Fish and chips once answered a simple household question: what can we have for dinner that is quick, filling and inexpensive?

There was no elaborate planning. Someone collected the order, the chips went in the middle of the table, and the family helped themselves. At the beach, the same meal could turn a picnic table into the best seat in town.

The appeal remains. The price increasingly demands a second thought.

At $25 for a piece of grilled barramundi and $12 or more for a box of chips, the arithmetic changes quickly. On those prices, four pieces of fish and one box of chips cost $112, before drinks, sauces or anything extra.

That is a substantial family expense for a meal long associated with affordable convenience.

A familiar meal, a different decision

Prices vary considerably between shops, fish species and locations. Some businesses still offer economical family packs, and a quoted fish price may include chips. Oceana Traders, for example, lists grilled barramundi with hand-cut chips for $25. Comparisons need to account for what is actually included.

Nevertheless, a family looking at a three-figure takeaway bill faces a different decision from someone picking up an inexpensive dinner on the way home.

The question becomes whether the convenience justifies the cost.

For households already watching their grocery, fuel and housing expenses, fish and chips can move from a regular purchase to an occasional treat. The food has not necessarily become more elaborate. It has simply become harder to fit into the budget.

The shop has bills, too

It is easy to look at a box of chips and compare its price with a bag of potatoes.

But a takeaway shop sells a prepared meal. Its prices must cover staff, premises, cooking equipment, energy, oil, refrigeration, packaging, cleaning and waste, as well as the ingredients.

Fish also varies in price according to species, origin, availability and portion size. Barramundi is one choice among many, and premium fish will not necessarily produce a budget meal.

A high menu price alone does not establish that a business is making an excessive profit.

The difficulty is that a price can be necessary for the business and still be unaffordable for the customer. When that happens, families change their habits.

The supermarket alternative

For people willing to do the cooking, the supermarket seafood section and freezer aisle offer another way to keep fish and chips on the menu.

Fresh or frozen fillets, combined with potatoes cut at home or a bag of frozen chips, allow households to control portions and compare ingredient costs before buying.

Frozen barramundi is available in supermarket packs, including a one-kilogram Woolworths product. Whether it represents the best value depends on the shelf price, the portions required and the alternatives available that week.

The useful comparison is the cost of enough food to feed the household, rather than the price of a single packet.

Check the price per kilogram, how much fish a product contains, and whether it is plain, battered or crumbed. Country of origin may also influence the choice.

A local fishmonger can be worth comparing, particularly when there are specials or less expensive species available.

A simple dinner at home

The home version need not become a cooking project.

Cut potatoes into reasonably even chips, dry them well, toss lightly with oil and cook in an oven or air fryer. Frozen chips remove much of that preparation.

Plain fish can be pan-cooked or baked, with lemon, pepper and herbs providing plenty of flavour. Follow the product’s storage and cooking instructions, particularly when using frozen portions.

There is no need to recreate a commercial deep fryer to produce an enjoyable meal.

Home cooking does involve time, energy and washing up. Those costs matter, especially for busy families. But the potential saving makes the comparison worthwhile.

It also gives households flexibility: smaller portions for children, extra chips for hungry teenagers, or salad and vegetables alongside the fish.

The Times View

There should still be room for fish and chips from a good local shop. Buying a prepared meal supports employment and gives someone else responsibility for dinner.

But families are entitled to decide that the price has moved beyond what an ordinary evening meal should cost.

Cooking the same basic ingredients at home is a sensible response. It preserves the pleasure while putting more control over the bill back into the household.

Fish and chips can remain a simple family meal. Increasingly, keeping it affordable means supplying the convenience ourselves.