The cost of groceries has dramatically risen in the last twelve months, by an inflation rate of 7.5 percent in fact, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Leading the charge with the biggest price jump is dairy which has inflated by 15.2 percent in the last 12 months. Bread and cereals weren’t far behind, with a yearly change of 11.2 percent and fruits and vegetables (thankfully) experiencing an inflation rate of just 1.6 percent.
WATCH NOW: How to make plant-based spaghetti meatballs. Article continues after video.
Unfortunately, whilst the cost of meat hasn’t risen as steeply as dairy, the additional inflated cost of five percent has made many grocery shoppers reconsider what types of meat they are cooking with and how often.
Butcher Will Burgoyne of Prestige Meats in Yamanto Central tells New Idea that it was a common mistake to believe that the cost of the meat itself was what had risen, instead explaining that “all the other costs associated with getting the product from paddock to plate” were behind the inflated purchase price.
“These include the significant costs in transportation, processing requirements, and costs of wages,” he says.
Len Poulter, founder of Lenard’s Chicken said whilst red meat had been impacted by “exports, droughts and lack of production”, the price of chicken had remained relatively “steady”, revealing that mince was “by far the best option” when it came to getting the most bang for your buck when planning your meals for the week.
“Mince is by far the best option for those on a budget and with families to feed,” Len revealed adding that both the breast and thigh of chicken were the most versatile cuts of meat to cook with – “[they’re] always tender and easy to add flavour to.”
Butcher Will shares in these suggestions, telling New Idea that simple cuts such as breast and mince were the most versatile meat products to cook with and include in your recipe rotation.
“You can make so many different and tasty meals out of these, and something the whole family can enjoy,” he tells us – adding that for any budget-conscious grocery shoppers looking to avoid the internal stress of looking at the price tags on meat at their local supermarket to instead head to their local butcher.
“The best thing to do when trying to save money on the cost of meat products is to follow your local butcher’s specials.”
“In this market due to an overflow from the export market, we are seeing several different cuts in beef and lamb with some savings in our store of up to 60 percent off.”
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like there will be a reprieve of lower groceries anytime soon, with UBS Asset Management reporting an upward trend of inflation on food on the horizon for 2024 – despite inflation lessening on food overall.
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