NZ Grocery Bills

[AlastairUK]

First up, I should say that I am a foodie - I love food, cooking, eating in, eating out, I am a member of the Slow Food Movement and I have eaten in many great (Michelin star) restaurants. Overall, I prefer food in NZ to the UK.

If you shop like you used to in the UK, your food bill will be higher here due to the decreased buying power of NZ and the seasonal variations (which Tesco et al have worked at removing). Food is season here is very cheap. Some examples I have bought:
Pears for 9c/kg
Avocados 4 for $1
Asparagus for $1 a bunch
Gold kiwi fruit 99c/kg
Broccoli 39c/head

I can go to the local farm shops here and buy more seasonal food than I can carry for $25. Also, growing anything in this climate is easy - the problem is stopping things growing

We have adapted well to the availability of foods. There are foods that we used to eat in the UK that we just won't eat here and vice versa. UK eggs are off (the are so pale and flavourless compared to the NZ equivalent) and sausages are off in NZ.

Meat here is very good except at the cheap end of the market but I find this good as it makes us eat more vegetables.

I have taken to buying out-of-date cheese from the supermarket (and even keeping it for a few more weeks) - it's half the price and has developed more taste. Excellent cheese is available from Canterbury Cheesemongers but you have to pay for it.

Pizzas and burgers we make from scratch using the excellent ingredients available. We have also started making things ourselves e.g. mayonnaise, ice cream, hummous, guacamole. Probably the only processed food we buy is baked beans.

As long as you are prepared to work with the great seasonal foods NZ offers, you will never want for a good meal here.

Can you share some recipes?

[SueDonim]

There has been no need for “quantitative easing” in New Zealand.

In the next 24 months, the UK will see tax increases and deep cuts in public spending.

New Zealand will see neither of these.

I like the way you think. I think NZ is going to end up a relatively low tax country before all this is done.

QE (and all the other nonsense in the US) is one of the main reasons I am looking to leave.

While it may get bad all around the world, I think the economy in NZ may be "less bad" than all the others.

And agriculture may be one of the hot spots when global inflation (due to debt, QE, etc) hits

[Kiwi Mac]

Interestingly enough when in the Royal Navy I was assigned to go to Wales to take charge of between 50 to 100 ratings to process the 'cull'. I severely objected, on the account that I haven't eaten red meat (or swine) for well over 20 years.

Thankfully they saw sense and I was sent elsewhere..... to London IIRC.

I was also tasked to take charge of a Fire Station during the Fire Strike, got out of that one as well, there was a greater need to send me to Sea to stand-in for a Navigator instead.

Things are Armed Forces are called upon to do eh?


kejktfc

Join the navy here and you'll probably end up polishing the sextant and mending the oars...!!

[CaraLee]

I was wondering, is it any cheaper buying produce, say, at farmer's markets, roadside produce stands, or actual farms? Do you reckon that might lower food bills a bit?

[JandM]

In short, yes.

[Kanga]

I was wondering, is it any cheaper buying produce, say, at farmer's markets, roadside produce stands, or actual farms? Do you reckon that might lower food bills a bit?

No, yes, yes

[M-Squared]

I was wondering, is it any cheaper buying produce, say, at farmer's markets, roadside produce stands, or actual farms? Do you reckon that might lower food bills a bit?

Oh yes, heaps!