Handy food basics

It is a good idea to have a variety of everyday foods in the cupboard and fridge. That way, you can make a simple meal or snack.

Which foods should I choose?

Try to include foods from each of the food groups. Below are some everyday options from each of the food groups. Frozen, dried, canned and fresh foods are all nutritious options.

Food group	Foods to choose
Grain (cereal) foods	Rice Pasta Couscous Noodles Rolled oats and breakfast cereals Bread, bread rolls, crumpets or muffins Crispbreads, rice cakes and rice crackers Flour to make baked items such as scones, pikelets.
Vegetables	Tinned vegetables and legumes Frozen vegetables Seasonal vegetables from local community gardens, your own garden or farmers markets Dehydrated vegetables such as beans, lentils and potato.
Fruit	All fresh fruit Tinned fruit in natural juice Dried fruit – try to limit to no more than once a week Frozen fruit Consider freezing left over fresh fruit for smoothies and muffins.
Dairy and alternatives	Fresh milk Milk powder Evaporated skim milk Long life (UHT) milk Plant based milks fortified with 1,000mg of calcium Custard – chilled, long life or powdered Tinned rice pudding Yoghurt Cheese Cream cheese – try to limit to no more than once a week.
Lean meats and alternatives	Fresh meat, chicken or fish Cheaper cuts of meat for making casseroles and stews Tofu* Eggs* Peanut butter or other nut butters* Nuts or seeds* Legumes and lentils When baking casseroles or stews, replace some of the meat with legumes (for example kidney beans or chickpeas) Canned fish such as tuna, salmon and sardines.

* Check your service or school policy

Tips for buying safe foods

Check the 'best before' and 'use by dates' before you purchase food. Products should not be eaten or sold past their 'use by' date. Products can be eaten after their 'best before' date but may have reduced quality after this date.
Do not buy food in damaged containers – especially canned foods. Do not store food in opened cans. Transfer to a sealable non-metal container after opening.
Do not buy cracked or dirty eggs. Ask for an exchange if you notice this at the checkout.
Buy cold or hot foods last and get them home fast. It can help to have an esky or insulated bag in your car to transport these items.