'I’ve got a family of 6. Here’s how I save money on my groceries.'

I’m a mother of four kids aged 16, 14, 13 and 11.

No, there's no typo. Yes, it was planned.

My current parenting phase involves being an Uber driver on demand and a personal chef. Although I may have planned to have four kids, I didn’t plan for the quantity of food a family of endlessly hungry, growing teens would consume or the cost of groceries each week.

In my quest to save money at the shops, I have tried many, many times to meal plan, write lists and buy on special. The trouble is that these 'tried and tested' methods rarely stick for long and before I know it, I’ve blown the grocery budget yet again.

Instead, I rely on these four hacks to save money on groceries.

1. Leave the kids at home.

Seriously. If you take anything from this article, let it be this: do the weekly shop solo to save money on groceries. Shop while the kids are at school, go at 10pm when they’re in bed or send them to the park with your partner or parents. Whatever you do, don’t take them grocery shopping.

Kids are bowerbirds drawn to bright, shiny objects.

In a supermarket, these are the fun, flavourful and pricey cereals, snacks and treats that are difficult to justify in a weekly shop. Sure, you should teach them about budgeting and making the right choices and yes, as a parent, you can (and should) say no.

With four kids, I like to pick my battles.

The supermarket is not my battleground of choice.

When I forget my golden rule and take them shopping, I find myself saying yes to muesli bars, chips and ice creams, and whilst it might make me 'the best mum ever' (in that moment anyway), it all adds up to a hefty grocery bill.

Leave the kids at home, pop your favourite podcast in your ears (Nothing to Wear is my top pick) and enjoy the peace.

2. Prioritise grocery staples that work the hardest. 

Have you ever bought ingredients for one recipe, used the tiniest amount and put the rest in the pantry, only to throw it out years later?

Yeah, me too.

I feel guilty (and annoyed) when I think about both the food and money I waste. To avoid this (I already have enough mum guilt), I prioritise groceries that have heaps of uses. It's even better if they can 'stand in' for other things I might not have to hand.

Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt is the GOAT of fridge staples. It’s a big call, but let me explain why:

• For breakfast, it goes into kids’ smoothies with the overripe bananas for a tangy, creamy calcium hit. Knowing they are getting a nutritious breakfast and that the fruit isn’t destined for the bin makes me feel like a good mum.
• Once the kids are out the door and I can enjoy my own breakfast, I have chia pudding topped with Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt, a spoonful of muesli and a drizzle of honey. It sounds fancy, but it really isn’t.
• When working from home, lunch often consists of leftovers reheated or toasted in a tortilla. A dollop of Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt transforms a dry, dull meal into a delish one and stops me venturing out for a pricey café wrap.
• For dinner, Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt and spices make a simple marinade. It can also be mixed with avocado for a quick guacamole (who doesn’t love Taco Tuesday?) or cucumber for a simple raita (Butter Chicken anyone?).

Why else do I love it? Once finished, the container can be washed and reused to store food or for crafts. I mean, why buy a container when I can use what I already have?

Image: Supplied. 

3. DIY as much as possible. 

My teens can smash a packet of biscuits for afternoon tea. Tasty? Sure. Filling? No. Pricey? Eek.

When the kids complain there's nothing for the lunchbox or afternoon tea, convenience foods are oh-so-tempting. However, convenience comes with a hefty price tag and limited nutrition. I DIY the lunchbox and snacks to save money and ramp up the nutrition.

I cram-bake muffins, muesli bars, scrolls and sausage rolls on a Sunday afternoon, blitzing wilting vegetables and adding them to the dough. Sure, the teens are no longer toddlers and know I smuggle veggies into snacks, but you can never be too old for extra veg.

Hate baking? Choose what you like to cook (or even don’t hate) and DIY it. That might be making instead of buying frozen pizzas or baking instead of buying bread. Teaching your kids to cook is an even better hack that saves you money and time, short-term pain (and mess) for long-term gain (sadly, the mess will likely still be there).

Will they add extra vegetables? That's a definite no if mine are anything to go by.

4. Bags live in the car boot. 

Is there anything more infuriating when you are anxious about the grocery budget than paying for reusable bags?

If you are like me, you already have a million shopping bags stuffed under the kitchen sink, piled in the laundry cupboard and shoved in the corner of the garage. The only place you don’t seem to have enough is in your car when you park at the shops.

Reusable shopping bags should live in the car. No matter how ridiculous it seems, take them all into the shop with you; they will all be used. Not only will you feel like an angel for not buying more plastic (yes, even reusable bags are plastic), but you can save some money.

And when you forget (no judgment here), seek out the cardboard boxes and use those instead. Sure, it's not as easy or convenient, but it's better for your budget and the planet.

Is there a magic bullet to cutting down the weekly grocery bill? I wish! (But if you have one of those, please PM me.) Instead, small changes that stick are how I keep my grocery bill down and my family fed and happy.

Now, to work out how to stop being their personal Uber driver…

Shop Farmers Union Greek Style Yogurt for easy ways to reinvent your leftovers.

Feature Image: Supplied.