Factsheets
Last published 10 Nov 2017
Food and family expenses
Last published 10 Nov 2017
Being a smart shopper can help balance the budget for food and kids' essentials
Reducing food waste
NSW households throw away more than 800,000 tonnes of food per year
Buying things that are Australian owned/made or locally grown is better for our economy and the environment.
- Purchase items with less packaging. The cost of the packaging is built into the cost of the item, making it more expensive to buy single-serve items than a larger amount of the same food.
- Check your cupboard before you go shopping and always shop from a list.
- Buy fruit and vegetables in season and locally grown. They are often cheaper and taste better.
- Say no to plastic bags and take your own reusable bags.
- Only buy what you need or try to use what you already have. NSW households throw away more than $2.5 billion worth of edible food every year.
For further information about how to reduce food waste at home go to Love Food, Hate Waste.
Raising a family
Raising a family can be expensive but there are many ways to save money, without compromising your family's needs, while still helping the environment.
- Making meals at home with fresh fruit and veggies is healthier for the whole family and will help avoid plastic and packaging waste from takeaway or ready-made meals.
- Children love helping in the garden too, so consider composting your food scraps or starting a worm farm. You can use the fertiliser to grow flowers or veggies in the garden.
- If you have a child in nappies, consider reusable nappies. They are much cheaper in the long run when compared to disposable nappies and much better for the environment.
- Children often outgrow clothes before they wear them out so buying and donating pre-loved clothing can save lots of money and reduce waste.
- Check your local library to see if they have a toy library where you can borrow toys rather than buying new ones.
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Last updated: 16 Aug 2023