Skipping meals or living off two-minute noodles and a coffee each day are ways Australians are making ends meet during the current cost-of-living crisis.

More people are choosing to go hungry to be able to pay rent, electricity bills, or health care costs.

It’s a concerning trend that highlights the rise of food insecurity across Australia, with those on a lower income particularly bearing the brunt.

In response to the community’s growing need for solutions to cut down on grocery bills, AnglicareSA’s Financial Wellbeing team has been trialling a new, free meal planning program called Affordable Kitchen.

Hosted at Midway Road Community House, the weekly two-hour sessions are running throughout June, teaching families different nutritious meals they can cook without breaking the bank.

Participants learn cost-saving tricks like bulking up meat dishes with legumes, using frozen instead of fresh vegetables, and maximising the use of pantry and fridge ingredients.

AnglicareSA community engagement worker, Diane Johnson, said the program aimed to create a financial conversation through cooking.

“We encourage participants to discuss the cost of the recipe and how it could be altered to make bigger batches for larger families without buying more ingredients,” Diane said.

“Participants can ask questions and myself and other members of the Financial Wellbeing team can talk about the support available if they have fallen behind on payments or are experiencing other financial strain.”

Midway Road Community House Community Development Coordinator, Annette Cooper, said Affordable Kitchen was a welcome program at a time when people are experiencing hardship, particularly as the cold of winter sets in.

“Everyone is doing it tough at the moment and trying to find ways to reduce their budget, especially with the added cost of heating this winter,” Annette said.

“When you’re struggling financially, it can be isolating. This program gives people a place to go that is warm where they talk about their situation.

“It also provides an opportunity to find out what help they need and then to facilitate that support.”

Affordable Kitchen runs on Thursdays from 12:30pm to 2:30pm until 27 June at Midway Road Community House in Elizabeth East.

For more information or to register your attendance, please call 8255 4352. 

The Supporter is a quarterly magazine providing a collection of stories from across the AnglicareSA community.

The Winter 2024 edition is out now. Read here or in the window below.

The Australian Trusted Brands Survey has named AnglicareSA as a highly commended Home Care brand trusted in South Australia.

AnglicareSA Chief Executive Officer, Grant Reubenicht, said AnglicareSA today had close to 300 Home Care employees supporting more than 2,100 people to remain living at home.

“Building and maintaining solid, trusted connections with the people we serve is critically important,” he said.

“I am so proud of our Home Care employees and generous volunteers for their continued commitment and dedication to the health and wellbeing of our customers.”

For more than 160 years AnglicareSA has taken care of South Australians in need.

AnglicareSA Head of Community Aged Care, Sam Laubsch, said that tradition continued today with services including aged care and support delivered with compassion, respect, and clinical excellence to older South Australians, enabling them to live with dignity and maintain independence.

“The importance of trust in the provision of essential care and support services has never been more important,” she said.

“Our service to others with compassion and dignity is an important part of how we work every day with people experiencing some of the most difficult times of their lives and often when they are feeling most vulnerable,” she said.

As one of the state’s most trusted home care brands, AnglicareSA provides a broad range of in-home care and allied health services alongside its six residential aged care homes and independent living units across Adelaide.

AnglicareSA Home Care customers were full of praise for not only the service provided to them but also the people, the AnglicareSA Home Care employees, who they welcome into their homes.

Nursing Assessment customer Alan praised his nurse who he said had a great skill set and amazing communication skills.

“He made me feel comfortable and respected through the entire process,” Alan said. “AnglicareSA should be proud to have him as part of their team, he brings in great value.”

Meanwhile, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services customer Des said he was thankful for the care provided by all Home Care employees who had supported him.

“I am very satisfied with all these services provided to me,” he said. “I am grateful for all the kindness and excellent care during my recent health challenge – thank you all so very much, it was appreciated.”

The Trusted Brands survey is commissioned by Reader’s Digest and has been running in Australia for 25 years. The survey is conducted by Catalyst Research, an independent market research company, and involved surveying more than 4,000 Australians on brands they trust most across 67 different categories.