Gregg and Chris have their work cut out for them with the Booth family in Lancashire. Mum Jenny claims to always shop with a list and tries to be cautious, stocking up on buy-one-get-one-free deals. Dad Howerd's impulsive purchases mean that the food bill mounts up. They want to save £40 a week on food to afford a much-needed home extension.
Gregg and Chris are with a family whose weekly food shopping spend is out of control. The brand-loving Warners from Stratford-upon-Avon have a large family and an enormous food bill, but with a home renovation underway, every penny counts.
MasterChef judge Gregg Wallace and greengrocer Chris Bavin spy on Maidenhead couple the Stantons, who turn out to be spontaneous shoppers - not only do they have no list and buy a lot of pre-chopped fruit and vegetables, they also don't purchase frozen food - and it seems that everything three-year-old daughter Sophia points to goes in the trolley. Gregg and Chris set to work swapping some of their favourite brands and showing them the benefits of using their freezer. Will they save enough money to get the dream holiday they deserve?
Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin are in Newport with the Scott-Dent family, who are addicted to freezer food. They are a busy family who hardly ever cook from scratch and are throwing away a fortune in food every week. They desperately need to get their spending under control so that they can save for their first family home.
Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin are in Sutton Coldfield to help the Saini family, who are seduced by supermarket offers and overindulge on snacks and sweet treats. This snack-obsessed vegetarian family will even eat crisps with a traditional Indian meal! Gregg and Chris have their work cut out. Can they help the family not only have a healthier and more balanced diet but also save money?
Gregg and Chris are with the Austen family from Sussex, tackling the highest expenditure on food they've ever encountered. Mum Denise has recently had to give up work, which means the family income has reduced by a third, and yet she still raids the supermarket like she's earning her old salary. The family are guilty of stockpiling food to the point where they can't open the fridge door without items falling out. On top of that, they're utterly devoted to high-end brands, and their shop needs to include gluten-free items as Denise has been medically diagnosed with coeliac disease.
Gregg and Chris are with the Parsons family in Hatfield, Hertfordshire with a unique challenge. Mum Clare and dad Richard both juggle work with looking after two young kids, six-year-old Aston and Ava, who's four, so they've found themselves in a rather unusual rut. In an effort to save time, the family have devised a weekly meal plan that's hardly changed in seven years.
Gregg and Chris come to the aid of the Guest family from Loughborough, whose diet of beige convenience food is not only unwholesome - it's also frighteningly expensive. Mum Lisa is desperate to make her family healthier but is going about it in all the wrong ways, buying into costly superfoods rather than good old-fashioned fruit and veg.
Gregg, Chris and Hala come to the aid of the very busy Butler family from Wales. Teachers Neil and Angela have two daughters with very different eating habits. 17-year-old Ffion is a disabled swimmer, born with one arm. She trains twice a day and hopes to represent Britain at the 2020 Paralympics. Ffion is a meat-loving athlete, whereas 16-year-old Alice is a committed vegetarian who usually ends up eating a different microwave meal from the rest of the family. Add to that Angela's love of pre-prepared, premium-brand products, and their shopping bill has become out of control. Can Gregg and Chris teach these teachers how to change their bad shopping habits?
Gregg and Chris are in Chelmsford, Essex to help the Thomas family, a couple whose completely different shopping styles are causing arguments in the supermarket aisles. Newlyweds Mandy and Adie have four children between them. Brand-loving Mandy admits to having 'champagne taste with a lemonade income' - she never says no to the kid's food requests and, as a result, they go through 70 bags of branded crisps a week. Adie, however, thinks budget versions are just as good. Mandy also relies on convenience microwave meals whereas Adie likes to cook from scratch, leaving this couple completely at loggerheads. Can Gregg and Chris help them find a middle ground and potentially save them thousands a year?
