salad on the side

Rice and beans with veggies

Soups

“Chips” (baker potato) and salad

Pasta with veggies and cooking cream (I only use about 1/4 of the small bottle that’s $1.50 so that will do 4 meals)

Lentil Shepard’s pie (the mash I use is dependant on what I have carrot,pumpkin,potato)

Eggplant parmigiana

The kids love eggplant chips and salad. Highly recommend for fussy eaters, many of my friends kids will eat them when over.

Lunches are leftovers, or salad sandwhiches, kids go to school with avocado sandwhiches usually and just get a thinner layer when they are expensive.

I have make sushi a do extras which goes for lunch

Their lunch box usually looks like
2 fruits in season, the healthier roll ups, either a sandwhiches or pasta with hemp seeds lemon salt and pepper And banana bread I buy the nudie poppas when they are on special my younger one eats more so he will get seaweed and A veggie with hummus(I make hummus from canned chickpeas, much cheaper)

Smoothies from breakfast almost daily.
My boy prefers cereal with chia seeds and frozen fruit BUT for about 2 months a year (we live in qld) they switch to porridge in the mornings.

Boiled eggs as lunch box fillers too or snacks um yoghurt if it was on special
I turn a lot of their leftover smoothie or yoghurt about to go bad or anything on the verge into iceblocks which helps hug with snacking. I also make mini pops which they call lollypops I use character iceblocks moulds for it, they are a big hit

I make my own bliss balls I do a plate of about 50 for under $10


Hope that gives some ideas

We don’t eat much meat. I do buy the $10 sauasages that have like 20 and freeze them in 4 lots.

Umm mash and roast veggies?
Cous cous and veggies

I also like to do a big batch of roast veggies blend to make a sauce portion freeze them and use as quick dinners with pasta.

*rice noodles in tumeric haha you should try it my kids call it 2 minute noodles lol

Oh I should mention we get take out on Friday nights to be fair. We go to a market with 20 different foods, pick 3 dishes for about $10 each and share. And the kids get an iceblock.

But my meals can cost as little as $5 so my margin doesn’t go up a lot even when we don’t go to the market for whatever reason

Thank you 😊

Same I could afford it but cant justify $50 on a meal when that could be half of one of the kids dance fees for a term for example.

$100 for a terms dance fees? Where the hell is that? I paid so much more just for a local dance place not even a ‘top’ dance school.

We spend $140 ish for 4.
We eat fruits and veggies pretty much.
Rice beans lentils.
Smoothies
Toast
Bliss balls
Seaweed
Eggs
Pasta

Buy meat when it’s on special. You can really make a meal stretch by adding veggies or pasta. Always look for cheaper alternatives, most home brand products are just as good as branded ones. Try to meal plan so that leftovers can become another meal, for example, left over mince can be made into a pie. Find other ways to cook things. I used to make pasta bake using a $3 jar of sauce but now I make it using a $1 can of condensed soup and it tastes heaps better.

My husband is a terrible shopper. He doesn’t care about price, he just gets what he wants. I look for specials and will only get what we need for the week.

I don't let hubby shop with me. I'm not exaggerating. He doubles the bill 😡

He wants quality food

^ then he's probably not shopping at Aldi
😂😂😂

I spend around the same, maybe $300-400 per week. There are 2 of us and a toddler. We can afford it so we buy everything we want and need.

^ Love it. And so you should x