It’s no secret that Australians are starting to feel the burn of the increased cost of living. With grocery bills having grown between 9-10 percent since the end of 2022 – the main culprit being pricey produce – it’s time to reconsider what we’re buying and how we can make our money go further.

To help out, below we’re sharing some budget friendly meal options to make more out of your bucks. All key ingredients are available for purchase from your local Woolworths and Coles.

These products won the 2023 Product of The Year Awards, the world’s largest consumer-voted awards program that recognises product innovation and serves as a shortcut for shoppers helping them to save time and money.

Get inspired and creative with these options:

Budget friendly recipes

Healthy Grilled Chicken Tacos

Ingredients

  • Woolworths Cook Bone In Chicken Portions With Oregano & Lemon 1.2kg
  • 1 pkt Old El Paso soft taco kit 370g
  • 5ml Coles Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 450g Woolworths American-style coleslaw kit
  • 1/4 bunch coriander, leaves picked
  • 1 cup Dairyworks grated tasty cheese

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Line a large tray with baking paper.
  2. Place chicken in a bowl. Add spice mix and toss until coated. Transfer to tray and drizzle with oil. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
  3. Heat a chargrill pan over medium-high heat. Cook tortillas for 30 seconds each side or until lightly charred. Prepare coleslaw according to packet instructions.
  4. To assemble, divide tortillas amongst plates. Top with coleslaw, chicken, cheese, coriander and sauce. Serve.

Baked Oats

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Coles Rolled Oats
  • 1/2 cup milk full fat, low-fat, almond, or milk of choice
  • 1 banana
  • 2 tablespoons of either berries, chocolate, dried fruit or nuts
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
  • Pinch of salt

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 190°C. Combine all the ingredients in the blender and blend for 1 minute.
  2. Pour batter into 2-3 small ramekins or double and bake in a large 9×13 casserole dish. Top with chocolate chips, nuts, berries if desired.
  3. Bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with honey, almond butter, or peanut butter if desired. Enjoy Warm!

About Product of the Year Australia (POY):
POY is the world’s largest consumer-based awards, with over 5,000 Australian shoppers voting for their favourite supermarket products. The POY awards recognise product innovation and serves as a shortcut for shoppers, saving them time and money when finding the right products.

Shoppers can be confident when buying Product of the Year category winners as they undergo a rigorous testing process. A panel of judges, comprising of various industry experts, first tested the products for quality, credibility, and innovation. The resulting product finalists were then reviewed and voted on by 5,000 Australians.

For more information visit https://www.productoftheyear.com.au/