TV review: Saving cash and cooking up a healthy storm

I know foodies bang on about the greater American public and their addiction to junk foods like hamburgers, fries, donuts, bread loaded with sugar and soda drinks.

Well I don't think the British public are that much better judging from the programme (TV One) Eat Well for less.

This series features food experts Gregg Wallace and Chris Bevin helping British families sort food facts from food fiction and eat well while spending less.

This week (thank goodness I wrote it down) one family, mum, dad and four kids were buying 70 bags of chippies (potato crisps) every week.

No kidding, the kids in this family were adamant that they needed crisps for snacks and school lunches not to mention what the little darlings demanded for their meals.

Premium brand only fish fingers, fries, pizzas, colas, baked beans ... and mum would slurp premium brand only coffee and for dad the best beer.

Hardly surprising their weekly shop was madly expensive.

Anything that even vaguely suggested budget was sneered at wholesale by this family.

So this series emphasises the hundreds of shoppers stuck between rising prices and falling wages.

Each week our two food advisers help a family sort food facts from food fiction and eat well while spending less.

They absolutely do help families save money.

They are on a mission to help families see the beauty of good less expensive grub.

And it's working. Lucky families who have been selected thus far.

As Bevin said "many families spend as much – if not more on food – than they do on their mortgage.''

Though the show is about spending less on the weekly shopping bill it is also very much about dietary help.

Familes living on crisps and takeaways, one fussy kid surviving on tomato soup alone, not to mention the 8-year-old boy with Type 1 diabetes, who munched non-stop on sausages and other meaty snacks.

Unbelievable to know the family bought the more expensive pre-grated cheese because "grating it would take hours".

Not to mention their love of the microwave. No fuss no bother just chuck the packet out after.

I can't fathom what is so difficult about buying real potatoes genuine veg, proper meat, real fish wholesome bread.

The thing was that once these families were introduced to cooking and real meals they were chuffed little campers.

And flabbergasted they had saved money.

Right that'll be a family ticket to the South of France Ta ... we've been watching our pennies, eating good and it's paid off.

HURRAH!