$5 Aldi item an Aussie nutritionist always recommends: 'Smart daily staple'

How much has your grocery bill increased over the past couple of years? For most of us, the answer would be $50 or $100 or even more, especially if you are feeding a family. Indeed, once upon a time, you could feed a couple with smart supermarket choices for as little as $100 a week whereas now we walk out of the supermarket with a few items and a bill of at least $50.

As a dietician, for me, the health aspect of the food goes hand-in-hand with the price, and many of my clients often assume that eating well has to be expensive. However, it's actually not impossible to stay healthy while on a budget.

Having said that, it certainly takes a decent amount of planning and food knowledge to know which are the smart buys and how to use them.

Over the years, I've found there are plenty of healthy choices at Aldi and they also come at a much lower price point.

Now there are a handful of core products I routinely send my clients to the German retailer to find, thanks to their nutritional properties and lower cost.

When you consider that you can save $2-3 on each of these items each week or two by buying them at Aldi rather than going for something similar at another supermarket, it adds up to several hundred dollars in savings over the course of a year.

Bakers Life Lower Carb Higher Protein Bread

High-protein bread can be a smart daily staple for those looking to increase their protein intake at breakfast without relying on egg or yoghurt-based options.

Retailing at just $4.79 a loaf, this heavily seeded bread is up to $2 cheaper per loaf compared to other high protein bread options and offers a range of key nutrients including dietary fibre and good fats from seeds.

Plus, it freezes well and you can also reduce waste if you only add bread to meals occasionally.

And with 20g of protein per serve, it can also be a convenient way for those following a plant based diet to boost their protein intake overall.

Later in the day you can also enjoy it with soup, or as a filling snack.

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Urban Eats Pork Dumplings

Dumplings can be a convenient and healthy quick and easy meal on the go, but many varieties contain added MSG and a lower percentage of protein with more pastry per dumpling.

However, the Aldi pork dumplings are just $8.99 per 750g bag and have a high percentage of pork and no added MSG.

Make a light, filling meal with dumplings served with cauliflower fried rice, green vegetables and protein-rich edamame beans.

Salad bags and veggie packs

Salad bags and pre-cut veggie kits are a convenient and budget-friendly way to add a large variety of fresh food into the diet at a much cheaper price point than if you had to buy all the individual ingredients.

Plus you end up eating a much wider range of vegetables and salad and slash meal prep times by adding these to your weekly grocery shop.

Priced at just $4.99 and $3.99 respectively they are a smart way to add more fresh food to your diet.

In a weekly grocery shop, it means that you can literally buy all the fresh food you need for an entire week for as little as $20, compared to $20 a meal for some recipes.

Ready Cook Free Range Boneless Butterflied Chicken

While grilled lean meats are lower in calories and fat, there is nothing wrong with flavouring up your protein especially when the marinades are relatively light and the total fat content remains below 10 per cent.

This marinated chicken is ready to cook and comes with a tasty, light marinade helping to create a tasty, lean meal in minutes.

For just $9.99, this range of lean, marinated chicken will ease meal prep by giving you a high-protein meal base that will feed at least four people for under $10.

Ready to Cook Crumbed Pork Schnitzel

Generally speaking, pre-crumbed meats in supermarkets have a relatively low percentage of meat, but this version is not only extremely lean but has a 70 per cent lean pork base, making it a cost-effective, high-protein meal base.

All you need to do is bake or pan-fry and serve with some salad or frozen vegetables for a light meal, high-protein meal.

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Ocean Rise Yellowfin Tuna Ready Meal

When you consider that the quick and easy meals and snacks we can pick up on the run are generally high-calorie fast food options or ultra-processed snacks, this tuna ready meal ticks a number of nutritional boxes in a shelf-stable meal.

With fibre rich veggies, a portion controlled serving of carbs and 20g of high-quality protein, at just $2.99 you will be hard pressed to find an entire meal at this price point anywhere.

It's also a great option when travelling, to keep on hand in your work drawer for busy days or as a protein rich pre-workout meal on the go.

FIT meals

There is a wide range of pre-made meals at Aldi, but the FIT range in particular is much higher in protein and retails for just $6.99.

Many frozen meals are packed full of carbs and lack protein and vegetable bulk, but this range offers upwards of 20g of protein per pack and is a smart lunch or dinner option for busy people.

Hillcrest Premium Nut Bars

Snack bars are notoriously expensive, but this variety is relatively low in added sugars and retails for just $3.99 for a box of five.

Not only do nut bars help to support portion control (how easy is it to eat an entire bag of nuts?), but they make a healthier, tasty alternative to chocolate bars and potato chips when the mid afternoon munchies hit.

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