Every time he ate a Yorkie he would curse that Nestle had reduced the number of chunks. He was right of course, there used to be 7 and they reduced it to 6. Every consumption of a Crunchie was analysed to the enth degree. I can't repeat what he said when he saw a Curley Wurley in a newsagents but it went along the lines of going to see Cadbury's in person to find out who was responsible.

I now switch off to such rants and raves but unfortunately, he could have hit on something. What do we see in the press today, but proof that branded goods are being packaged differently.

In short, your Pampers nappies or Birdseye peas look the same but you are actually getting less for your money. The National Consumer Council are on the case and feel that we are having the wool pulled over our eyes.

Billy Connelly once said his radio in the kitchen was covered in muesli because he rants so much when the news is on he is always spitting his breakfast out. I must say my paper is now splattered in Ben Shaw's Dandelion & Burdoch (a must for a Monday lunch time) because I am so enraged.

So, firstly, an apology to my husband who is not a consumer anorak but indeed a diligent shopper with an eye for detail. Secondly, where will it all end? Global macro-economic problems are one thing, but taking three cans of Strongbow out of a box of 18 and charging the same is something else entirely.

The squeeze is certainly on, with inflation doubling in the last six months, and city analysts suggesting this is a result of a surge in supermarket prices. For me, the mad trolley dash (to get it over with) round Sainsbury's or Tesco is less of a dash and more of an analytical event these days.

Gone are the days when adding some Tesco Finest or Sainsbury's Taste the Difference can be done without a second thought. I know colleagues and friends are also the same and are spending longer over making purchases.

Now the focus is not just on cost but choosing primary items that can be turned into two or three meals. This may be no bad thing for our diets in terms of salt and fat consumption but it adds pressure on those who have a family to cater for around the commitments of a job and other exciting activities like dragging your three ton wheelie bin down the drive every other Tuesday at 7am!

If you are expecting a solution in this blog you're in for a disappointment. However, I would be keen to hear anyone's views and obviously amazing recipe suggestions on how to 'feed a family for £2.50' would be gratefully received.

I sat with bated breath waiting for the Monday night airing of Despatches on TV, wondering which of our huge industry Sandwich Manufacturers was about to get a very public kicking - I was about to be very disappointed! What had the potential to shake the very foundations of the British Sandwich maker turned out to be a hugely uneventful programme, focussing on a tin pot organisation in the back streets of London servicing a few garage forecourts. And was it really groundbreaking news to any of us that if you order a big whacking Subway loaded with Meatballs and Cheese that it's going to be heavier in calories, salt and fat than a cucumber sandwich on a couple of slices of wholemeal? On the other hand, I did sleep a little sounder, safe in the knowledge that my usual Tesco BLT hadn't been dragged across a factory floor or cross-contaminated with the pest control boxes so I suppose there is a little comfort to be had in the tale. But come on Channel 4, if your going to get us food industry employees all fired up on a Monday night; let's make it worth switching over from Eastenders!

In the constantly inflated climate we find ourselves in at the moment, we all seem to be looking for ways to cut down on the costs of running our households to compensate for spiralling prices on mortgages, fuel, etc., and most of us are looking in the direction of our weekly food shopping bill hoping to make a few savings. But are the major supermarkets really doing all they can to help our money go further? With a branded loaf now tipping the scales at over £1.20 and recent significant increases on basic staples such as eggs, meat and cheese, to name but a few, it would seem that 'every little is not helping' contrary to what television advertising would have us believe!

• Use local resources - I've been buying free-range organic eggs (with lots of double yolkers!) from our local farm shop paying £1 per ½ dozen compared to £2.15 at our local supermarket. The price is almost scandalous in comparison and there is the added benefit of the reduction in my carbon footprint. There are lots of local farm shops selling a range of fresh produce at a fraction of supermarket prices, so well worth giving them a try.


• Use your local butcher - he's a master of his art and in great need of your support and with his meat often at lower prices than the major multiples, there is a definite saving to be had. There's the vast reduction in unnecessary packaging to consider with this option, which again, brings its own benefits. There's also the added bonus of his experience and knowledge, which, for a well below par cook such as me, is always worth its weight in gold!


• Try discount supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl. Most people have shied away from these shops up until now but, although many of the brands are not what we are accustomed to, we should remember that although these discount supermarkets are relatively new to the UK, they are huge major multiples on the continent so have a massive buying power. The quality of their deli meats, cheeses, fresh fruit and vegetables is really good from my experience and the cost savings on basics such as milk, sugar and bread are significant. They also have a 'quick payment policy' in place for their suppliers, which again, gives the benefit of price reductions on branded goods. Give them a try and once you have got used to the 'pack your own bags' theme; you'll see the benefit in your purse maybe.


• Grow your own - I'm not suggesting for a minute that in our hectic lives we should attempt a return to 'the good life' but there's a definite saving to be had on items such as herbs, which retail around 50p in your local garden centre and once unceremoniously shoved in a pot, will give a year after year supply and taste much fresher than the plastic bag variety. Fruits such as rhubarb, raspberries and blackberries, take little if any care once planted and tomatoes are easy even to the most un-green of fingers. And, of course, there's nothing quite like picking your own produce for dinner.