Gregg and Chris are in Leicestershire with the Taylor family, whose spending on food has spiralled out of control. Mum Lindsey bakes a cake every day for her family, and her baking obsession, along with a fear of the cupboards being empty and a love of brands, means that this family's food shop is over three times the national average. Daily cakes are not only bad for their budget but also for their health, and so Gregg and Chris introduce some new recipes to shake up the family's bad habits. Nutritionist Hala El-Shafie talks to Gregg and Chris about the best way to buy fruit and veg and what to do when they are past their best, and Chris goes to an egg farm to see how eggs journey from hen to supermarket.
Gregg and Chris are in Hampshire with the Haynes family, whose different tastes mean that they are eating different dinners, causing lots of waste and their food bills to spiral. As Jodie is a childminder, she has lots of mouths to feed in the evening as well as their two young children. Husband Rob is often home late and prefers something spicier than Jodie's child-friendly dinners and so picks up pre-prepared meals for himself. Between the two of them, they are going to the shops 11 times a week and spending over twice the national average
This week, Chris and Gregg journey to Edinburgh to meet the Hoyland family. Dad Derek, who has coeliac disease, has not eaten the same meal as his family for nearly six years, living off salads to avoid any gluten in his diet. Mum Clair is brand obsessed, filling the trolley with frozen convenience food, diet-ready meals and litres of bottled water every week, spending over double the national average for a family of four. Their two children, Connor and Amy, long to sit down as a family and all eat the same meal, but Clair's fear of gluten-free cooking means she cooks three separate meals every day.
Gregg and Chris head to Wandsworth in south London to meet dental nurse Sheena King and her daughter Nila. Work pressures mean that Sheena's go-to is pre-packed convenience food, as well as organic produce, which she believes tastes better than non-organic food. Sheena never makes a shopping list and generally spends three times more than the national average on the weekly shop, and since Nila is a picky eater, Sheena ends up cooking two separate meals every time. Can Gregg and Chris curb Sheena's spending and show her an alternative way of shopping that will satisfy her expensive tastes and Nila's eating habits and save them money along the way?
Gregg and Chris have a challenge on their hands with the Rielly family from Middlesex whose plentiful problems lead them to explore carbohydrates - should we be trying to cut them out of our diet or not? Chris investigates the baffling difference in price between cheap table salt and high-end sea salt to find out if it's ever worth paying more. The Riellys are a busy family with very different eating habits. Dad Adam lives on takeaways whilst mum Stacy cooks three different dinners every night because she and the kids don't like the same foods. 12-year-old Izzy is so fussy she survives on tomato soup and pasta, whilst eight-year-old Harry has type 1 diabetes, so Mum has to count the carbohydrates in everything he eats - not easy when Harry snacks up to eight times a day and is always hungry.
Gregg and Chris are faced with one of their biggest challenges yet. Can they keep the Caan family from Glasgow, mum Tina, dad Ryan and kids Laila, six and Ray, eight away from their favourite takeaways and get them cooking from scratch? Gregg and Chris meet dietician Hala El Shafie to see what's really in some of our most popular takeaways, while Chris investigates what supermarkets are doing to tackle food waste and helps the Caans try and overcome their wasteful ways. Ryan is addicted to food shopping and loves his fridge to be full, but with a weekly visit to the supermarket, a trip to the butchers and top-up shops every other day, this family's food bills are spiralling out of control. When it comes to food, convenience is king in the Caan household with takeaways being a weekly staple, all adding to the cost.
Tourism lecturer Janine is at her wits' end with husband Paul and their two girls, Rosie and Sophia, all of whom prefer snacking on sugary treats to following a healthy diet. Having quit sugar two years ago, Janine's hoping that with a little help, her family can reduce their dependence on the sweet stuff. As the girls are fussy eaters Janine relies heavily on 'quick teas', convenient favourites she knows her children will eat. Janine feeds them separately to her and Paul, but this means she's cooking twice a night and churning out the same old meals. Janine has secondary breast cancer and having exhausted all treatment options on the NHS is now faced with self-funding the drugs she may need in future, and so every penny this family can save really does count.
Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin come to the aid of a Lancashire woman with five daughters, two of whom have Coeliac disease. Her busy routine leaves little time for food shopping, and she is forced to buy for each meal on a daily basis, while her daughters' different dietary needs and schedules mean she is often unable to cook for herself.
Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin head to Derby to help a family of fussy eaters who are stuck in a rut with their eating and shopping habits. Mum Sarah struggles to get her 11-year-old twins Sam and Alex to try new food, and the fussy children live on the same pre-packed ready meals each week. Can Gregg and Chris persuade the twins to change their eating habits?
This time, Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin head to Surrey to help John and Sue Prestwich and their daughters change their eating habits to try and lower their food bills. Mum Sue is in charge of meal times, and can spend hours in the supermarket buying lots of snacks and big brand items, and often has to cook two different dinners a night to keep everyone happy.
Chris and Gregg head to Amersham in Buckinghamshire to visit a former ballet dancer. Single mum Gabrielle proves to be the pair's biggest challenge to date, shopping up to three times a day, seven days a week and spending thousands. She's a shopaholic with a difference! Gabrielle isn't spending the big bucks because she loves doing it, this busy mum is doing everything she can to avoid a big supermarket shopping trip by going multiple times a day to small convenience stores, and daughter Zeeza is at her wits' end.
Gregg and Chris are in Cheshire to help the Saynor family, whose work is taking over their kitchen. Kelly and Justin have been married for four years and have two businesses together, but their successful careers have come at a cost. Work for these two is 24/7 and accompanies them home every evening which means their kitchen table has been taken over by their home computer. As a result the family rarely eat together around the table. Life for the Saynors is fast-paced and often Justin and Kelly miss breakfast and lunch - and dinner is all about speed. When it's not one of two recipes they know they can cook quickly, it's a ready meal, a takeaway or their absolute favourite option, a meal in their local restaurant. Not only is this expensive but it's not a healthy way of eating. If Gregg and Chris can come up with quick, easy, nutritious recipes, this family could start enjoying healthier meals together, but will they get the Saynors to slow down long enough to get back to basics, cooking and dining in rather than eating out?
Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin help the Atkinson family from Blackpool lower their food bill. Michelle and John lives with Gary (22), Liam (19) and Kyle (7), and despite working 50 hours a week, feeding the family has fallen to mum Michelle. However, the two oldest lads earn their own money and prefer to buy takeaways - despite having a fridge full of food. Can the presenters get the family to cut down on the fast food and help work together more at mealtimes?
Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin have a challenge on their hands with Bedford couple the Dyes. Car-part specialist Jon lives on convenience food and crisps while flight attendant Lisa is unable to say no to her daily chocolate cake. They often miss meals, cannot cook properly and their lack of organisation means their shopping bill comes in below the national average. Might this be the first time a family's spending is increased to improve their nutrition?
Part-time administrator Jo and her sons, 14-year-old Zennon and 9-year-old twins Tayon and Zain, are stuck in a food rut. After-school clubs and activities mean the family spend a lot of time out of the house, so when Jo gets everyone home she needs quick meal fixes. Luckily for Jo, her retired mum Denise is always on hand to help - but not with the cooking! Jo and Denise rely on big brands of jarred sauces and pre-prepared freezer food and a lot of snacks. This all comes at a cost, and Jo's much-needed garage conversion has had to be put on hold, meaning Denise is forced to sleep in one of the kid's beds.
Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin are in Newport to help the Howell family, whose busy lifestyle means they are reliant on ready meals and takeaways. Full-time pastors Donna and Robbie are desperate to get their four children to eat nutritious meals that will satisfy them all. Mum Donna is left in charge of the kitchen, but with conflicting schedules and a variety of tastes to satisfy, ready meals and takeaways have become the easy option. With so many people to cater for, can Gregg and Chris get everyone working together, cooking for each other and saving money?
