EVERY week, Mesake Cokanauto spends about $200 on grocery shopping for his family.
With every cent he has to spent, Mesake says he ensures that all his family’s needs are met without unnecessary excess.
Rather than focusing solely on price, he emphasised on the value of what he buys, viewing groceries as an investment in his family’s health and overall wellbeing.
“Careful buying is always a priority for me, we must be very cautious about whatever we’re taking home to our family,” he said.
Mesake’s shopping list usually consists of the basics, flour, rice, sugar, tea, milk, spices, cooking oil, potatoes, tin stuff, meat, toiletries and other necessities.
He usually shop at supermarkets within Nakasi as it is closer to home and easier to go-to.
Supermarkets such as RB Patel Supermarket, Max-Val-U, Tebara Supermarket and the newly opened CJS Supermarket are his preferred choice.
He said they’re all very convenient and prices of food items are affordable.
At home, Mesake shared that they usually eat healthy meals with vegetables added into it.
He said it is important to add veges into our daily meals as it helps contributes to our overall wellbeing.
Coming from a household with extended families, Mesake said everyone contributes when it comes to weekly grocery shopping.
He shared that most of their household responsibilities is shared amongst all of them.
When it comes to buying vegetables and root crops, Mesake says his kitchen top never runs out of fresh produce as he himself is also a market vendor.
“I take home fresh produce for my family and we never lack these ingredients to our daily meals,” he said.
Mesake also shared the importance of checking the products we buy from the supermarkets.
He explained that many shoppers are attracted to low prices without carefully checking product details.
However, this interest often disappears once they realise that the items are near their expiry date or already expired.
He emphasised that reading product labels should always be a priority when shopping.
“Consumers should also pay close attention to physical defects such as dents in cans and rust on tins,” he said.
From his experience, these may seem like minor issues at first, but if ignored, they can develop into serious health and safety problems over time.
Mesake also highlighted that his budget for the New Year weekend will be slightly increased.
“This is because we plan to celebrate with our family and enjoy quality time together.”
“The occasion is special, and we intend to prepare and share a nice spread of food throughout the weekend.”
He said the increased budget will allow them to comfortably accommodate family activities, meals, and celebrations.
Mesake esaid that spending time with loved ones during the New Year is important, and he believes the extra expense is worthwhile to create meaningful memories and start the year on a positive note.
