Eat Well for Less? - Season 8

Chris Bavin has a new partner by his side - dancer, radio presenter and busy father of two, Jordan Banjo. They head to Scotland to meet Karen and taxi driver Andy, who live near Glasgow and are parents to five-year-old triplets Alyssia, Poppy and Caleb. Two years ago, they were given the devastating news that Caleb had an aggressive brain tumour. Caleb spent a year in chemotherapy, and at the end of 2019 his first treatment was complete. Then Covid-19 hit, and in the middle of the pandemic, Caleb relapsed. Karen and Andy were initially told that nothing could be done, but now Caleb is now trialling a new chemotherapy drug, which he takes twice a day.

With so much going on with Caleb and the frequent hospital visits, it's understandable that cooking and eating routines have fallen by the wayside. Karen and Andy shop with the intention of cooking meals, but then life takes over, and they reach for anything that is quick and convenient. Relying on ready meals and quick fixes means lots of the food that Karen planned to cook ends up in the bin. She also worries a lot about the safety of food, which leads to more food waste. Karen is also on a mission to get fit so that she can do charity runs, and is training most days. She has started buying pricey protein products, but these come with a hefty price tag. Meanwhile, Andy is filling up on fizzy drinks, sometimes getting through three litres a day. Having been hit hard by the pandemic, Karen and Andy urgently need to rein in their spending. Can Chris and Jordan get them back on track and saving some much-needed cash?

In our Eat Well kitchen, Chris and Jordan look at the difference between use by and best before dates, Chris gets Jordan to join him in a taste test like no other, and Jordan shows Chris how to make a simple sweet treat that uses up what so many of us throw out.

This time, Chris Bavin and Jordan Banjo are helping a family of five from West Drayton. Liston and Preety Clarke are parents to 15-year-old Teyha, eight-year-old Jorja and seven-year-old Dylan. Being of Indian heritage, Preety feels her culture and upbringing has influenced how they shop. With a well-stocked pantry, food is readily available, but planning meals and getting everyone to eat the same food is where she faces her biggest challenge. The kids love to snack on sweet treats, and with a pantry full of temptation, it's hard to resist. Filling up on snacks means they often refuse to eat the healthy food Preety cooks for them. For an easy life and to keep everyone happy, she often resorts to meals she knows they'll eat – takeaways! Fast food and sugary snacks aren't great, but for Preety it's more serious as she has diabetes. It's a condition that runs in the family, and she worries that the children will follow in her footsteps. The overflowing pantry, mountains of snacks and regular takeaways are all adding up, and with the family now having to get by on one salary, they need help to get their spending and eating habits under control.

Chris tackles the children's snacking habits and uses shock tactics to show Preety and Liston just how much sugar the kids consume. Jordan wants to get the kids eating more veg and hopes his rainbow pizza will convince them. In the Eat Well kitchen, Jordan reveals some surprising facts about the sugar content of some of our favourite toast toppings, and Chris shows Jordan a great recipe he's sure the Clarke family would enjoy, honeycomb pasta cake.

Chris and Jordan face a big challenge when they meet a family from Suffolk who are divided at dinner time. Katy is grandma to ten-year-old Ruby and eight-year-old Toby. Sadly, Katy's daughter died three and half years ago, and it's been Katy and the grandchildren ever since. Katy's entire life changed, and her focus now is on making sure the children have happy and healthy lives. The family home is a harmonious place to be, until mealtimes. The kids have very different tastes, which means a constant battle for Katy. Ruby eats most things but doesn't like fruit, whereas Toby does like fruit but hates vegetables. It's not just the kids who are particular about what they eat. Katy has gluten and dairy intolerances and would like to be veggie. She tries her best to ensure the children are eating a healthy, balanced diet, but the constant disagreement over food means she ends up giving in and cooking separate meals. As well as all this, they love to snack, and Katy is partial to a takeaway coffee. This means their spending is adding up, and Katy needs help to get back on track. Can Chris and Jordan find a dinner they all like and save them money?

In Devon, Chris visits a tofu producer to find out how it's made, and in our Eat Well kitchen Chris and Jordan look at different gluten-free foods and how much they cost. Jordan shows Chris how to make vegetarian and gluten- and lactose-free toad in the hole.

