In 2026, it really does feel like $50 doesn’t buy you very much at the supermarket anymore. And to be honest, I still haven’t quite worked out a good routine for cooking for one. I find myself buying food with the best intentions, only to end up throwing some of it away, which is such a waste of food and money.
One of my goals for 2027 is to really focus on this and come up with a better system that works for me.
I remember before I was married, when I was paid once a month, I had a great little routine. I would do one big grocery shop at the beginning of the month, stocking up on pantry staples, tinned food, meat, long-life milk and anything else that would keep. Then each week I would just pick up fresh bread, vegetables and anything else I needed. It worked really well.
I would also cook meals in batches. For example, I’d make a spaghetti bolognese that served four, enjoy one portion that night and pop the other three into the freezer. That meant I had homemade meals ready to go throughout the month, especially on those evenings when I got home late from work and just couldn't be bothered cooking.
Looking back, it was such a simple and practical way of managing my food budget, and I think it's time I got back to doing something similar. Remember the less time you are at the shops you are saving money. We've all done it. You pop into the supermarket for just three things and somehow walk out with ten! Those little extras might not seem like much at the time, but they quickly add up and eat into your grocery budget without you even realising it.
Fast forward to when my kids were growing up, I would still cook enough for four people, even though there were only three of us. We’d have three serves for dinner that night, and the fourth would go into the freezer for another day.
These days, cooking for one can be a real challenge. Sometimes I’ll take meat out of the freezer with every intention of cooking it that evening, but by the time dinner rolls around, I just don’t feel like cooking. It ends up sitting in the fridge for days until eventually I have to throw it away, which is such a waste of food and money. It can be hard to find the motivation to cook a proper meal when it’s just for yourself.
Sunday nights are still our family dinner night, so once a week I’m cooking for three. But Sundays are also busy because I spend the day with my sisters taking our Mum out for lunch from her aged care home, which is about an hour away. By the time I get home, I’m usually looking for something quick and easy to put on the table.
What I’d really love is to get back into having a good supply of homemade meals in the freezer. That way, on Sunday morning I could simply take something out to thaw safely in the fridge, and in the evening all I’d need to do is cook some pasta or rice. A lovely home-cooked family dinner without all the preparation at the end of a busy day.
I’ve always loved budgeting, and over the years our food budget was often very tight, but somehow we always managed to make it work. Fast forward to 2026, and to be honest, that same budget would be almost impossible to stick to now, even when I’m only cooking for one.
I’ve always been a big believer in making things from scratch for a few reasons. It’s generally cheaper, I like knowing exactly what goes into my food, and I genuinely enjoy cooking and baking.
The funny thing is, these days I don’t do nearly as much of it because it’s just me. I mean, I love baking a good brownie slice, but when there’s only one person in the house to eat it, that can be a bit dangerous! I certainly have no trouble getting through it myself, but I can’t exactly be doing that every week.
Home made biscuits.
Another video worth watching is How I Feed a Family of Five for a Fortnight on $300, which shares some really practical tips for making your grocery budget stretch further. Most of the videos are less than 15 minutes long, so they’re easy to fit into your day. I think they’re well worth watching because the more we understand about grocery prices and supermarket shopping habits, the better equipped we are to make smarter choices and save money. After all, a little knowledge can go a long way when you're trying to make every dollar count.
