Veg Power And Food Foundation Launch ‘Eat Well For Less’ Campaign

Veg Power and The Food Foundation have joined forces to launch a nationwide campaign helping families maintain healthy diets as rising food costs continue to squeeze household budgets.

The Eat Well for Less initiative offers practical advice for making affordable, nutritious and filling foods — including fruit, vegetables, beans and pulses — a regular part of everyday meals.

Developed in consultation with Felix, Hubbub’s Community Fridge Network, Feeding Britain, The Bread and Butter Thing and FoodCycle, the campaign will distribute resources through schools, nurseries, local authorities, food banks, pantries, community kitchens and other community projects across the UK.

The launch comes as 85% of households report being concerned about escalating food costs. Research commissioned by The Food Foundation found that fresh produce is frequently among the first items cut from household shopping during periods of financial pressure.

According to the research, 65% of food-insecure households are buying less fruit, while 55% are purchasing fewer vegetables. As of July 2026, 6.5 million adults and 2.2 million children across the UK were facing food insecurity.

The campaign’s resources include a digital flyer containing practical, budget-friendly advice and a poster designed for display in communal spaces. Video content and expert guidance cover meal planning, batch cooking strategies from The Batch Lady, frozen vegetable tips from Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and food waste reduction advice from Tom Hunt.

Families will also be able to access recipes and suggested food swaps intended to help stretch household budgets further.

Dan Parker, Chief Executive of Veg Power, said: “With 85% of households concerned about escalating food costs, fresh produce is frequently among the first food items people cut back on. To address this, we’ve partnered with several key organisations to assist families and individuals across the UK in eating well affordably.

“As a not-for-profit dedicated to enhancing dietary health, our goal in offering this friendly, practical guidance is to make the five-a-day target achievable for all, encouraging greater consumption of vegetables, fruit, and beans both now and in the future.”

Leon Ballin, Place-based Food Systems Manager at The Food Foundation, said: “The Food Foundation believes everyone deserves to eat the food they enjoy, and that is also healthy and affordable. The Eat Well for Less resources have been designed for all families in mind and will provide support to help them shop, cook and eat, keeping their family satisfied and nourished while being mindful of the impact to budgets.”

Mark Breen MacCormick, Head of Food at Hubbub, said its network of more than 750 community fridges welcomed over 700,000 visitors last year and shared more than 11,000 tonnes of surplus food — the equivalent of 27 million meals.

He added: “Beans and pulses are a brilliant example of what we champion: they're affordable, filling and endlessly versatile, from beans on toast to a banging curry. We're proud to support Eat Well for Less in helping communities eat well without breaking the bank.”

The initiative forms part of the wider Bang In Some Beans campaign, which aims to double the UK’s consumption of beans and pulses over the next three years.

Led by The Food Foundation alongside Veg Power and Kent University Students’ Union, the project has received almost £1.4 million from The National Lottery Community Fund. It seeks to encourage healthier, more sustainable dietary habits while reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with food consumption.

The Eat Well for Less flyer is available online, with further information and resources on the Simply Veg website.