Healthy eating

toolkit

Tips and tricks to help you eat well for less

This kit contains:

Healthy eating on a budget – Handy tips that won’t break the bank

Cheap eats for a week – a budget friendly healthy meal guide

Give your leftovers a makeover – ways to get more bang for your buck

Balance your plate – a visual guide for healthy meals

Local markets, gardens, cooking classes and related social activities

For more information or for personalised advice about food and health

contact an Inner South Community Health Dietitian on 9525 1300.3 9525

1300.

Spending most of your

grocery budget on foods from

the five food groups will help

you save money and be

healthy

PLAN AHEAD

Plan your meals and snacks based on your budget. Check what foods you already have and work out recipes you can make using these foods.

Make a list of the main meals you want to cook for the week – what foods do you still need to buy?

Make a shopping list

Search online or in cookbooks for quick easy

recipes. Try your public library for cookbooks

too.

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BE A SMART SHOPPER

Don’t go hungry - Avoid shopping when hungry. You may end up with

more than you planned (with unhealthy choices) and blow the budget!

Ask about a loyalty card at your grocery store for

special deals.

Shop around – There can be a big difference in the cost of the

same product in different stores. Get to know your local,

cheaper stores.

Check the price tag— Compare the price of different brands

of the same products to find the cheapest option. Look at the

per kilogram price to work out which item is better value.

Often store/home-brands will be the cheapest.

Grab a bargain – Look for sale items to save money. This will only work if

you will use the food before its use by/best before dates, so always

check the date . Look-out for item discounts at the end of the day (such

as bread).

Buy in bulk – This saves money on foods you eat a lot of and can be

stored e.g. freeze chicken & meats in individual portions.

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v

BE A SMART SHOPPER (continued)

Always keep pantry staples (such as brown rice, wholegrain pasta,

potatoes, tinned fish, baked beans). These foods keep for longer,

are often cheaper and can be used for many recipes.

Choose healthy low-cost fresh staples such as carrots, greens,

potatoes, bananas, apples. These foods are often cheaper options.

Buy the basics – Spend as little as you can on “extras” foods and take-away

foods. These foods are often expensive and less nutritious.

Add eggs or legumes (e.g. beans and lentils) to recipes as a great, budget-

friendly meat substitute.

Fresh is best! – But don’t forget frozen or longer-life foods such as

frozen or tinned vegetables, long-life milk, canned fruit can be a

good alternative though these may be more expensive.

‘Tis the season – Buy seasonal produce; it’s tastier, fresher and often on special!

Market day – Try the South

Melbourne, Prahran, Queen Victoria

or Footscray markets or a local

farmers’ market for the freshest,

seasonal fruit and vegetables

and meat. Shop at closing

times for discounted prices. See

pages 12-13 of this guide for a full list of local markets.

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KEEP A CLEVER KITCHEN

Keep it fresh - Proper storage will keep foods fresher for longer e.g. keep

potatoes in a cool dark place and eggs in the fridge

What a waste! – Throwing away food is throwing away money so check

what you have in your pantry, fridge and freezer and use items with a

shorter shelf-life first. Knowing what you already have makes meal

planning easier and avoids doubling up at the grocery store.

Leftover not left out! – Get creative and give your leftovers a makeover

e.g. use extra meats in stir-fry or salads, add leftover vegetables to a

quiche or casserole or blend to make a soup. See page 9 for tips on giving

your leftovers a makeover!

Think big - Cook a large batch of your favourite meals and freeze individual

portions for a quick dinner later in the week. This will avoid wasting food

and save you time when busy.

Freeze it – store foods such as meats and bread and grated cheese in the

freezer to extend life.

GREEN THUMB

Start your own vegetable garden in the yard or even in a pot, or visit

your local community garden for the freshest produce and to save

money. See pages 14-15 for a list of

community gardens in Port Phillip

Tomatoes and herbs are beginner-friendly.

EATING OUT

Takeaway meals are often expensive and a less healthy choice, so

aim for home cooked meals most of the time. If eating out, look

for specials and consider sushi, sandwiches and soup which can be

cheaper, healthier options. Try local café meals programs for free

or cheap eats.

