Christians Against Poverty (CAP), a specialist debt counselling charity in Wrexham, warned today that more than one in three of us are eating less healthily than last year due to food price increases.

Survey results showed that people were turning to cheap, processed foods as the financial crisis gathers pace.

CAP, which opened its centre in Wrexham in April last year in partnership with the Community Church in Prices's Lane, Wrexham, commissioned YouGov to carry out the research, with results providing strong evidence the credit crunch is having a profound effect on people's finances and lifestyle.

CAP claims more than half (53 per cent) of the UK's population believe their finances are now in a worse state than this time last year with one in five stating their finances were much worse.

They claim nearly half of all 35 to 44 year olds say their diet had deteriorated since last year, as the credit crunch threatens to undo the best efforts of the government to get us to eat more healthily.

In response, the charity has issued its top 10 tips on how to cut down on food expense whilst still eating healthily, with recipes to feed a family of four for £4 also posted on its website www.capuk.org.

Wrexham centre manager Linda Pytches and her team of support workers are also redoubling their efforts to support everyone struggling to make ends meet with the increased expense of food and the worsening economic situation in the Wrexham area.

Linda said: "These results are truly shocking, and there's evidence we are slipping further into financial difficulty as a country.

"Through our local centre in Wrexham we are able to offer hope and a solution to those struggling to make repayments and we are seeing people turn their finances around; there's evidence too that with the right support, guidance and sound financial principles, people can avoid the worst excesses of this economic downturn and work their way out of debt.

"Over the past 18 months we've been able to help many people in the local community, but I'm very aware that so many more still need our help.

"I would urge anyone at all concerned about their finances to contact us through our website or freephone number – 0800 328 0006.

"Our service is completely free and we work with all members of the local community, regardless of faith, so please contact us."


How to save on your food bills

1. Eat seasonally – fruit and veg that is in season is cheaper.

2. Cook in large batches and freeze portions – e.g. big stew or pasta salad, chilli con carne, soup etc.

3. Plan meals – make a shopping list – eg if you buy a pot of cream, plan enough meals that use it so that it doesn't go off before it's finished – less wastage.

4. Shop at a farmer's market.

5. Grow your own veg where possible – e.g. mushroom. Compost is cheap and easy.

6. Make from scratch as much as possible.

7. Make your own smoothies as a cheap substitute to soft drinks. Buy fruit when it's on offer. Cheap blender – for about £8.

8. Buy the less typical cuts of meat – e.g. brisket/silverside of beef, or even offal (liver etc), and just cook for a long time.

9. Try vegetarian cooking. Soups are cheap and easy. You can buy a pack of stew vegetables eg couple of carrots, a parsnip, onions, swede, which you can cook with salt and pepper and stock to make a soup. Adding potato makes it filling. Have for dinner with bread – cheap and perfectly filling. Cheaper than meat.

10. If you can't live without meat, use less than you normally would and use lentils or tins of beans to pad out eg kidney beans, butter beans or mixed bean salad.


Do you have any advice for people struggling to cope during the credit crunch?

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