High costs of living, low wage growth, and insufficient welfare payments have resulted in an increase in the number of Australians experiencing food insecurity. Much of the response to food insecurity in Australia occurs through informal food aid provided by charitable organisations. Australia, like Canada, the United Kingdom and other high-income countries, relies on a private, non-government, food assistance sector that is supported by philanthropy, food industry, and government donations (Lindberg, Whelan, Lawrence, Gold, & Friel, 2015). One key aspect of the Australian charitable food landscape is that those in need of food aid are generally able to self-refer. While individual agencies may have their own eligibility criteria, for example, requiring a government issued low income card, or usage

Aim To compare the cost and nutritional profiles of toddler-specific foods and milks to ‘regular’ foods and milks. Methods Cross-sectional audit of non-toddler specific (‘regular’) foods and milks and secondary analysis of existing audit data of toddler specific (12-36 months) foods and milks in Australia. Main findings The cost of all toddler-specific foods and milks was higher than the regular non-toddler foods. Foods varied in nutritional content, but toddler foods were mostly of poorer nutritional profile than regular foods. Fresh milk cost, on average, $0.22 less per 100 mL than toddler milk. Toddler milks had higher mean sugar and carbohydrate levels and lower mean protein, fat, saturated fat, sodium and calcium levels per 100 mL, when compared to fresh full fat cow’s milk. Conclusions Toddler specific foods and milks cost more and do not represent value for money or good nutrition for young children.