Choose tap water over other drinks to save money.

Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Monday Baked beans on toast: 2 slices of wholemeal bread 1/2 420g can of baked beans One cup of low fat milk One apple

Toasted sandwich: 2 slices of wholemeal bread 2 slices roast beef (from the deli) 2 slices low fat cheese 1 small sliced tomato 1 cup mixed salad

Fish and vegetables: 1 frozen fish fillet (try rolling in milk and then breadcrumbs for a homemade crumb) Bake in the oven as per instructions. Serve with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice and 1 1/2 cups cooked vegetables

Tuesday Cereal and fruit: 2 Weetbix with 1 cup low fat milk One medium banana

Tuna and salad sandwich: 2 slices wholemeal bread 95g tin of tuna (try in springwater or olive oil) 1 cup salad vegetables

Pasta Bolognese: Cook 150g (1 1/4 cups ) wholemeal pasta dividing into 2 portions (one for dinner and one for lunch tomorrow). Make a Bolognese sauce cooking 500g lean beef mince, one can of red kidney beans, one onion, a grated carrot, & an 800g tin of diced tomatoes. Divide the sauce into 4 portions eating one for dinner with the pasta and saving the other 3 in a container as leftovers.

Wednesday Eggs on toast: 2 slices of wholemeal bread 2 scrambled/ boiled/ poached/ fried eggs 3/4 cup yoghurt or one tub

Leftover pasta and salad: Heat up the leftover portion of pasta and 1/3 of the bolognaise sauce. Make a simple salad with 1 medium tomato, half a cucumber and 1 cup green leafy salad/lettuce. Add salad dressing if you like.

Shepherd’s pie and vegetables: Place the leftover portions of Bolognese into an ovenproof dish, top with 1 potato mashed and 1/4 cup grated cheese and bake in the oven at 180°until mashed potato is browned. Divide into two portions, one for dinner and freeze the other portion for a quick meal to reheat on another day. Steam or microwave 1 cup frozen mixed vegies or 2 broccoli florets and 1/2 cup frozen peas to have with the shepherd’s pie.

Cheap eats for a week

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Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Thursday Fruit toast: Two slices fruit toast thinly spread with margarine One cup of low fat milk

Ham, cheese and salad bread roll: Wholemeal bread roll 2 slices of ham 2 slices of low fat cheese 4 slices of tomato 4 slices of cucumber 1 cup lettuce leaves

Baked potato: Cook 2 potatoes until tender. Cut a cross in the top and fill with 420g can of salt-reduced baked beans and 1/2 cup grated tasty cheese. Serve 1 potatoes with 1 medium tomato sliced, 1/2 capsicum and 1 cup salad greens.

Keep 1 potato in the fridge for tomorrow.

Friday Ham cheese tomato omelette: 2 slices of wholemeal toast 2 eggs scrambled 2 slices of cheese 1 chopped medium tomato 2 slices ham One large orange

Baked potato: Reheat the leftover potato (or eat chilled). Serve with lots of salad or cooked vegetables (from fresh or frozen)

Chicken skewers: Chop 1 skinless chicken breast, 1/4 red and 1/4 green capsicum and add to skewers with tinned pineapple pieces (in natural juice) and cook. Serve with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice.

Saturday Muesli and fruit: 1/2 cup untoasted muesli with one cup of low-fat milk. Four tinned apricot halves (in natural juice) on top of muesli

Egg and lettuce sandwich: 1 boiled egg mashed with a fork and 1/2 cup of thinly sliced lettuce on 2 slices of wholemeal bread

Vegetable and lentil soup: Bring 2 stock cubes, 2 litres of water with an 800g tin tomato, 2 onions, 4 cups of chopped mixed vegetables (e.g. carrots, celery, potato), 500g of lentils to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes. OR heat up a can of vegetable and lentil soup (look for salt reduced). Serve with a piece of wholemeal toast. Freeze homemade soup into individual portions.

