Bolognese, shepherd's pie or just savoury mince on toast – Kiwis love to cook with mince, but the rising cost is driving some away.
By Ke-Xin Li of RNZ
Outside Pak’n’Save Wairau Valley in Auckland, one man told RNZ's First Up he couldn't recall the last time he bought mince for his family.
"We're becoming vegetarians at the rate we're going," he said.
In the year to May, the average retail price of beef mince climbed by 14% to $24 per kilogram, with February recording the biggest increase in price since data collection began in 2006.
Desperate to offer an alternative, that Auckland supermarket recently introduced a new product – a beef and pork blend.
Foodstuffs North Island confirmed the new product was made entirely from New Zealand meat with equal portions of beef and pork. The statement said they would continue to produce the mince mix following positive customer feedback.
It's a staple of the Kiwi diet, but the biggest price increase for mince in decades may leave people paying more for their traditionally cheap lunch. (Source: 1News)
A spokesperson said the idea was to provide a good value, lean protein option.
"Pork trim is currently cheaper than beef, and this helps to keep the price for the blended mince lower,” they said.
On the day RNZ visited, regular beef mince cost $18.99/kg and pork mince was $16.99/kg, while the blend was $17.99/kg.
Ahead of the curve, The Kiwi Butcher Shop in Taranaki has been selling the beef/pork blend for 18 months, said general manager Mandy Edie. She called it “bork”.
The mix – hers using equal parts New Zealand beef and Spanish pork – was inspired by overseas butchery trends, and customers were keen on it.
It's actually not as cheap as regular beef mince, but people backed the flavour.
"It gives you a slightly more in-depth flavour with mixing the two blends."
A kilogram of 'bork' currently cost $20.99 at The Kiwi Butcher Shop.
Popular Kiwi cook Alice Taylor reckoned "bork" was brilliant.
Known for her social media videos teaching folks how to cook affordable meals, Taylor said the combination was both budget friendly and delicious.
"Pork mince brings so much fantastic flavour, and especially the fattiness that's really delicious. I'm all for it."
She said cooking the mince wasn't hard, but had one tip: "Really fry off the meat. You want to caramelise the meat and create that flavour”.
Taylor said for the thrifty home cook, eating less meat is one of the easiest ways to save money.
"I know that sounds weird, but I grew up in a household where meat is the centre of the plate and I think for a lot of Kiwis that is true."
Taylor said mince could be used in lots of creative ways.
"Meatballs, for example. You can half the amount of mince that you're using by just adding the same quantity in dried bread that's been soaked in water and then squeezed out."
Registered dietitian Lily Henderson said while beef and pork have some nutritional differences, their protein content was similar. Beef was generally a richer source of iron, she said, while some cuts of pork were lower in saturated fat.
"It’s easy to get caught up comparing one protein with another, but for most people the bigger opportunity is focusing on the overall balance of their diet – including plenty of vegetables, legumes and whole grains alongside whichever protein they choose.
"We eat combinations of foods, not single foods, and it’s the overall pattern of eating that has the greatest impact on health."
Henderson said both beef and pork were considered red meat, and the same advice applies to pork as other animal-based proteins: Choose lean cuts and consider the whole meal.
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