As the credit crunch bites and food prices spiral, smart slimmers at Slimming World in Poole have found a way to save ££££s, eat more healthily, and lose weight into the bargain!

Households across the UK are struggling to make ends meet, with the price of a weekly shopping basket rising by 10% over the past year. Sam Allen, who runs a Slimming World group in the Moose Hall, Jolliffe Road, Poole says: “We keep reading about the credit crunch, but members in my group are saying that they’re actually spending less on their weekly shop now than they were before they joined Slimming World. Thanks to our emphasis on simple, everyday ingredients and the great budget-busting tips we share in group, they’re slashing their food bills – and eating more healthily too.”

Out go high-priced takeaways, expensive ready meals and faddy diet foods – instead they’re cooking great-value family meals from scratch, one of the best ways to make your household budget go further. Sam says: “Our members can cook a quick and easy chilli, for instance, that feeds a family of four for under £4 – you can’t possibly buy a ready meal to match that, and our version is low in fat and only takes minutes to make. Every week in group we swap recipes, share tips on which supermarkets have the best bargains, or how to turn leftovers into tasty meals, and everyone’s buzzing with recipes and money-saving ideas – and they’re losing weight wonderfully!”

Many Slimming World members report that they are spending less on food since joining the group and 75% have influenced their whole family to eat more healthily. They buy more fresh fruit and veg, eat fewer sugary and fatty foods, and fewer ready meals. “Slimming World members find that healthy family eating needn’t cost more,” says Sam. “In fact, with great budget saving tips from Slimming World you can feed the whole family healthily, eat to satisfy your appetite and still lose weight. Food Optimising is a practical healthy balanced diet that doesn’t break the bank and lets you eat the food you want whatever your budget.”

Here are Slimming World’s Poole Day Group members’ top tips for savvy – and healthy – shopping on a budget.

SLIMMING WORLD’S TOP BUDGET BUSTING TIPS

1. Shop late in the day; most supermarkets slash the prices on fresh goods late in the day, up to 50% after 5pm and 75% after 7pm. Freeze anything that’s near to its sell-by date til you’re ready to use it.

2. Plan your meals, make a shopping list and stick to it – shopping online can really help because you’re not distracted as you push your trolley down the aisles.

3. Buy food in season, it usually means that supplies are plentiful which means that prices fall. Use local markets too – fruit and veg cost a lot less than in supermarkets.

4. Downshift your brand – invented by money saving expert Martin Lewis – is the idea that you buy one brand below what you would usually buy. Supermarket own labels are great value.

5. Cook more meals from scratch. According to respected website, netmums.com, “Cooking meals from basic ingredients makes a big difference to your weekly spend, especially if you're used to buying pre-packed ready meals. It gives you more control over your budget and you can opt for cheaper and healthier ingredients.”

For more information on Sam's morning group, contact her on 01202 518557 or samjallen@yahoo.co.uk