Cheap eats for a week

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Breakfast Lunch Dinner

Sunday Pancakes: Mix 1 cup wholemeal self-raising flour with 1 1/4 cup low fat milk and 1 egg and cook on a frying pan OR try a wholemeal pancake mix. Freeze extra pancakes for another day. Serve with sliced banana and honey. One cup of low fat milk

Leftover vegetable and lentil soup: Serve a portion of reheated soup with a slice of toasted wholemeal bread.

Pizza: 1 wholemeal flat/Lebanese bread Tomato sauce for the base 3 slices roast beef torn into pieces 1/4 sliced capsicum 1/4 onion 2 sliced mushrooms 1/3 cup grated low fat cheese

Snacks- If hungry between meals, try these snacks. Aim for 1-3 per dayLighter snacks A piece of fruit—apple, banana, orange, pear, one cup of watermelon Try tinned fruits/ fruit salad when fresh fruit is expensive. Buy fruit in natural juice over syrup for a healthier option 200g tub (3/4 cup) of low fat yoghurt (or buy a 1kg tub and make individual portions in containers at home for a cheaper option!) One cup of vegetable sticks such as celery, carrot, cucumber or capsicum with dip such as hummus or tzatziki One cup of low fat milk

Heavier snacks Fruit smoothie made with one cup of low-fat milk and one chopped banana. Try adding yoghurt, other fruit or mixing fruits! Handful of unsalted nuts e.g. almonds, peanuts Four wholegrain crackers with sliced low fat cheese and tomato

Cheap eats for a week

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Give your scraps & leftovers a makeover

Every year Australians throw away 8 million dollars worth of edible food. Throwing away food is not only throwing away money, it

also affects the environment. How can you use food you would otherwise throw away? Here are a few suggestions to get you started.

FRUIT

Turn any over‐ripe or bruised fruits into a smoothie or juice or bake a fruit loaf or muffins. You could even use them

to make jam!

Try freezing over-ripe or bruised fruits to make an icy smoothie another day. Don’t forget to peel bananas first!

Stew old apples, pears and berries to eat with custard. Or try wrapping the stewed fruit in pastry and bake in the

oven for yummy homemade pies.

VEGETABLES

Vegetables that are starting to go soft can be made into soup, used as pizza toppings, grated into delicious pasta

sauces or blended to make your very own dip!

Use soft tomatoes to cook a delicious pasta sauce with onion, garlic and herbs.

Chop broccoli stems and other part of the vegetable that you’d normally thrown away and add to soups, stir-fries

and casseroles.

Leave the peel on carrots/potatoes/zucchini/pumpkin for extra nutrition - just give them a good wash first.

Use last night’s roast vegetables to make a savoury pie. Chop up vegies, mix with gravy and wrap in pastry before

baking in the oven.

Source: Food Know How, Food waste fast facts. Retrieved September 2014, from http://www.foodknowhow.org.au/get-involved/food-waste-fast-facts/2014 9

2014

Give your scraps & leftovers a makeover

GRAINS/CEREALS

Throw stale bread into a blender or tear into breadcrumbs. Or try cutting stale bread into strips and toast to

serve with cheese or your homemade vegetable dips.

Turn last night’s pasta into a pasta bake. Just add cheese, some leftover vegies & pasta sauce!

Use leftover rice to make fried rice, rice balls or rice pudding.

DAIRY AND ALTERNATIVES

Use extra milk to make custard, a creamy pasta sauce, or freeze for later.

Add yoghurt to smoothies or as an ingredient when baking muffins.

MEAT AND ALTERNATIVES

Buy a whole chicken or fish and boil the bones in a stock with vegie peels and scraps. Stock can be frozen and

used in cooking another day. It’s not only tasty but nutritious!

Add tuna or leftover bacon to yesterday’s pasta for another pasta bake creation.

Use eggs with extra vegies to make an omelette, frittata, or quiche.

Mix last night’s roast meats with leftover vegetables and wrap in pastry for homemade savoury pies .

Turn leftover mince/Bolognese sauce into a shepherd’s pie. Just add mashed potato on top, sprinkle with some

grated cheese and brown in the oven.

