food and drink – Page 4

March Munchies

Another month has gone, hey? Easter’s already happened, and it’s April. Mornings are getting cooler which is lovely, but the days are still high 20s. So let’s see what snacks I’ve been getting into from the foodbank shelves.

Been enjoying the vibe of this brewed lemonade, a nice little fizz for up to $1 a can.

Treated myself to buying my own hot cross buns for the long weekend, but got some jelly crystals at the little church for something different. Still got a bag on hot cross buns in the freezer to snack on this week. Unfortunately the foodbank I was planning to go to tomorrow for breads isn’t actually open (having a week off) so won’t be getting any potential HCB leftovers from the weekend.

The Oranges are going strong. So tasty and I get to wear them as mouth guards lol

I thought only the dog would like this fish jerky, but no the boys have been getting into it too.

Waffles! Got these gluten free waffles as a $1frozen from the local place the other week 🙂 Had them with ice cream and maple syrup that I think came in the Xmas hamper and we’re slowly getting though. Still have a shake and make pancake bottle to use.

Made a “things from the cupboard” dinner last Sunday with things from the cupboard accumulation and a portion of chicken I’d abandoned in the freezer a few weeks ago – butter chicken and rice.

A sweetheart bought a few things off the wishlist, so I’ve been enjoying the fancy porridge and pineapple poppers. THANK YOU!

Let’s talk the price of Spam

Yeah, the actual tinned Spam, not email clutter.

I know you guys love my “tales from the Foodbank” and I was almost thought I was gonna get a score when I saw there was actual Spam at the foodbank this morning. My partner’s gotten keen on it since we got some I think it a Xmas hamper. So I’ve been getting the $2.99 Aldi tinned Spiced Ham, also proudly made in the USA like the original Hormel.

I fry it up in the pan and service it with toast and microwave scrambled eggs for a midday meal in the middle of the boys’ workday when they come back home for lunch and a rest.

Sadly, I got closer and read the price sticker – 2 for $12. Two for $12??? I pay three for the Aldi version, and the full price at Coles and Woollies is $6.80. I didn’t check the dates on these, I do hope they’re long dated since it is tinned. My Aldi ham has a best before of October 2026.

It’s actually “only” $5.40 this week at Coles, too.

So, once again Aldi wins for price in this little competition. They have put a bunch of prices up again lately though, so I need to constantly keep reassessing. And we know that 1.8% indexation is already long gone from out payments.

Just a girl, hanging out in the rain, waiting for the gates to open.

Grannies Targeted – Supermarket Pricing, Write-offs and what lands on my Kitchen Table

I love granny smith apples. Always have. Would only eat them as a kid, refusing anything red, occasionally trying a golden delicious. Too tart for many, they’re so crunchy and perfect for this lemon lover. This is why allegations that Coles has been marking up their Granny Smiths more than other apples troubled me, but also made sense, given how many I’ve gotten free from foodbanks the past few weeks.

If they’re more expensive, why would you be getting them free, Fiona? Well, the food that comes to our local foodbanks, via Foodbank, OzHarvest or the local old fella collecting baked goods directly form out the back depends on what is not being sold. This may just be because they over-estimated the amount of while bread what would be bought that day, or they have a shelf of cross-promotional products like Vegemite Brownies or Zopper Dooper milks that were a novelty that weren’t really cared for. Other stuff might be a bit externally roughed up, short dated, or there might be new labels coming in. Happy to receive most of these things and give them a go for free or cheap but it does feel a bit meh to always have things that have been rejected for some reason.

So, my theory on the granny smith glut this month is they’re good apples, but perhaps the over-pricing has turned way too many people off buying them in the supermarket, so they’re being left on the shelves. So Coles has to pass on things that aren’t moving, and Ozharvest are getting them all. Coles, of course, gets to claim credit (financial and moral) for donating these overpriced but otherwise great apples. I get to have daily fruit but the supermarket shopper is priced out of being able to buy the apples they want, despite them being in good supply.

In other news, the welfare rate indexation from March 20 officially came out Monday, and JobSeekers will be getting less than a dollar a day extra, I’ll be getting $1.05/day extra on my DSP. Definitely not enough to buy my own overpriced apples in store. Allowances
Family Situation Previous Amount 20 Mar 2024 Increase
Single, 22 or over, no children $749.20 $762.70 $13.50 pf
Single, 22 or over, with children $802.50 $816.90 $14.40 pf
Single, 55 or over, after 9 months $802.50 $816.90 $14.40 pf
Partnered (each) $686.00 $698.30 $12.30 pf
Single, principal carer of child, exempt from activity test* $970.20 $987.70 $17.50 pf

Rent assistance indexation comes in around $3/fn for most. The press release reminds us that it went up 15% last time ($13) so we should be grateful and stuff.

Rent Assistance - for payments under the Social Security Act
Maximum Payment
Family Situation Previous Amount 20 Mar 2024 Increase
Single $184.80 $188.20 $3.40 pf
Single, sharer $123.20 $125.47 $2.27 pf
Couple $174.00 $177.20 $3.20 pf
Partnered, illness-separated $184.80 $188.20 $3.40 pf
Partnered, temporarily separated $174.00 $177.20 $3.20 pf

So, I’ll munch on my grannie smith for morning tea and wonder how it’s okay for people to not be able to afford the basics while supermarkets continue to increase their profits and we’re reminded how little tax fossil fuel companies are paying.

Feb Foodbank Finds

Got my Corolla back on the road, so now I can get back to the local food pantry through the week when it’s open (Mon and Wed mornings) and the Friday OzHarvest bag collection for my sister and whatever else I get my hands on there.

As always, best befores vary, with this cereal being quite acceptable and the diet coke that was more than a year past not being so flash.

Try to get noodles and tuna when they’re $1 or under, the face scrub was $2.50 which is great and Bruce needed some. The Weetbix are $1.50 at Cooranbong, I do hope Sanitarium donates them and the So Good directly since they run the town.

The Lindt has been great!

These were salty and warm.

I did NOT read the directions on the mi goreng. next time.

Chai was a good fill in when I ran out of my Aldi white hot chocolate.

BREAD!!!

Free spoons!

I fkn love ciniminis and get them every time I can. They’re on my wishlist if anyone wants to treat a girl! This other wishlist has more home basics that I’d like.

Sweeeeet

The Yard Brewery and Smokehouse, Morriset

There’s been really inconsistent weather this summer, between super hot days and being rained out for a week, so when Bruce’s son is staying with us for a few days for work it sucks when they can’t really get much done. Instead, while it rained out Tuesday, Bruce took us to The Yard Brewery and Smokehouse in the industrial area at Morriset for lunch and a few drinks for the boys.

We got there at opening, and there’s a few different seating areas, low tables and bar stools and the mezzanine that I hope they relegate the hens nights to. It’s all very new, and not the only microbrewery in Morriset with Lake Mac Brewing Co and Bread and Brewery all within stumbling distance.

The boys each got a $17 tasting paddle, which they enjoyed and they bought a schooner each of something else after. I know, good beer review.

The boys each had a $22 Kransky dog which came with many toppings and fries. We were all very full!

I had a Haloumi burger and fries for $20. The mayo was amazing, the chips super crunchy!

They have merch and growlers, but they didn’t seem to be selling the dog bowl like they had in the courtyard. Not sure we’d bring Maxi on a sunnier day, he’s a bit too excited around food an people like that.

The Yard Brewery and Smokehouse

32 Accolade Ave, Morisset NSW 2264

Open from 12pm Daily. Ph (02) 4072 3400