If it’s been pre-packaged or portioned, it might save you some time (but not always!), and it will cost you lots.
For example
Popcorn
100g bag microwave popcorn: $10 per kilo
400g bag popping corn kernels: $4.90 per kilo
(Microwave your own popcorn in a plain brown paper bag. It’s healthier and cheaper than the store-bought variety).
Melon
Whole melon: $4.50 each
Cut melon mix: $17.50 per kilo
Cucumbers
Pack of Lebanese cucumbers: $14 per kilo
Loose Lebanese cucumbers: $9.90 per kilo
Lettuce
Whole iceberg lettuce: $1.90
200g bag shredded iceberg: $10 per kilo
Spinach
200g bag baby spinach: $33.34 per kilo
Loose baby spinach: $12 per kilo
Rice
Microwave rice: $10 per kilo
400g bag of long grain rice: $1.40 per kilo
(Instead of buying pre-cooked rice, make a large batch of rice and freeze in individual portions. Microwave each portion as required and fluff up with a fork)
Cheese
Pre-sliced cheese: $16 per kilo
Block of cheese: $8-10 per kilo
Tasty cheese and cracker snack packs: $33 per kilo
1kg block of tasty cheese: $8.80 per kilo
250g Box of crackers: $1.50
Pasta
Precooked pasta: $13.30 per kilo
500g bag of pasta: $2.00 per kilo
(Freeze leftover cooked pasta in single serve portions in zip-lock bags. Just tip into a bowl, cover with boiling water for a minute and then drain. Great for last minute kids’ meals).
Water
Bottled water: From 53c per litre
Tap water: 0.0018 – 0.0045 cents per litre
Coffee
Coffee capsules: 60c – $1.00 per cup
Ground coffee: 40c per cup
You can save on your weekly shop by leaving some of these items out of your trolley and save a huge amount of unnecessary packaging in the process. It’s a win-win!