Source: Food Know How, Leftovers. Retrieved September 2014, from http://www.foodknowhow.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Leftovers_Foodwise-style.pdf 10

Balance Your Plate

Vegetables and salad: Half of plate fresh salad, cooked vegetables add legumes have a variety on your plate

Drink plenty of water

Lean Protein: 1 quarter of plate meat, chicken, fish, egg cheese, legumes, tofu

Cereal and grain: 1 quarter of plate choose whole grain pasta, rice, potato,

bread, noodles

Smart Snacks: In addition to main plate fruit, crackers, nuts, low fat dairy

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Market Opening hours How to get there South Melbourne Market 322-326 Coventry St, South= Melbourne

Wed: 8am – 4pm Fri: 8am – 5pm Sat/Sun: 8am – 4pm

Trams: -96/112, stop 127 -1, stop 25 Bus: -253 (weekdays only) -City of Port Phillip free Community Bus travels to South Melbourne Market from various locations across City of Port Phillip

Queen Victoria Market Corner Elizabeth and Victoria Streets, Melbourne

Tues/Thurs: 6am-2pm Fri: 6am – 5pm Sat: 6am – 3pm Sun 9am – 4pm

Train: Walking distance from Melbourne Central and Flagstaff. Tram: - 55, stop 9 -19, 57, 59 stop 7 -Free City Circle tram to La Trobe St/Elizabeth St stop Bus: -232, 234, 235, 236, 237 all stop at Queen Victoria Market SHIP Market Bus: SHIP runs a free bus service from Port Melbourne to Queen Vic Market weekly on Thursday mornings. Contact ship@ischs.org.au or call 9525 1300.

Prahran Market 163 Commercial Rd, South Yarra

Tues: 7am – 5pm Thurs: 7am – 5pm Fri: 7am – 6pm Sat: 7am: 5pm Sun: 10am – 3pm

Train: Sandringham line to Prahran Station Tram: -72, stop 30 Bus: -216/219/220, stop 14

Footscray Market 81 Hopkins Street, Footscray

Tues/Weds: 7am—4pm Thurs: 7pm—6pm Fri: 7am—8pm Sat: 7am—4pm

Train: The market is opposite Footscray train station Tram: 82, stop 63 Bus: 402, 404, 406, 223, 216

Fresh food markets in and around Port Phillip Don’t just stick to supermarkets and grocery stores, markets and farmers’ markets are a great place

to buy fresh, seasonal food and can be a fun day out. Plus you can usually snag a bargain!

Markets

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Market Opening Hours How to get there

Fitzroy St Farmers’ Market Corner Fitzroy Street and Lakeside Drive, St Kilda

4th Saturday of the month: 8:30am-1pm

Trams: 96/16/3a/112, stop 133

Elwood Farmers’ Market 101 Glen Huntly Road, Elwood

2nd Saturday of the month: 8:30am – 1pm

Bus: 246

Gasworks Farmers’ Market Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham Street, Albert Park

3rd Saturday of each month: 8:30am – 1pm

Tram: 1, stop 31

Veg Out St Kilda Farmers’ Market Peanut Farm reserve, Chaucer street, St Kilda

1st Saturday of each month: 8:00am – 1 pm

Tram: 3a/16, stop 138 96, stop 140

Fresh food markets in and around Port Phillip Farmers’ Markets

To check the times of these markets or to find out about other famers’ markets in Melbourne visit

www.vicfarmersmarkets.org.au

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Have fun and grow your own food!

Community Gardens

Simply Living Community Garden, Port Melbourne

Community garden can be accessed by residents of Port

Melbourne, South Melbourne, Middle Park and Albert Park.

Address: South Port Uniting Church Port Melbourne, corner Bridge and

Nott Street Port Melbourne

Contact: Janet Hoare, 9690 1188

Dig In Community Garden, Port Melbourne

Available for residents of City of Port Phillip only. There is currently a waiting-list for plots. Plots cost $30-$70 per

year.

Address: Murphy's Reserve, 430 Plummer Street, Port Melbourne

Contact: 9645 1476

Veg Out Community Garden, St Kilda

Become a “Friend of Veg Out” and participate in working bees/ other events. There is currently a waiting-list for

plots.

