Middle Eastern grocery staples and what they cost

The essential Middle Eastern pantry

If you're cooking Middle Eastern food regularly, these items form the foundation. Prices below reflect typical Australian supermarket costs versus specialty Middle Eastern grocers (usually 30-50% cheaper).

Item	Size	Supermarket	Specialty store	Why it matters
Dried chickpeas	1 kg	$3-5	$2-3	Base for hummus, falafel, roasts. One 1kg bag makes 20 servings of hummus.
Tahini	375 g	$5-8	$3-5	Essential for hummus, dressings, and sauces. A jar lasts 3-4 weeks.
Za'atar	100 g	$5-8	$3-4	Sprinkled on labneh, bread, roasted vegetables. Use sparingly. A small container lasts months.
Sumac	100 g	$4-6	$2-3	Tangy garnish for fattoush, rice dishes, and grilled meats. Small amounts go a long way.
Red or green lentils	1 kg	$3-4	$2-3	Cook in 20-30 minutes. Red lentils soften into dal or soup; green hold their shape.
Bulgur wheat	1 kg	$3-5	$2-3	Soaked in hot water for tabbouleh. Chewy texture, earthy flavour.
Olive oil (cooking)	500 ml	$5-8	$4-6	House brand olive oil is fine for cooking. Extra-virgin is for finishing.
Flatbread or pita	6-pack	$3-4	$2-3	Supermarket pita freezes well. Fresh from Middle Eastern bakeries tastes better.
Pomegranate molasses	1 bottle (~300 ml)	$5-8	$3-4	Sour punch for marinades, dressings, and roasted vegetables. A bottle lasts 2 months.
Feta cheese	200 g block	$5-7	$4-6	Crumbled on salads, roasted with vegetables. Greek and local Australian feta are interchangeable.

Cost per serve for popular dishes

Here's what you'll actually spend when you cook Middle Eastern meals at home, ingredient costs only:

• Hummus: $0.50 per serve. One batch uses $1 of chickpeas and tahini and serves 4.
• Falafel: $0.40 per falafel. Dried chickpeas are cheaper than canned; 1 kg makes 30-40 falafel.
• Tabbouleh: $1 per serve. Bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, lemon. Scales down cheaply for salads.
• Lamb kofta: $2.50 per serve. Mince $8/kg, spices bulk up portions with onion and herbs.
• Shakshuka: $1.50 per serve. Eggs, canned tomatoes, spices. Serves 2-3 from one pan.
• Chicken shawarma (at home): $3 per serve. Marinated chicken thigh, wraps, salads.
• Red lentil dal: $0.80 per serve. Lentils, onion, garlic, cumin. Makes 4 servings.
• Fattoush salad: $1.20 per serve. Lettuce, tomato, cucumber, sumac, pomegranate molasses, pita crisps.

Where to shop: supermarket vs specialty stores

Most major Australian supermarkets stock the essentials: chickpeas, lentils, tahini, flatbread. You'll pay about 30-50% more than at a dedicated Middle Eastern grocer, but the trade-off is convenience.

Specialty Middle Eastern stores cluster in major cities: Auburn and Harris Park in Sydney, Coburg in Melbourne, Moorooka in Brisbane. They stock hard-to-find items (pomegranate molasses, urfa pepper, maftoul) at better prices. Go for bulk items and spices; hit the supermarket for fresh herbs, dairy, and fresh produce.

Prices at a glance:

• Chickpeas: Save $1-2/kg at specialty stores (buy 2-3 kg at once)
• Tahini: Save $2-3 per jar
• Za'atar, sumac, and dried herbs: Save 40-50% at specialty stores
• Nuts and dried fruit: 30-40% cheaper in bulk

The $25 Middle Eastern pantry starter

If you're new to Middle Eastern cooking, buy these seven items and you'll have enough to make 15-20 different meals:

• 1 kg dried chickpeas ($2-3)
• 375 g tahini ($3-5)
• 100 g za'atar ($3-4)
• 100 g sumac ($2-3)
• 1 kg red or green lentils ($2-3)
• 500 ml olive oil ($5-8)
• One pack of flatbread or pita ($2-3)

Total: $20-30. You'll need fresh ingredients too (onions, garlic, tomatoes, herbs, lemon), but those staples are your foundation. Add in canned chickpeas ($0.70 each for quick meals) and canned tomatoes ($0.80), and you're ready.

Money-saving tips for Middle Eastern cooking

Buy dried goods in bulk. Chickpeas, lentils, and rice keep for years in airtight containers. A 1 kg bag of chickpeas costs $2-3; a 400g can costs $1. The dried version is 5-6 times cheaper.

Soak overnight. Plan ahead 12 hours for dried chickpeas and beans. No soaking means longer cooking times and higher energy bills. Quick-soak (30 minutes of boiling) works if you're in a rush.

Make your own spice blends. A ready-made "za'atar" blend in supermarkets costs $0.40 per gram. Buy za'atar, sumac, and dried thyme separately at a specialty grocer and you'll pay $0.10-15 per gram.

Freeze cooked chickpeas and lentils. Cook 2-3 kg of chickpeas at once and freeze in 400g portions. They thaw in 5 minutes and cost half as much as canned.

Go to a Middle Eastern grocer once a month. Plan a bulk shopping trip, buy spices and dried goods, and freeze flatbread. One trip saves money on staples for weeks.

Why Middle Eastern food is cheap to cook at home

Middle Eastern cuisine relies on pantry staples and seasonal produce. There are no expensive proteins unless you choose them; chickpeas and lentils do the work. A weekly Middle Eastern menu (hummus, falafel wraps, tabbouleh, shakshuka, lentil soup, roasted vegetable salads) costs $15-20 per person for four dinners. Compare that to ready-made takeaway ($8-12 per serve) and you're cutting food costs in half.

For families cooking on a budget, Middle Eastern cooking is one of the most forgiving cuisines. Spices cover flavour gaps, leftovers taste better the next day, and there's almost no food waste.