Okay people, hold onto your shopping trolleys. The cost of fruit and vegetables has grown by nearly 7 per cent in the last year, with the price of dairy increasing by just over 4 per cent. And the bad news is that prices for household basics are set to keep rising. But while interest rates, supply chain issues and La Niña are draining our finances, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are still smart substitutions you can make on your weekly shop. Here are the most expensive groceries at the moment and what you can buy instead.

As Aussies, we’re used to the idea that if a particular type of food is relatively rare, we’ll have to pay more for it. Caviar, lobster, truffle. But what about iceberg lettuce? It’s quickly becoming a special treat rather than an essential item in our shopping trolleys, as prices for the staple spiral upwards. Some Aussies are paying up to $12 for one iceberg lettuce. Why? The recent Queensland floods wiped out about 80 per cent of the crop. Even KFC is substituting cabbage for lettuce on their burgers due to the shortage. Maybe we should do the same? (Photography: Engin Akyurt.)

Love a little mustard on your burger or hot dog? Early indications suggest you may want to stock up (or use a little less than usual). There are concerns over a mustard shortage, after a particularly poor production season in Canada and France. Seed harvest yields fell 50 per cent in France last year, because of poor climate conditions, while Canada’s yield’s fell 28 per cent. Meanwhile, the war between Russia and Ukraine – also large mustard producers – means any shortfall can’t be made up through imports. Although concerns are primarily for the US market, it’s likely that, while still available, mustard could become more expensive for Aussie consumers too. Looking for an alternative? Try substituting horseradish or wasabi. Watch your portions though, both are significantly hotter than regular yellow mustard. In a pinch, you can also make your own. Just mix one teaspoon of dry mustard, one teaspoon of vinegar and a teaspoon of water. (Photography: Peter Werkman)

Broccoli is another vegetable that’s become scarce recently, due recent floods in NSW and Queensland, and the war in Ukraine. The price of fresh broccoli has jumped 75 per cent in recent weeks, and are likely to remain high for at least six months according to industry insiders. Just this week, as broccoli prices in Melbourne hit $12 per kilo, a TikTok video showed footage of broccoli stalks being left on shelves. While objectively clever, the sneaky tactic shows just how desperate some shoppers have become to combat the rising cost of groceries. If you’re not quite bold enough to try snapping stalks, there’s always this new broccoli-infused wine. (Photography: Annie Spratt)

For many Aussies, cheese is a vital food group. But you’ll soon notice that a trip to the dairy aisle just got more expensive. The price of cheese is set to increase and while environmental factors such as floods and droughts have had a big influence, so too has inflation. How? Because the dairy industry uses lots of electricity and inflation has increased power prices. If you’re looking for an alternative (that’s also vegan), nutritional yeast gives a lot of that big dairy umami flavour without the current price tag.

We’ve often heard how good berries are for our health, but at the moment, they’re not particularly good for our hip pocket. Berries are another casualty of La Niña and the war in Ukraine, as bad weather and costs of fertiliser increase. In one Queensland supermarket, strawberries were just under $60 a kilogram and blueberries? An eye-watering $155.92. The solution may be to get your vitamin C from other less expensive sources like in-season citrus or opt for frozen berries over fresh.

Some leafy greens like silverbeet are also skyrocketing in price. In New South Wales, where large crops of silverbeet are grown, the rain has damaged or completely wiped out much of the supply. Instead, try substituting Asian greens like bok choy or buying frozen spinach.

It seems like the humble tin of baked beans isn’t that humble anymore. It has been reported that canned baked beans and spaghetti are also set to increase in price (by 10 to 20 per cent) as high oil and energy prices hit. The best thing to do? Buy some dried legumes and whip up a batch of home-made baked beans – it’s tasty and cost effective.