Mums share their top 10 grocery items and how they stick to shopping on a budget and what sacrifices they have had to make when it comes to their favourite foods…
The Healthy Mummy totally understands that everyone is struggling to stick to a budget and shop for their normal essentials each week when trying to do their grocery shopping. Which understandably leads you to think how on earth could you afford to stick with the 28 Day Challenge.
Well, this is where you will discover how much Healthy Mummy can actually help save you time and money!
We asked our Community of over 267,000 mums what the top 10 things are on their shopping list each week ? What items they have had to sacrifice and stop buying all together? PLUS What 5 essential items they have noticed have gone up in price?
We also asked them what budget Healthy Mummy recipes they recommend and frequently serve the family for lunch or dinner.
Here are their answers…
Mums share their top 10 grocery items and how they stick to a budget
Here’s what our mums shop regularly and what they have noticed is getting more and more expensive to buy.
Amy Melillo
Amy shares the image above and says “From starting my Healthy Mummy Journey back in 2018 to today.
20 kgs in weight loss or this much sugar! To think carrying around all that extra weight. So glad I took the Healthy Mummy 28 Day challenge and changed my life.”
Top 10 items on Amy’s shopping list:
- Milk
- Almond milk
- Bread
- Eggs
- Bananas
- Apples
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Lettuce
- Chicken breast
Amy has stopped buying:
- Soft drink cans
- A lot of snacks (make my own)
- Frozen chips, it is easy and cheaper to make my own
Items that Amy noticed have gone up in price:
- Cheese
- Olive oil
- Variety chip packs
- Nut Bars
- Bread
Amy’s budget tips and tricks
- Make bulk!
- Make my own schnitzels
- Bolognese sauce in bulk
- Enchiladas
- Taco bowls
- “I used chicken breast as it’s cheaper and versatile for most of my Healthy Mummy recipes, and it freezes well also.“
Chelsea Dixon
Chelsea shares, “I started my Healthy Mummy lifestyle in 2019 with little to no expectations I had no idea that what I had always dreamed would ever come true, especially in the 1st 14 months of living the healthy lifestyle, what I do know is I have given it my best effort every single day to be my best version & I am living my best life…. Maintaining my weightloss there is 5 years between pics…
“I am not an all or nothing person I am all about slowly implementing things so they become long term habits, I’m also about long term so Healthy Mummy has always been forever for me…
“My biggest tip is to love yourself every step of the way because it is the woman you are right now that will get you to the woman you want to be.”
- My budget staple is Brown lentils, I often swap them for beef mince like this Lentil Shepherd’s Pie.
- Chicken breast is my go to meat at the moment because it’s so simple and affordable, goes with the 3 pot butter chicken or the slow cooker chicken curry.
- I buy eggs because they are affordable even if they have gone up by nearly $2.
- Love crackers with cottage cheese and tomato as it goes a long way.
Chelsea has topped buying
“I don’t buy kids snacks anymore, I make all my own Healthy Mummy snacks, everything is just so expensive these days! “
Fi Redding
Fiona shares, “Originally with The Healthy Mummy I lost an amazing 34kg. But after my youngest I put all that 34kg back on and got pre- diabetes after my GD.
So with finally having a diagnosis and being able to manage a new lifestyle with this I have finally lost 6kg in the last 2 months and so so many cm. Having HM with me and the knowledge I have gained over the last 4 years this change to my life has not been huge.
I can’t wait to see over the next few months more change and I can’t wait to shair and celebrate with you.“
Top 10 items on Fiona’s shopping list:
- Apples
- Chicken meat
- Almond milk
- Milk for kids
- Fresh veggies
- Hummus
- Berries
- Eggs
- Bread
- Pasta
Items that Fiona noticed have gone up in price:
- Cheese
- Bread
- Meat
- Packet snacks for kids
- Nuts
- Milk
Items Fiona has stopped buying:
- Variety of fruits and veggies (stick to what we know the kids will eat)
- Fancy cuts of meat ie steak
- Specialty cheese and oils
- Some snacks
Fiona’s budget tips and tricks:
- Cooking in bulk
- Buy meat in bulk and freeze
- Swap meat or lentils or cheaper cuts of meat
- Meal plan and meal prep
Eirini Trajcevski
Eirini shares, “Looking back at how far I have come since joining in 2015! I remember wearing clothes that I normally wouldn’t, lots of flowy tops, cardigans, to hide my weight gained after having 2 kids in 2 years!
Now, after adding another child, I’m embracing the curves, looking after my health, being active, and most importantly being comfortable in the skin my children have given me.
Sure, my weight still plays on my mind, but it is not the driving motivation for my use of the Healthy Mummy. It’s the long term healthy lifestyle I am setting up for my family that is important to me.
Top 10 items on Eirini’s shopping list:
- canned beans and legumes
- frozen veggies
- plain Greek yoghurt
- in season fruit and veg
- a couple of pre made salad bowls
- tins of tuna (to add to salads when I CBF cooking lol)
- sparkling mineral water (to replace soft drink)
- nuts (raw or roasted and always unsalted)
Eirini’s go to budget meals:
“Anything mince based. I’ll use half a pack of mince and substitute the other half with grated or finely chopped vegetables and lentils. Kids (and hubby) haven’t even noticed the difference…. yet.“
Jess Magill
Jess is currently doing the Healthy Mummy 12 Week Challenge and shares “SAY WHAT!!? I am down 1.1kgs in the last week!
