Only 55 per cent of people believe it's easy to access affordable, healthy food, according to new Queensland data

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6 days ago

Australian households spend about $240 each week at the supermarket, yet – despite that spend – many are failing to meet national dietary guidelines.
According to the latest Woolworths Living Healthy Report, about 40 per cent of the average weekly spend goes towards discretionary foods like chips, chocolate, soft drinks and biscuits.
Queensland mother Dammie Tees said she had noticed the price of groceries has gone up.
"We shop almost every weekend and have a list for reference to keep costs down," she said.
"Prices are definitely higher, but you can eat well without spending a lot, you just need to be intentional.
"I prep in bulk and freeze meals so nothing goes to waste."
New data from Health and Wellbeing Queensland, which surveyed 500 people, also showed only half believed it was easy to access affordable, healthy food.
However, dietician Rebecca Farletti said a family of four could eat healthily for about $200 a week.
"There is a misperception that 'healthy' is more expensive, but we know if we look at the cost per serve, you're saving money," she said.
"With discretionary items, you're spending 70 cents per serve, but with vegetables you can halve that amount, and they can be just as tasty and much better for you."
The Health and Wellbeing Queensland research showed one quarter of people had reduced their portion sizes in the past six months because they couldn't afford enough food, while 22 per cent skipped meals due to financial pressure.
Over that period, about 23 per cent of the state's children ate smaller portions because there wasn't enough food, 12 per cent of children went to school at least once without breakfast and one in five found it difficult to access affordable and healthy food.
In response, Ms Farletti created a daily $200 weekly meal plan to feed a family of four breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks each day.
"We need to get back to basics. There are a lot of simple swaps we can do to help save," she said.
The plan includes dinners like fully-loaded spaghetti bolognaise, curry, and homemade beef burgers and chips, salad and chicken for lunches and cereal, eggs and toast for breakfast.
Ms Farletti recommended writing a meal plan, reusing ingredients, looking for specials, cooking in bulk and beefing up recipes with chickpeas and lentils to save.
"My number one tip would be to buy more veggies, including frozen and canned which are great value, and farmers' markets are a fantastic source of fresh, local, in-season foods for a great price," Ms Farletti said.
"If you're shopping in line with the guidelines and getting back to basics, you're getting more bang for your buck in terms of how many meals you can cook ... and those foods will keep you full and give you the energy you need."
Legumes — which only make up 3 per cent of the average Aussies weekly shop — are a key ingredient in Ms Tees's family meals.
"Beans and legumes are part of our Nigerian culture," she said.
"They're full of protein, high in fibre, and are affordable. It's one way we feed our family and stay healthy."
There's a push from health groups for a national nutrition policy to coordinate food access, affordability and health promotion to bring Australia in line with global best practice models.
"You should be able to eat well no matter who you are or where you live," Ms Farletti said.
Dietitians Australia is calling for access to Medicare-funded dietician visits to be expanded and for a levy to be introduced on sugary drinks.
It would be used to help fund a subsidy on healthy groceries, especially now poor diet is the country's leading preventable cause of chronic illness, ahead of smoking.
In the UK, it was recently announced supermarkets and takeaway shops could be fined if they don't sell healthier food, under new government plans to tackle obesity.
In France, low-income families receive fruit and vegetable vouchers, while in Chile, packaged foods high in sugar, salt or fat must carry a warning label.
In 2025, Spain introduced a law requiring primary and secondary schools to serve fruit and vegetables daily, and fish at least once a week.
In Hungary, mandatory price caps and cuts have been made in supermarkets in recent years, and the European Union runs the School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme which provides funding to distribute free fruit and vegetables to students.
TikTok food reviewer Shoggy said he found cooking healthy meals "takes more time, money and planning ".
"I always look for wholefoods, fresh stuff, but honestly, it's getting expensive. I'm paying a lot more for the same meals," he said.
"It's shocking [that Australians spend 40 per cent of our shop on junk food] but I understand it because it feels cheaper and easier and more affordable for many of us.
"I go to weekend markets [and] farmers' markets and try to get fresh ingredients from there to stay healthy."