What we spend on food and drinks

VICTORIAN households spend more on potato chips and other treats than fresh fruit.

And we have the nation’s sweetest tooths for cakes, biscuits and puddings.

Food, non-alcoholic drinks and booze take a $276 a week bite out of budgets on average — or $14,352 a year — according to Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates.

Analysis of the Household Expenditure Survey also reveals that statewide: POTATO chips, chocolate, ice cream and other confectionery swallow $13.65 a week. That compares with $11.45 for fresh fruit, and $13.35 for fresh vegetables. VICTORIANS spend the most of any state on cakes, biscuits and puddings, scoffing an average $9.50 worth each week. WE also have the biggest appetite for breakfast cereal, buying $2.20 a week on average. SPENDING on poultry is twice as much as lamb. CHEESE is our biggest dairy expense, followed by plain milk.

The ABS quizzed 10,000 households nationwide, including 2400 in Victoria.

Based on detailed diaries and shopper receipts, its recently released results are for 2015-16.

Victorians buy an average $244 worth of food and non-alcoholic drinks weekly, it found.

Fast food and takeaway, excluding hot coffee, gobbles $32.10. Dining at restaurants, hotels and clubs costs $48.50.

We splurge $15.15 on soft drinks, bottled water, fruit juice and other non-alcoholic beverages — half the amount spent on alcohol.

Averaged statewide, beer costs $11.75 a week, ahead of wine at $10.10.

Research released earlier this year found Australian families were burning more than half their food and drink budget on junk foods, sugary beverages and alcohol.

This was despite it being cheaper to follow a healthier diet, according to the study led by Australian Prevention Partnership Centre senior adviser Professor Amanda Lee.