IF you are feeling the squeeze and stuck for meal inspiration, the answer might lie in a tin.
Choosing canned fruit, veg, beef and fish over fresh might save families up to £160 across the summer break, experts say.
Here, we lift the lid on ideas to help.
CAN DO ATTITUDE: Stocking up in the tinned food aisle means that you will always have ingredients on standby.
Even if you are used to buying fresh, having tinned beans, chickpeas, sweetcorn, chopped tomatoes, tuna and corned beef in the cupboard will give you everything you need for instant meals.
MEAT FEAST: A 340g can of Princes corned beef, costing around £3, feeds a family of four and can make an easy bolognese sauce, tasty chilli or a classic corn beef hash.
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You can use tinned new potatoes in the hash, crushing and frying them with the beef, onions and some eggs.
Try adding beans, sweetcorn or canned ratatouille on the side.
TAKE THE PULSE: Tinned pulses add instant goodness and do not need to be soaked.
Knock up a curry for four for less than £4 with cans of chickpeas, potatoes, spinach and curry paste.
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Use tinned lentils to make a vegetarian cottage pie or mix half-and-half with beef mince to make your meat stretch further.
Tinned borlotti or haricot beans cost around 50p and add goodness to an Italian-style sausage stew.
TINNED TREATS: Cans of peaches, apple slices or pineapple rings create instant puddings for around £1.
They will be tasty served on their own with a dash of cream, or with a tin of custard, which is 20p cheaper per 100g than fresh, according to the organisation Love Canned Food.
You can also transform them into desserts, such as pineapple upside down cake or apple crumble.
Try the peach melba cheesecake at lovecannedfood.com using tins of raspberries, peaches and custard.
- All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
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