The Christmas of 2023 is looking up for seafood lovers, according to the experts.
Seafood Industry Australia chief executive Veronica Papacosta told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that prices are not quite as eye-wateringly high as usual.
“Almost every other year, around early December, we hear reports that seafood prices are going to skyrocket, but that’s just not going to happen,” she says.
“I think whatever prices you’re seeing in stores now will remain stable through Christmas.
“Our wild-catch prawn sector has experienced a bumper crop, while the aquaculture industry is also performing really well. People should find great quality prawns across a range of species.”
Prawns are steady, but lobsters will be only for those for whom money is no object. Supply is tight and with demand only expected to go up, prices will mirror that scale.
Poor catch
John Kyzintas, director of South Melbourne Seafoods, told the SMH and Age that the boats weren’t catching a lot.
“At the moment, it’s costing me nearly $90 a kilogram to buy southern crayfish [rock lobster]. By Christmas, we’re expecting about $130 to $140 a kilogram at retail.”
For those buying prawns, if they are defrosted it’s best to buy them one or two days before Christmas, transfer them to an airtight container – preferably glass – to decrease the chance of bacterial growth. Always keep them in the coldest part of your fridge.
Most prawns sold in Australia are thawed from frozen, but you can also buy them frozen if that’s more convenient. Defrost them overnight in the fridge. You can also put them in a colander and put them under running water until they defrost.
Oysters may also be hard to find. Two of NSW’s biggest oyster farming regions are under investigation and have been closed for sales since 17 October.
Flooding and heavy rainfall on the NSW south coast have also hampered harvesting in those areas.
This week’s best deals
Aldi
Sensible: Broad Oak Farms Chicken Breasts, $9.99/kg. Everywhere else chicken breasts are nudging $14/kg, so this represents excellent value. Great fresh, but also freezes well.
Indulgence: Lambertz Pfeffernusse, $1.99. If you think I’m putting this here because of its bonkers name, you’d be right. These are the sort of biscuits where you hate the first one, but suddenly the whole packet is empty. Pfeffernusse are sugar-coated ginger biscuits and are also known as ‘Christmas in a packet’.
See the catalogue here.
Coles
Sensible: Coles Bakery Continental rolls varieties, $3.25. Great variety including sourdough and seeds. They are sensible and delicious, but I don’t have a section for that, so I’ll just put them here.
Indulgence: Coles Roasted and Salted Cashews, $10, save $6. I still remember when cashews were a Christmas-only thing because they were so expensive. The price may have gone down, but nostalgia means I still buy a packet every Christmas.
See the catalogue here.
Woolworths
Sensible: Energizer Max Batteries, AAA or AA packs, half price $13.75. If you are expecting the littlies around this Christmas, don’t disappoint them by not having enough batteries on hand for their new stash of toys. Also good for the remote to turn down/off the Christmas music.
Indulgence: Cherries, $15.90/kg. Is it even Christmas without cherries? One of the big advantages of a Southern Hemisphere Christmas is cherries. Smash them while you can.
See the catalogue here.
IGA
Sensible: Lettuce, $1.89. Remember when lettuces were $10 each? The good old days. Eat as much lettuce as you want at this price.
Indulgence: Rump steak, $14.99/kg. Beef probably isn’t going to fall much more than this before a market correction, so if red meat is an indulgence for you – it certainly is at our house – buy it up now.
See the catalogue here.
Do you eat seafood at Christmas? Or do you prefer a traditional roast dinner? Why not share your experience in the comments section below?
Also read: Seven frozen food mistakes