The healthy eating show returns after a two-month break. Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin are in Hertfordshire to help two busy mums - part-time physiotherapist Poppy and teacher Emma. They have three-year-old twins and like many parents, their evenings are ruled by the toddlers, meaning they generally eat whatever they can throw together quickly - and cooking has fallen by the wayside. Can the presenters get Poppy and Emma cooking one nutritious meal a night that they can all eat together and that will not break the bank?
Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin travel to Co Down, Northern Ireland, to help the McKinstry family lower their food bill while also eating healthier. Videographer Gary and teacher Louise regularly buy ready meals from their local butcher. Add this to a weekly supermarket shop and this family of six are spending some serious cash. Gary and Louise want to save money but they also want to lose a few pounds. Can Gregg and Chris wean the family off their expensive pre-made dinners and get their portion sizes under control?
Buckinghamshire fitness instructor and pescatarian Kim is on a one-woman mission to get her lorry-driving husband Martin eating healthily when he is not on the road. But Kim and Martin have two sporty teenage boys who prefer protein-packed meaty meals with plenty of pasta or potatoes. This means Kim ends up cooking at least two meals every night, which is both time consuming and costly. Can Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin bring the family together to eat nutritious, vegetarian meals that would give them more money in their wallets?
This week, Gregg and Chris are in West Sussex to help the Blackman family. There is mum Kate, who works as a nursery practitioner, and her three daughters - 16-year-old Ellie, 11-year-old Charlotte and Annabelle, 9, – and none of them will eat the same thing! With one daughter who is fussy about what she eats and another who is dairy intolerant and avoids gluten, mum Kate is cooking four separate meals every night and unsurprisingly has fallen out of love with cooking. With Kate feeling guilty for relying on convenience food and takeaways, she has turned to Gregg and Chris for help. Can they bring the joy back into Kate’s kitchen and stop her reaching for those convenience foods and takeaways? And can our couple of ex-greengrocers get the girls to fall in love with vegetables?
Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin take on one of their biggest challenges yet: an extremely busy family with fussy children who haven’t eaten the same meal together for over three years. With children who are very particular about what they like and a mum and stepmum who work shifts, this week’s family get pushed to breaking point with their Eat Well for Less? challenge. Recently married couple Jen, an A&E nurse, and Bec, a supervisor and stepmum to Jen’s three children, live in the Welsh town of Bridgend. They love their food and Jen used to love cooking, but family meal times have become a struggle, with none of the children eating the same thing. With ever-changing shift patterns and a lack of time, Jen and Bec opt for ready meals and other convenience foods. Lack of planning and impulse shopping means food is being wasted and their health and finances are being impacted. If they want to fulfil their dream of buying a new home, they need to change their impulse-buying ways. Away from the family, Chris heads to Fareshare, a charity that helps to combat waste by receiving surplus food donations that would otherwise end up in landfill.
This week Gregg and Chris are tackling the biggest spenders ever seen on Eat Well For Less? The Gambling family believe that the more they spend, the better things will taste. Douglas and Angella are self-confessed foodies whose kitchen is stuffed with what they consider top-quality products. However, with a five-year-old and a three-year-old, cooking has taken a back seat and they are increasingly relying on takeaways, sometimes from different restaurants in one evening. They also get a weekly delivery box of pre-measured ingredients that often don’t get used. Not only that, they regularly enjoy eating out and dad loves his coffee shop coffees and pastries. With a total average weekly spend of £430, it’s the most expensive Gregg and Chris have ever seen.
Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin are in Belfast, where they meet Steve Carter, who ever since his wife's death nine years ago has been bringing up his four children alone. But the family are stuck in a food rut, eating ready meals, filling up on snacks and buying expensive protein drinks. Can the experts help Steve provide healthier meals for himself and his kids?
Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin meet the Waltons in Nottinghamshire, a family with a high-sugar diet that is having a serious impact on their health and their bank balance. Couple Rita and Pete have both been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes, and Gregg and Chris are stunned by this couple's serious sugar addiction when they oversee their shopping.
In Bristol, flat-sharing undergraduates Dylan, Ben, Roo and Louis seek advice from Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin on improving their diets. Roo is a Coeliac and Ben a vegetarian, so they shop separately and rarely cook or eat together, and expensive tastes and love of brands mean that they're blowing their student loans on pricey pesto and pasta. Plus, Chris goes to Durham to see what the difference between boxed and bottled wine actually is and dietitian Priya Tew discusses plant-based diets and the potential benefits of eating less meat.
Whilst spending two years in hospital with their young daughter, the Drew's lived off takeaways and freezer food. Can Gregg and Chris help them break these unhealthy habits?
Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin are in Windsor with single mum Holly, who has her hands full looking after her two sons, Spencer, 16, and Fletcher, 11. Caring for Spencer, who has cerebral palsy, leaves Holly little time to cook, and as a result the family have become dependent on microwavable ready meals. Whilst Spencer is happy to eat most foods, Fletcher who has recently been diagnosed with autism, is fussier. He regularly skips meals and, like his mum, relies on sugary snacks to get him through the day. It’s time for this family’s diet to have a nutritional overhaul. Can Gregg and Chris get the family cooking tasty food from scratch and tempt them away from their favourite big brands in order to save enough for a much-needed holiday?
It’s an Eat Well For Less? first, as two single mums team up to help each other out when it comes to food shopping and cooking. Hayley is mum to 12-year-old Jaylen and nine-year-old twins K-Leum and Klynn. During the week this busy single mum joins forces with her friend Megan, who is mum to seven-year-old Max. To help each other out on school days, these mums are trying to work together. Megan does the school run and makes tea for when Hayley gets in from work. It should be the perfect solution, but with the children all liking different things, meal times can be a bit chaotic and Megan is struggling to keep up with everyone’s demands. At the weekends when Megan’s not around, Hayley relies on takeaways to keep everyone happy, but this is costing her a small fortune.
Kim and Alex have called in Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin to help get their parents' diets back on track after an emotionally tough year of family difficulties.
Gregg and Chris are in Bromley reuniting a family with their kitchen. Bored of dad James’s cooking, the Winbournes often eat out, but now they want to learn some kitchen skills.
Gregg and Chris visit a young family with very different tastes in food. Husband Ajaz loves spiced-up red meat, but wife Aliyah prefers milder flavours, so they never eat the same meal.
Gregg and Chris head to Cardiff to meet a family who are stuck in a food rut due to their seven-year-old son’s serious food allergies.
Chris and Jordan help a family with triplets start cooking from scratch, so that they will waste less food and be able to save money.
Chris and Jordan help a family of serial snackers who love a takeaway. Can they get them enjoying the same meal, cut down their snacking and save them money?
Chris and Jordan help a family with different tastes come together at mealtimes, eating more fruit and veg, fewer snacks and one meal for all.
Chris and Jordan help convenience-loving parents who need to give their health a kick-start. They need to start planning their meals so they can cut down on food waste and takeaways.
This week, Chris and Jordan are in Manchester, helping a convenience-loving family. Gaz and Amina work in social services and are parents to five-year-old Lincoln and four-year-old Elita.
Chris and Jordan meets a family with different diets and tastes. Can they help them come together to plan and eat the same meals and save some of their hard-earned cash?
In this festive edition, Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin don their Santa hats and help one family save money and time without scrimping on indulgence this Christmas. From banking on big brands to overbuying, it's the one time of year when we go all out, but how can you put on the perfect party without breaking the bank? Does it make a difference where you buy that all-important turkey? Who makes the best mince pies? Can you really tell your champagne from your cava? And how can you make leftovers the star of the show?
