How to eat like you’re rich – on a budget: Why you don’t have to sacrifice fresh veg and good meat over the holidays – and the ‘processed foods’ that AREN’T bad for you

Grocery shopping has become a ‘horrifying’ experience for many due to the cost of living crisis – and we could end up paying for it with our health. 

Cash-strapped shoppers are sacrificing their wellbeing by filling up on ultra-processed foods, eating too much takeaway and skipping fresh fruit and vegetables.

Leading Australian food scientist, Gary Kennedy, spoke to FEMAIL about the common mistakes that budget-conscious shoppers are making – and ways to be thriftier without making yourself sick.

1. Filling up your trolley with ultra-processed foods (UPF)

Ultra-processed foods are being blamed for the epidemic of obesity, diabetes and rising cancer rates among younger people.

But experts disagree about exactly which foods should fall under the umbrella term, with some arguing it is ‘too broad’ and lumps almond milk in the same category as sugary soft drinks.

‘The problem with ultra-processed foods is that there isn’t a key definition in the dictionary or in standard codes, or even in law,’ Mr Kennedy said. 

‘It’s basically food that has ended up nowhere near what the raw materials are like, and significant portions of what makes it nutritious are gone.’

While Mr Kennedy did say that some healthier products, such as tofu, technically fit the definition of ‘ultra-processed’, the term really covers items including white bread, white sugar and products like fizzy drink and ready meals, which contain a high number of artificial additives and preservatives. 

But with struggling Aussies already paying 54 per cent more than the world average for food, Mr Kennedy isn’t one to judge people for eating convenient and cheap ultra-processed foods.

‘The only people talking about UPF are rich people. If you can choose between a steak and a hamburger, you’re rich,’ he said.

‘Poor people will buy the cheapest food; cost is always the number one factor. At the supermarket, they will be forced to make price a priority.’

Mr Kennedy explained that ultra-processed foods often have a longer shelf life, are easier to transport and are therefore cheaper than healthier, fresher options which spoil more quickly.

He said that Aussies who are reaching for ultra-processed foods to save money must try to make sure they are balancing it where possible with healthier options.

Mr Kennedy also warned of products that might not seem ultra-processed at first glance, but actually are. He is cautious of products such as tomato paste, which is ‘very unrelated’ to an actual tomato, sugar-laden barbecue sauce, and so-called ‘healthy muesli’ bars that are often as highly processed as chocolate.

He also does not recommend regular soft drink consumption: ‘When I was a kid a soft drink was a treat, it was never meant to be a regular food.

‘Some of these foods that are now eaten more regularly, were definitely not eaten regularly 50 years ago. We also didn’t eat out as much.’ 

2. Eating too many sneaky takeaways

Mr Kennedy said that on average one in three Australian meals are prepared outside of the home, making us second only to the United States when it comes to consuming takeaway and convenience foods. 

While he did acknowledge eating out can be cheaper in some circumstances, restaurant and takeaway meals are often higher in saturated fat, sugar and salt – and therefore predispose us towards cancer, diabetes and heart disease. 

The answer is to cook more meals at home whenever possible – but that can be an issue for some.

‘Most Aussies don’t know how to cook. Some new apartments don’t even have kitchens; they have kitchenettes with a microwave a bench and a stove.’ 

Mr Kennedy said the cost of groceries also makes cooking unappealing – especially for people who are inexperienced. 

He mentions a recent comparison done with Curtis Stone’s famous $10 Coles meals from 2017, saying that in the current economy they would cost $20 or more to whip up. 

Mr Kennedy said we need to learn to be thriftier in the way we shop and cook. He recommends buying in bulk when possible, always buying specials and making use of a freezer to make sure there are low-cost ingredients available.

3. Eating meat every day

Mr Kennedy recommends saving money by going meat-free for one or two days a week. Indeed, new trends indicate Aussies are already buying less meat.

‘It is cheaper to avoid meat a couple of days a week,’ Dr Kennedy said. ‘It was also reduce your risk of diseases such as stroke and obesity.’

The expert also suggested buying more chicken, which is generally cheaper, with chicken sales already set to overtake sales of all other kinds of meat in Australia.   

4. Sacrificing fruits and vegetables

Mr Kennedy reminisces about how fruits and vegetables used to look when he was a child, saying that perfect apples, oranges and carrots are a very modern invention. 

‘Somewhere along the line, everything became perfect. It wasn’t like that when I was a kid. It’s like fashion – people want standardisation, and it costs more.’

He recommends buying imperfect fruits and vegetables when possible – they are usually cheaper and playfully marketed as in supermarkets as ‘wonky’ or ‘odd’. These veggies are perfect for stews and soups which are nourishing to the body.

Dietitians also recommend frozen fruit and vegetables as a solution for Aussies struggling to eat well on a budget.

The consequences of reduced consumption of fruit and vegetables due to inflation is already being seen in the United Kingdom, where there has been a resurgence in cases of rickets and scurvy, which is related to Vitamin C intake.  

But the ‘outrageous’ cost of groceries cannot simply be passed on to the consumer in the long-term, with Mr Kennedy arguing the government should step in with policy changes. 

‘We need to change the paradigm. Years ago, the [Australian] Greens lobbied to make fruit and vegetables GST-free to help them be affordable. If you want people to eat healthy food, it has to be made cheap.’

The change can’t come soon enough for many Australians who have had to give up their favourite basic foods, or limit their meals altogether.

One Aussie told me they had been eating the same diet for years but had seen their grocery bills double in the last two years, prompting them to cut out bread and eggs.

Another fed-up shopper said their weekday diet was limited to ‘tuna, rice, beans’.