Food and family expenses

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 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.