Aussies spend up big on food

AUSSIES spend a day a month supermarket shopping and end up throwing out $2000 worth of food a year, a new survey shows.

They also spend up to an hour a night cooking dinner, with most relying on a roster of less than five dishes.

Analysis of the shopping and cooking habits of 1600 Australian adults shows most spend about $800 a month on food and snacks, but 40 per cent say they buy too much and throw a lot away.

Accredited dietitian MarylAnn Marshall said is was “scary” that families are spending so much on food that ends up in the bin.

“The biggest reason for food waste is that people are so busy that they run out of time to use food before it expires,” Ms Marshall said.

The survey, commissioned by Lite n’ Easy, also found more than 70 per cent of people don’t plan meals, but decide daily what to cook and serve. “This means shoppers are visiting the supermarkets more frequently during the week and ultimately spending more money at each visit,” Ms Marshall said.

Lucy Bortolazzo, kidspot.com.au kitchen editor, said many parents “tried to get out of the supermarket as fast as they can”.

“It’s easy to pick up something you think you will cook later and then you end up making spag bol again as you know the kids love to eat it,” she said. “Parents want food that is quick, simple and cheap. They want food that’s easy to cook and if the kids chuck it on the floor then it doesn’t matter so much.”

Ms Bortolazzo said the most popular recipe downloaded from the site was for pancakes.

“Parents also look up lots of dinners. Anything with mince or pastry is popular,” she said.

Hannah King, a stay-athome mum from Hampton, said she goes to the supermarket every day to buy food for her sons Oli, 2, and Angus, 5, and fiance Steve.

“I’d say I spend eight hours a week in the supermarket and an hour a day cooking,” she said.

Ms King said she felt she often bought too many fruits and vegetables which she ended up throwing out.

She said her go-to dinner recipes were risotto in the Thermomix and meat and vegetables in the slow cooker.

“That way I know the kids are getting their vegetables,” she said.