4 tips for getting food and booze delivered to your door this Easter

Your Easter feast is going to be a little different this year. With strict COVID-19 social distancing measures now in place, you’ll undoubtedly have fewer partygoers at the table. You might also have to make do with a shorter grocery list or rely on home delivery if you’re quarantining.

Here are a few ideas for streamlining your food and alcohol deliveries during a Coronavirus-impacted holiday period, and some savings to be found along the way.

1. Go hard on hygiene 

If you’re a hangry diner who loses their head at the prospect of a feed, you may slip up on your new hygiene routine when a food delivery arrives. To avoid this, leave yourself a front door reminder to do your 20-second hand scrub before leaving your house or apartment. Further ensure your safety and that of food and drink suppliers by making a note on your order asking for packages to be left at the door once you’ve confirmed you’re home (a lot of delivery apps and couriers and now offering this from the get-go).

2. Go local

Australians are increasingly becoming aware they need to support local cafés and restaurants in the hope of seeing them through this uncertain financial period. For a broad, localised view of places still running take-away options during the Coronavirus outbreak, check out emerging online message boards that are becoming platforms for sharing this kind of info. Examples include Feed Feed in Canberra or the Port Macquarie Eats Facebook page.

3. Order with a frugal eye

Be kind to your budget if you’re relying more on home delivery during self isolation by taking advantage of free delivery options whenever possible. Fee waivers are often available if you live within a certain postcode in relation to the eatery, or when ordering over a certain amount, which is perfect for stocking cupboards with extra wine and freezing a few meals ahead of time. 

You could also save by switching to local chef-curated ingredients or meal packs instead of purely pre-cooked offerings. This means you can support your beloved cafés and restaurants while still enjoying all the flavours they create so well – and let’s face it, some dishes fare better without the additional sog a delivery journey can create.

4. Spend – or stash – your holiday savings wisely

So, you’ve saved a few bucks on your holiday meal plan, not to mention your reduced extracurriculars and social outings, and have holiday cash to burn. Start by passing on some good will in the form of a tip to your delivery driver or rider, and by donating to charities that can help vulnerable people during the current crisis. Then get serious about the leftovers. Get that Easter nest egg growing in a term deposit or high-interest savings account.   

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