Cook these: Three thrifty - but tasty – recipes to make for the family tonight

We all do it, plump for the shop-bought baguette rather than the home-stuffed pitta, put the 'on-offer' big name choccie biscuits in the trolley, even though the own-brand ones taste identical and are still a quid less than the ones on sale.

But instead of sweeping an aisle's worth of BOGOF deals and ready meals into your basket, there is another way.

Gregg Wallace and Chris Bavin are back with a fourth instalment of Eat Well For Less?, the BBC One series in which the duo - both foodies and long-time greengrocers - meet with families struggling to manage their food bills.

The plan is simple: To improve people's nutritional knowledge and discover how shopping habits affect what we eat and how much it costs.

"Originally it was supposed to be looking at the difference in price between food stuffs. So we started with fish and chips, and why they should be £10 in a chippy and £30 in a restaurant. That fascinated me," says Wallace, 52, explaining why he first got involved with the show. "The biggest thing I've learnt is what a huge cookery skill shortage there is across the UK, and how many people rely on convenience foods. I find it troubling."

The series' accompanying book, Eat Well For Less - Family Feasts On A Budget, written by Jo Scarratt-Jones, sets out to combat that reliance.

Packed with practical meal planning ideas and tips, it features cut-out-and-keep shopping lists and menu plans, as well as conversion charts and details on how long to store stuff in the fridge and freezer for before it goes mushy or mouldy.

Then there are the recipes, all designed to be wallet-friendly staples that, when it comes to the final scraps and leftovers, families will (lovingly) fight over.

For MasterChef judge Wallace growing up, his favourite family meal was "always Sunday roast at my grandmother's. My grandmother was by far the best cook in the family", while Bavin's top childhood meals have continued into adulthood. "When I was growing up, we had several meals on rotation and my favourite meals were sausage and mash and spaghetti Bolognese - still both firm favourites," he shares.

Off screen, Wallace says the impact of making the programme and learning the art of brand swapping has led to a game of sorts between him and his Italian wife, Anne. "My wife, who does the shopping now, buys different brands to see if I notice!"

For Bavin, 36, who also presents Tomorrow's Food with Dara O Briain, it's helped restructure his week as well as his cupboards. "We, like so many families, favoured some big brands and now we buy hardly any. We also try to sit down as a family every Sunday and plan our meals for the following week."

Their main aim though is to extinguish the belief, understandably held by lots of people who have too little time and too many mouths to feed, that cooking is just another chore - "like ironing or hoovering," notes Wallace, "and not in any way fun or something that could bring the whole family together.

"I want [people], more than anything, to realise that good, nutritious and tasty food doesn't have to take time or cost a lot of money."

Bavin adds: "We are all under more time pressure, families are leading busier lives than ever and the window to make a meal is getting smaller. We are also being convinced of the idea that cooking isn't convenient, or is harder than it is, which is where convenience foods and meal solutions come in to save the day - but not our wallets.

"I would love families to try and spend more time cooking and eating together. With a bit of planning, you can save hundreds if not thousands of pounds."

Want to eat well for less? Try one of these three thrifty - but tasty - recipes...

:: BROCCOLI AND PARMESAN PASTA

(Serves 3)

For the pasta:

300g plain wholemeal flour, plus extra for dusting

3 eggs

1tbsp olive oil

1/2tsp sea salt

For the sauce:

180g broccoli, cut into florets and the stem into thick slices

4 tinned anchovies, drained and roughly chopped

3tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

20g Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

First make the pasta. Put the flour into a large bowl, then make a well in the centre. Add the eggs, olive oil and salt to the well and whisk together, then gradually stir in the flour, pulling a little flour in each time you stir the mixture to make a smooth, firm dough.

Flatten the dough into a disc about 1cm thick, then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Unwrap the chilled dough and lay it on a lightly floured work surface, then cut it in half. Roll out each portion of dough to a rectangle about 5mm thick, turning it as you go to ensure you have an even thickness, then roll each portion again to about 2mm thick - the thinner the better. When the pasta is as thin as you can get it, cut it into strips about 3mm wide for tagliatelle, or thinner for linguine.

Hang the pasta strips over a clean broom handle or rolling pin to allow them to dry slightly while you cook the broccoli for the sauce.

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then add the broccoli and cook for four to five minutes until just tender. Drain well, set aside and keep warm.

Bring a separate large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta, return to the boil and cook for three to four minutes until the pasta rises to the surface. Drain in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water, then return the pasta to the pan.

Add the broccoli, anchovies and olive oil to the pasta and toss well to combine. Add about two tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and cook for one minute, stirring as you go. The pasta should be evenly coated in the sauce.

Season to taste, then pile the pasta into serving bowls, sprinkle over the Parmesan and serve immediately.

:: QUICK FISH PIE

(Serves 3)

For the potato topping:

600g potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

40ml semi-skimmed or skimmed milk

40g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

For the fish pie mixture:

25g butter

25g plain flour

400ml semi-skimmed or skimmed milk

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

400g pack fresh or frozen fish pie mix (if frozen, defrost in fridge overnight)

2 carrots, peeled and coarsely grated

2 leeks, washed and diced

To serve:

200g frozen peas

200g frozen sweetcorn

Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas mark 6.

Prepare the potato topping. Put the potatoes into a saucepan and add enough cold water to just cover them. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain the potatoes well, then return to the pan, add the milk and mash together until smooth. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

While the potatoes cook, make the sauce for the fish pie mixture. Put the butter and flour into a small pan and mix together, then cook over a low heat for three to four minutes, stirring, until light golden brown and starting to look slightly grainy. Remove from the heat, gradually stir in the milk, then return to the heat and continue to cook and stir until the sauce starts to bubble and thicken. Simmer gently for a minute or so, stirring, then season to taste.

Put the fish pie mix into an ovenproof dish and mix in the white sauce, followed by the carrots and leeks. Top this with the mashed potato, covering the fish mixture completely. Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top, then transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden brown on top and bubbling.

Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to the boil, then add the peas and sweetcorn and simmer for three to four minutes. Drain well.

Serve the fish pie with the mixed peas and sweetcorn alongside.

:: CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA WITH RICE

(Serves 4)

100g natural yoghurt

1tsp dried chilli flakes

1tsp garam masala

1tsp smoked paprika

1tbsp medium curry powder

1/4tsp sea salt

5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated

500g boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks

2tbsp rapeseed oil

1 onion, diced

1tbsp tomato puree

400g tin chopped tomatoes

300g basmati rice

2tbsp chopped coriander

Tip the yoghurt into a bowl, then add the spices, salt, ginger and garlic and mix really well. Add the chicken and stir until completely coated. If you have the time, cover and place in the fridge overnight, but if not, cover and chill while you saute the veg.

Heat a saute pan until medium hot, then add the rapeseed oil and onion and stir well. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 10 minutes until softened and just coloured, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the tomato puree and cook for one minute, then add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

Add the marinated chicken and all the marinade, stir through, then bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickened slightly, stirring occasionally. You don't want the sauce to boil otherwise the yoghurt will split - just a gentle simmer.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the basmati rice and cook according to the packet instructions until tender, then drain.

Stir the coriander into the sauce and serve the chicken tikka masala with the hot rice.

:: Eat Well For Less - Family Feasts On A Budget by Jo Scarratt-Jones, food photography by photography Howard Shooter, is published by BBC Books, priced £14.99. Available Thursday, June 1

:: Eat Well For Less? begins on BBC One on Wednesday, June 7