Cost of living: Chip shop's £1 meal for struggling families

Just one of the £1 children's meals on offer to families struggling with money

A chip shop owner who offers £1 children's meals to struggling families said she has been overwhelmed by demand.

Mel's Chippy in Penygroes, Carmarthenshire, has run the offer since the start of the summer holidays.

Owners Sarah and Mel Lewis said they had served more than 250 cut-price dishes in just under one month.

Customers and other businesses have also contributed money and food to help keep the scheme going.

Having already ladled out free soup last October, seasoned community worker Mrs Lewis, 48, said she knew the time was right for a follow-up.

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"It's mad. We never expected the take-up to be so crazy," she added.

"This is an area with a higher than average amount of families whose little ones receive free school meals," said the mother-of-six.

"So those six weeks off can be really tough on those mums and dads who might be having a hard time making ends meet.

"And, with less council-run help initiatives on the go than during Covid, we're just trying to make things a little bit easier for people."

"Kids can just pop in and say they want a £1 meal and that's just what they'll get," says Sarah Lewis, who runs the chip shop with her husband Mel

She said she was careful to avoid the social stigma that can come with certain types of food aid and wanted this "to be as easy going as possible, with no red tape or forms to fill out".

"Kids can just pop in and say they want a £1 meal and that's just what they'll get."

Mrs Lewis does her best to make sure her budget menu constantly changes "because I see the same faces more or less every single day throughout the holidays I try to make sure they aren't getting chips all the time".

As well as the takeaway staple, she offers pasta, curry and rice, and meatballs and mash, as well as a piece of fruit and a drink with each meal.

"I just hope little initiatives like this, where everyone clubs together, can create a ripple effect and influence those in power to implement change for the better," she added.

Cost of living schemes across Wales

Other similar schemes are being run elsewhere in the country.

Last summer the Ivor Hael Hotel in Llwynypia, Rhondda Cynon Taf, introduced 50p meals for families finding it hard to cope during the cost-of-living crisis.

Pub staff provided frozen meals ready to take home to anyone with a voucher from a food bank.

Similarly, the Bloom Inn in Skewen, Neath Port Talbot, offered "no questions asked" free hot meals throughout the school summer holidays to help ease the bite of the financial crisis.

How can I save money on my food shop?

• Look at your cupboards so you know what you have already

• Head to the reduced section first to see if it has anything you need

• Buy things close to their use-by-date which will be cheaper and use your freezer. Although some retailers have scrapped use-by dates on certain products

Read more tips here

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