Address: Corner Shakespeare Grove & Chaucer Street, St Kilda

Contact: hello@vegout.asn.au

Port Phillip Eco Centre, St Kilda

Get in touch to find out about group gardening days and workshops.

Address: 55a Blessington Street St Kilda

Contact: 9534 0670, Will Pullin (Garden Coordinator), will@ecocentre.com

Christchurch Community Centre Garden, St Kilda

Join the gardening group every Thursday between 12:30pm and 2:00pm

Address: 14 Acland Street, St Kilda

Contact: 9534 9250, communitycentre@christchurchstkilda.org.au

Cooking/nutrition classes

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Have fun and grow your own food!

Community Gardens continued…

Te-Arai Community Garden, St Kilda East

Join the gardening group or help yourself to vegetables and herbs .

Address: Part of the park behind Alma Road Community House, 200 Alma Road, St Kilda East

Contact: Anthea Teakle, 9525 8746, arch@ppcg.org.au

Poet’s Garden, Elwood

$10 per year membership fee + $25 or $50 depending on

the size of your garden plot.

Contact: for plot availability as there is

usually a waitlist.

Address: 87 Tennyson Street Elwood

Contact: poetsgardenenquiries@gmail.com

The following gardens can only be accessed by residents of the Social Housing Estates:

Park Towers Garden, South Melbourne

Address: Park Street, South Melbourne

Contact: Cultivating Community, 9429 3084,

info@cultivating community.org.au

Union Street Estate Gardens, Windsor

Address: Union Street, Windsor

Contact: Cultivating Community, 9429 3084,

info@cultivatingcommunity.org.au

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your way to good health! Have fun & cook

Beginner-friendly cooking/nutrition classes & social activities

Grub Club: A monthly group (first Wednesday of each month from 2:30-4:00pm) for people who want to learn

more about healthy eating. Each session is run by a dietitian and involves cooking and eating a healthy snack, a

food-related activity/talk and a short walk. Address: 240 Malvern Road, Prahran. Contact: 9525 1300,

adminenquiry@ischs.org.au.

Kitchen Survival Skills: A budget cooking class where you’ll learn to cook cheap and easy meals. Held on

Wednesdays between 11:00am and 1:00pm. Contact for term dates and to register.

Address: Stacey Hanley Port Melbourne Neighbourhood Centre, Corner Liardet and Nott Streets, Port Melbourne.

Contact: 96451476, admin@pmnh.org.au.

Social Cooking at Simply Living Community Garden, Port Melbourne Uniting Church: Cooking and eating a meal

together, Wednesday sessions use garden produce.

Kitchen Mates: Fridays fortnightly, 11am – 1:30pm (cost $3, bookings required)

Grow & Eat: Using garden produce. 1st Wednesday of the Month, 1:30pm-3:00pm (cost $2, bookings required)

Address: Corner Bridge and Nott Street Port Melbourne. Contact: Janet Hoare, 9690 1188

FoodMate: An 8-week program for people who want to learn basic cooking skills and know more about how to

eat well within a budget. Each week you will learn to cook two healthy dishes, discover practical tips to help you

make low-cost healthy meals, find out about local community kitchens, gardens, markets and shops, and you’ll

take home a hamper of fresh food each week. This program runs in Port Melbourne as part of the SHIP project. To

find out when the next class starts call 9525 1300 or email ship@ischs.org.au.

Cooking for One: An 8-week program cooking class for Home and Community Care (HACC) service users. Learn to

prepare meals for yourself in a friendly social setting. $2 per session including transport and meal. Contact: Ali or

Annemaree on 9209 6397

Social Meals in Rooming Houses: A program which involves cooking and sharing a meal for members of the

following Social Rooming Houses (Elenara, Layfield Street, Beach House, Ravelston, John Cribbes, Williamstown

Road, Woodstock Street). Contact: 9209 6716

Social Spoons Café meals program: A program that brings people together and offers cheap meal at

local cafes. Contact: Inner South Community Health Service Social Spoons Group on 9525 1300.

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