Taupō Budget Busters feeds families on $120 per week

Imagine a grocery bill of just $120 per week. That's feeding four to six people, for every meal, seven days a week.

A new meal kit service aimed at families on a budget is the brainchild of Taupō mother-daughter team Isobial and Breanna Jackson. Isobial says the idea was born out of necessity after the 2008 global financial crisis hit her family hard. Overnight, their income dried up and the Jackson family relocated to Australia.

"We had $100 a week to live on, for everything!"

Isobial set about using the internet to research budget-saving tips and mastered making a meal plan for every single meal. She also became an expert in making the most of coupons and supermarket discounts.

"I really had to learn how to cook everything from scratch. "

Founders of Taupō Budget Busters are mother-daughter team Isobial (left) and Breanna Jackson. Photo / Supplied

Teaching kids Breanna, 20, and Jesse, 23, how to cook and budget their money has been a parenting priority for Isobial and husband Steve. Breanna is currently living in Palmerston North and attends Massey University, living on a budget of $50 per week for food, transport and fun.

"We didn't realise we were that weird until her friends couldn't understand how she wasn't spending what they spend per week on groceries, $150 to $200."

Setting up Taupō Budget Busters was a response to the rising cost of living since the pandemic, and also to help young people and families. Isobial is active on budget advisory social media pages and has worked at several food banks. She says the main queries are from people saying how hard it is to pay for food, with many people struggling with money using a buy-now-pay-later service for groceries.

"It became obvious to me and Bre that people didn't know how to use the food."

A few months in, the Facebook page had several hundred followers. Isobial said they liked the idea of doing a self-shopped meal kit.

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"We realised doing a meal plan to a budget was too time-consuming for people who are working so hard just to keep their heads above water."

The weekly menu comes out on Monday afternoon, after the major supermarkets have launched their weekly specials in the morning. Isobial spends Monday morning examining the price of ingredients at the supermarkets, Bin Inn, and The Warehouse. She looks online and also goes into the stores.

"Regan Adamson from M21 Meats was already following the page. She got in touch and said they could do a meat pack."

Now up to 2200 members on Facebook, Isobial shares the recipe to other social media pages, including @CheaperLivingNZ who have 136,000 members. She says the recipes are for basic, nutritious food that doesn't break the budget. She encourages anyone starting on this journey to challenge their own basic assumptions.

Regan Adamson from M21 Meats and Isobial Jackson from Taupō Budget Busters with this week's meat pack. Photo / Rachel Canning

"We have been trained to think we have to have everything in our pantry at one time. But when you look at the food wastage in this country it's obvious this approach doesn't work."

Double or triple shopping is another no-no for those on a budget. Go to the supermarket once and shop for the week, says Isobial.

"The more times you enter the supermarket, the more you spend. Online shopping is great because you don't impulse buy."

As a trained school teacher, Isobial understands the pressure students have to bring packet food to school in their lunchbox. But she says batch-cooking then freezing easy-to-make baking like muffins and biscuits can save a household $1200 to $1500 per year.

"And they stay fuller for longer. How often have your kids been begging for food 15 minutes after eating takeaways?"

Understanding smart coupon use plays a role. This week Countdown bunch club members will try frozen blueberries, pre-made spaghetti bolognese, a potato salad, and a burger sauce - all for free. You just need to swipe your card and write a review.

"I've had hundreds of goods for free and tasted some crazy things I wouldn't normally buy."

This week's meat pack from M21 Meats contains meat for five meals for a family of four to six people. Recipes for cooking the meat are found on Facebook @TaupoBudgetBusters. Photo / Rachel Canning

Countdown are also members of Kiwiwallet, a cashback scheme for online shopping, with 1.5 per cent of your spend refunded into your bank account.

Isobial also has a few tips for buying fruit and vegetables. She advises buying funny-looking fresh produce at a discounted rate through a scheme. Buying frozen fruit and vegetables is often cheaper and has the same nutritional value. Use more of the vegetable.

"Many people discard the stalks because they don't realise they are edible."

Oats, milk and noodles are cheaper at The Warehouse while herbs and spices are cheaper at Bin Inn.

Isobial says feeding your family for $120 per week is achievable, but does take a little bit of thinking through.

Find out more at Facebook page @TaupōBudgetBusters and Instagram@NZ_BudgetBusters