I popped my goal shorts on for “Track it Tuesday” and I cannot believe they zipped and buttoned with no excessive force.
They are definitely not comfortable and wearable yet, but last week they didn’t even do up, so I am so pumped to see how they fit by the end of this challenge!!“
Top 10 items on Jess’ shopping list:
Gemma Corey
Gemma shares, “36kg GOONNNEEE!!! In honour of our Sugar Detox challenge I went on a mission to represent just how much weight I have lost following the Healthy Mummy in packs of sugar!!!
Imagine my surprise when I struggled to pull down the packs of 12kg each to make the base! How in the world did I ever carry THIS much extra weight – plus wrangle two toddlers at the same time???? Mind blown!
No wonder EVERYTHING was so much harder, everything hurt and I was always so so tired!!! Which meant I turned to more sugary snacks to deal with the stress and fatigue!
A huge change came when I took control and ditched refined sugars! It feels amazing that I said “Buh-bye” and detoxed from that unhealthy habit!!!“
Top 10 items on Gemma’s shopping list:
- Milk
- Bread
- Cheese
- Wraps
- Crackers
- Bananas
- Mince
- Chicken Breast
- Yoghurt
- Dried Pasta
Gemma stopped buying:
A variety of different milks. I now buy 3L full cream and water it down for recipes needing low fat milk and use water in my smoothies. - Chia seeds
- Almond meal
- Coconut sugar and wholemeal flour. I just use oats, brown sugar and white flour instead.
- Wide variety of fruits and veggies (as in I have stopped buying whatever I want and only get what I need/is cheapest for me).
“We have food sensory issues so even when punnets of strawberries are over $10 per punnet and bananas are $10 per kg I HAVE to buy them (can’t even do frozen). So I need to be careful with my spending on other fruits and veggies.”
Items that Gemma noticed have gone up in price: - Coffee (it’s an essential for me – but is sending me broke!)
- Cheese
- Milk
- Bread
- Meat
Gemma’s Budget favourites:
- One pot spaghetti or the NEW Hidden Veggie Pasta Bake. I make the sauce on its own and use it for different meals (spaghetti bolognese, topping for baked potatoes, topping for subs covered in cheese and a topping for nachos) so it doesn’t feel like we are having the same meals over and over.
- Devilled sausages
- Bulk Mexican Mince
- Bulk Rissoles
- Bulk Chicken Schnitzels from the 3 Pot Recipes in the app.
“Honestly the 3 Pot recipes have become my go to because the base is often made of 5 or less ingredients but it gives you great ideas for turning them into a variety of meals! I would love to do a massive batch cook up – but at the moment I can’t afford to only make 1 type of meal in bulk. It needs to be versatile so that my family doesn’t feel like they are eating the same meal over and over again!“
Krista H
Krista shares, “When I started this journey I wanted to lose 4kg. I was apprehensive about committing to more as I’d tried for years and failed with the scales always ending up in the wrong direction.
Healthy Mummy and its community gave me the skills and encouragement to succeed and succeed I did. I lost that 4 kg 3 times over and have maintained the loss for 15 months.“
Top 10 items on Krista’s shopping list
- Milk almond and normal
- Bread & wraps
- Bananas
- Chicken breast
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Eggs
- Bacon
- Corn thins
Krista has stopped buying:
- Prepackaged individual snacks
- Biscuits
- Pre-made cakes
Items that Krista noticed have gone up in price:
- Meat
- Milk
- Eggs
- Oil
- Butter
Krista’s go to meals:
- Budget meals
- Easy fried rice
- Thai spring rolls
- Corn thins with ham and cheese
Kate Niland
Kate shares, “10kgs lost and maintained over 3 years.
“In 2021, we were living in Melbourne and had been in lockdown for what seemed like forever. I’d had pretty major surgery the previous year and feeling sorry for myself as well. I was exercising but with nothing else to do, I was feeding my face and drinking.
I stumbled across Healthy Mummy as they were having a huge deal with signing up and I knew I needed to change. Here we are today! Healthier but still a lot to learn.”
Top 10 items on Kate’s shopping list:
- Bread – normal and gluten free
- Cheese – normal and lactose free
- Canned tomatoes
- Pasta – normal and gluten free
- Mince
- Ham/ Turkey – shaved slices
- Apples
- Rice Cakes
- Milk – normal and lactose free
- Greek yogurt
Kate has stopped Buying:
- Pre-made sauces
- Protein bars
- Pre-made bakery items
Items that Kate noticed have gone up in price:
- Gluten free items
- Lactose free items
- Milk
Kate’s go to meals:
- Bulk
- One pots
- Hidden veggies
Our mums go-to budget recipes
Double Choc Flourless Mud Cake Muffins Recipe
One Pot Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe
Discover 10 budget foods to keep in your pantry PLUS which supermarket offers the best savings
Read more:
Save Time AND Money with this ultimate bulk cooking guide
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