Food $avings Challenge

Suncorp Bank has partnered with OzHarvest to bring to you the Food Savings Challenge. It’s designed to help you reduce food waste and make the most out of the food you buy. It may even help you spend less at the supermarket leaving more left over to put into your savings.

Oz Harvest and Suncorp Bank logos side by side

Food $avings Challenge

Meet the households taking the Food Savings Challenge

Check out how three different Australian households are learning how to save food and money by taking part in the Food Savings Challenge.

Did you know food waste costs the average Australian household $2,500 a year?

That's money we could all do with.

The Suncorp Bank Food Savings Challenge was developed with OzHarvest to help you save money by saving food.

We're putting it to the test with three everyday Australian households, to see how much they could save.

First, we need to see their savings potential using the Suncorp Bank Food Savings Calculator.

Then teach them the tips to help save food and save money.

That's right Dean. Always check the fridge, freezer and pantry before you leave for the shops.

Well done, Jono and Laura. Planning your meals can help to limit your spending.

Nice one. That could save the Khairo family $130 a year.

Great work. Use It Up tape™ helps to give a visual reminder of what need using up to help avoid wasting food and money.

I've learned a lot, just buying less of the food I was wasting.

Putting food in the fridge where I could see it.

We've been planning out our meals around sort of one ingredient that we might have a lot of.

We’ve minimised wastage, and we've saved some food that we're not going to have to buy again this week.

There you have it. Using simple tips, these three households managed to save a lot in just one week.

That could really add up over a year.

Start the Suncorp Bank Food Savings Challenge to see what you could save.

Now it’s your turn to start the challenge

You could start saving money by saving food in two steps. Plus, enter our competition for your chance to win one of 50 food storage prize packs!

Enter the competition

Step 2 – Start your savings journey

Prep to $ave

$5 worth of uneaten or unused food each week could ultimately cost you $260 a year.¹So, before you hit the supermarket, try some of these pointers to prep for a savings-minded shop.

Plan your meals

Planning your week and writing a shopping list is key to saving food and money. Then, check that list against what you have at home to avoid buying unnecessary extras.

Buy what you need

Over buying is one of the biggest wastes of food and money. To cut down on items going bad or getting mouldy, try buying smaller quantities or freezing what you can’t use immediately.

Shop seasonally

Seasonal produce tends to be fresher, tastier, and often cheaper. Some shops sell imperfect fruit and vegetables for a more affordable price, which can also help save you money.

Laura and Jono planned ahead for meals during the Food Savings Challenge and used what they had in the fridge and freezer. They saved $17 just by planning ahead and not rebuying chicken and spinach they didn’t need.²

Store and $ave

Saving money starts with making the most of your food, which includes storing it to help it last longer. Check out how you can make the most of your groceries with some helpful tips below.

Storing bread and avocados

Bread and avocados are some of the most wasted items that you find in Australian kitchens. So, to help your bread last longer, pop it in the freezer and store your avocados in an airtight container once cut or uncut in your crisper draw (away from apples!).

Storing leafy greens

Spinach, bagged salad and lettuce will last longer stored in a sealed container or in original packaging if you pop in some paper towel at the bottom to absorb any extra moisture.

Storing protein

When it comes to meat, chicken and seafood, it’s best to store them on the lower shelves of your fridge as this tends to be the coldest area.

The Khairos need to ensure they have bread on hand for school lunches but often find themselves having to throw out their bread before the end of the school week. By storing it in the freezer, they’re making it last longer and by not throwing out half a loaf of bread a week they would have to rebuy, they could save $130³ a year.

Use it Up and $ave

Research shows that when you use OzHarvest’s Use It Up Tape™, you can reduce your food waste by up to 40%.⁴

Use It Up Tape^TM

With OzHarvest’s Use It Up Tape™, you can create visual reminder of what needs using up first and use it to mark your containers so you don’t forget to eat your leftovers!

Dean made use of OzHarvest’s Use It Up Tape™ to mark containers with leftovers he could eat instead of wasting that leftover food. By not buying just one takeaway meal for dinner each week, and eating the leftovers instead, Dean could save $735 a year.⁵

Enter for your chance to win one of 50 food storage prize packs valued at $159 each.

For your chance to win, tell us in 50 words or less your top tip for making the most of your leftovers.

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In 50 words or less what’s your top tip for making the most of your leftovers?

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The Promoter is unable to correct any entry however the Entrant may request that an entry be deleted by contacting 13 11 75. The Entrant can resubmit their entry.

Creating a brighter future with OzHarvest

Suncorp Bank has teamed up with OzHarvest to help tackle food waste. Together, we’re committed to helping halve food waste in Australia by 2030.⁶

“OzHarvest is delighted to have Suncorp Bank’s incredible support to help us with our goal of helping to halve food waste by 2030. Together, we’re going to make a BIG difference by inspiring Australia to help save what matters – food, money and the planet!”

Ronni Kahn AO – OzHarvest Founder and Visionary in Residence

Things you should know

¹ Annual savings are calculated by the weekly saving multiplied by 52.

² Savings based on 1kg of chicken and 60g of baby spinach.

³Illustrative food prices based on average online prices published by two major Brisbane supermarkets in January 2025 and subject to change.

⁴ www.ozharvest.org

⁵ Illustrative food prices based on average online prices published by two Brisbane take away food outlets in January 2025 and subject to change.

⁶Source: OzHarvest & Southern Cross Austereo Research, 2017. Food Waste Facts and Hunger Facts | OzHarvest Sustainability

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Food $avings Challenge

Food $avings Challenge

Meet the households taking the Food Savings Challenge

Now it’s your turn to start the challenge

Step 2 – Start your savings journey

Prep to $ave

Store and $ave

Use it Up and $ave

Enter for your chance to win one of 50 food storage prize packs valued at $159 each.

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