At The Fox And Goose in Fressingfield, chef Paul Yaxley said: "I think a lot of people need to go back to basics and cook from scratch. Get out a Delia Smith book."

He said making food in bulk and then freezing what you do not use immediately, is cheaper than making smaller portions of food.

Mr Yaxley also advised that shopping locally on a more regular basis results in less food being wasted.

"To jazz things up you don't need expensive ingredients," he said. "Use fresh basil, parsley or tarragon which will go with everything."

To save on energy bills, he advised cutting vegetables into smaller pieces so they cook quicker and making stir-fries which require a short cooking period.

At Fredrick's Fine Foods in Diss, Freddie Jones said: "Look to buy cheaper cuts of meat for slow cooking, such as neck, shin and belly of pork."

He suggested buying food from stalls at the side of the road, and picking fruit, including blackberries from the bushes, to make a healthy and tasty dessert.

Karen Nethercott, who runs a farm shop and rears rare breed pigs and sheep on her farm, said: "Buy cheaper cuts of meat instead of loin like belly or shoulder, and go for British things, as local as possible."

She advised slow cooking large pieces of meat with vegetables, which can provide a hearty meal over a few evenings.

She also said that pulses, including belotti beans, and root vegetables such as swede are nutritional foods which are cheap, filling and can bulk up casseroles and stews or stocks.

"More often than not you go into a supermarket and buy more than you want," she said.

"If you do go, take a basket instead of a trolley."

One last tip – which can sometimes be difficult to resist – avoid two-for-one offers and think about whether you really need the extra food or not.