Chris and Jordan are in the West Country, in the town of Trowbridge. Lucy-Kate and Leon are parents to 8-year-old Gabriel, who has cerebral palsy. With some form of therapy happening every day, their schedule is extremely hectic, and finding time for family meals is proving impossible. Lucy-Kate ensures Gabriel has a well-balanced diet filled with nutritious fruit and veg, but she and Leon don't pay the same attention. Self-confessed emotional eaters, they often find themselves exhausted at the end of the day, which leads to them either snacking or resorting to takeaways - sometimes up to three times a week! A lack of meal planning means food waste is also a problem. This haphazard eating is not only hugely costly, but it's also impacting on mealtimes, as Gabriel would love them all to sit and eat together at the table. Can Chris and Jordan get to the bottom of this family's busy schedule and topsy-turvy eating habits, bring them together at mealtimes and save them money?

Chris and Gabriel make a tasty carbonara with Gabriel's favourite vegetable, broccoli. Jordan wants to help Lucy-Kate fall back in love with cooking and shows her a quick, easy and nutritious meal that the whole family can enjoy. Jordan talks Chris through calories and shows him how some meals can look similar but have a very different calorie content. Chris shows Jordan how to make a smoked haddock and mashed potato scotch egg, something he thinks would be a huge snack hit with families up and down the country.

Eat Well for Less? is back, but this time Chris Bavin has a new partner by his side: dancer, radio presenter and busy dad of two Jordan Banjo. Our dynamic duo are tackling some of the nation's biggest spenders, overhauling their nutrition and helping them find quick, tasty and healthy meals. The Great British public have their say as the pair travel the country taste-testing different food and drink. Can they prove that we can all Eat Well for Less?

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. Juggling busy jobs means evenings in the Whites' house are a tale of two teatimes. Lincoln and Elita get a delicious and nutritious home-cooked meal, whereas Gaz and Amina end up opting for pricey convenience food or takeaways. This lack of planning and reliance on expensive quick fixes is costing them time and money. Can Chris and Jordan get them cooking one meal for all and help them save some of their hard-earned cash?

The family's kitchen is taken over and their usual foods replaced with different brands disguised in plain packaging. Most are cheaper, some are the same, and some may be more expensive to challenge them to try new foods.

Chris wants to prove to Amina that she doesn't have to spend on premium ready meals, and that cooking from scratch can be quick! Jordan's mission is to convince Gaz that he can make his own delicious alternative to his lunchtime meal of choice: a cheese and onion pasty.

Chris visits Europe's largest vertical farm in Scunthorpe to look at the possible future of farming. Bristol Rovers Extra Time club taste-test five different types of bran flakes to see which one they prefer.

The White family think that buying fresh is always best. Jordan visits Chris in the Eat Well kitchen to find out if that's always the case. Chris gets to try a recipe that packs a punch and that Jordan thinks would be a winner with the Whites.

Can the boys get the White family all eating the same meal, enjoying more quality family time together and saving them money?

Chris and Jordan are in the south west, just outside the city of Bath, with the Forsyths, a busy family in need of a mealtime miracle. Richard is a freelance writer, and Helen runs her own marketing agency. They are parents to 13-year-old Eddie and 10-year-old Elsa. Like a lot of working parents, they struggle to find a work-life balance. Richard works from home and is usually responsible for dinners, but it's a job he dreads, as the family all have different dietary needs.

Richard is a meat eater, Helen is vegan, and both children are vegetarian. Finding something they can all eat is impossible, so Richard relies on convenience food that he knows the kids will eat. When Helen gets home from work, she also heads for quick vegan convenience food. This lack of meal planning and reliance on quick fixes is costing them time and money, and after being hit hard by the pandemic, they want to get to grips with their spending. But Richard and Helen have lost their love of cooking and find it a chore. Chris wants to prove it is possible to cook quick and delicious meals and bring the fun back to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Jordan's mission is to get Eddie and Elsa in the kitchen and show them they can take some of the pressure off Dad by making their own quick and easy snacks.

Does food being plant-based mean it's a healthy choice? Chris visits Jordan in the Eat Well kitchen to find out. Chris rustles up a plant-based dish for Jordan that he thinks all the Forsyths would enjoy.