How to save money on groceries: the 12 best value recipes

A trolley full of fresh fruit and vegetables costs a lot more than it would have a few months back. Due to floods, cold weather and difficult cropping conditions, produce prices have nearly quadrupled.

WATCH: Lemon and garlic chicken with salad cups and pub chips

With a $12.90/kg price tag on cucumbers followed closely by broccoli at $11.90/kg, and tomatoes going for $13.90/kg, you might as well start growing your own.

But thankfully, not everything has inflated to the double digits. Melbourne-based fruiterer Thanh Truong recommends looking out for carrots, cabbages, pumpkins, mushrooms, oranges and other citrus fruit, Australian kiwi fruit, celery, chokos and chestnuts.

Also, smashed avo fans can rejoice, as Hass avocadoes are back in good supply.

Now that we've got a shopping list of what to buy, here are BHG's top 12 best value recipes.

Pumpkin

1. Pumpkin filo pie

A tasty tray bake that's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. This vegetarian recipe is the perfect meat-free meal for the family.

2. Country-style beef and lentil braise

Fill your home with the tantalising scent of something delicious simmering on the stove. This hearty dish begs for crusty bread for dipping!

3. Roast pumpkin gnocchi with lemon-herb butter

Take your gnocchi up a notch with some affordable pumpkin. Savour the light sweetness of roasted pumpkin as the base of this wonderful Italian classic with a super-simple citrusy butter.

4. Roasted pumpkin, spinach and feta slice

There's good reason why this recipe is one of our most popular. Delicious the night you make it, even better as leftovers for lunch the next day. It's the slice that keeps giving!

Cabbage

5. Pork and cabbage dumplings

These simple, rustic Chinese dumplings are known as ‘potstickers’. They have a crispy base and a gently steamed filling. Get the kids to assemble them – it’s a fun way to bring the family together.

6. Honey, soy and lemon chicken with crunchy noodle salad

https://www.bhg.com.au/honey-soy-lemon-chicken-crunchy-noodle-salad

By adding lemon juice to this fantastic honey marinade, Fast Ed reduces the chances of it burning while cooking the chicken. Clever huh?

7. Italian chicken and borlotti bean soup

Cabbage, carrots and celery make up the base of this soup. Check out those colours! Garnished with Bocconcini balls, basil and a drizzle of olive oil, this Italian recipe tastes as good as it looks.

Carrot

8. Garlic and sumac lamb rissoles with carrot and chickpea salad

Rob Palmer

Fast Ed’s Moroccan-inspired rissoles can be made using pork, chicken or beef mince and they’re divine served with a flavoursome carrot, chickpea and mint salad.