Nine Places To Get Free And Cheap Food

We’ve all felt the pinch with rising costs of food. Some staples and products have more than doubled in price over the last year. And we’re getting a lot less for our money than we used to. As we’re all trying to save a few pennies, here are some places to get free and cheap food. But remember if you’re really in need look for a local food bank. There’s no shame in needing a bit of extra support.

Cheap food that avoids waste

You’ve probably all heard of Too good to go by now, but it’s a great way to get cheap food and stop items being wasted. Retailers list bags on the app that you can buy up to 24 hours before. The bags are always a mystery, so you don’t know what you’ll get. Then items within the bag will be things close to their use-by date, or items that would otherwise go to waste. Generally the bags are £3-5 and the value can range from £10 upwards.

Lots of chain retailers such as Greggs, Starbucks, Costa and Wenzels are on the app as well as more local independent places. There’s also supermarkets and grocers like Morrisons and Spar, and even takeaways/ restaurants like Pizza Hut and Toby Carvery.

I’ve had a few bags over the years from the retailers mentioned above. Sometimes the bags are great and I love everything, other times they’re things I don’t like so I pass them on.

Both free and cheap food

There are a bunch of food apps such as Shopmium and CheckoutSmrt that will pay you to buy particular products. Sometimes you’ll get £1 back when you purchase, or 50% of the value. But sometimes you can even get items for free.

The items are generally new products that companies want people to try, and then hopefully continue buying. You just buy the product as normal at the shop listed. Then when you get home you scan your receipt and the item you bought on the app. Once verified you’ll be refunded with the listed amount. I’ve had money back through Shopmium on cheese, pizza, chocolate, cat treats and so much more.

If you sign up for Shopmium you’ll be able to claim a free share bag of Cadburys Buttons. And you’ll have access to all the offers and freebies on the website. Claim your free chocolate here.

Cheap food with subscription trials

Companies that offer food subscriptions such as Gousto and Hello Fresh usually offer welcome bonus’. So if you’re looking to save some money while trying some yummy food you can sign up. Once the trial period is over and it goes to full price you can choose to cancel your subscription or pause it on a week-by-week basis.

We used Gousto for about a year when we first moved in as it helped us try new meals and forced us to cook. There are some recipes that we still use 5+ years later. At the moment you get 65% off your first box and 20% off any further boxes in your first two months. Register with my referral for cheaper Gousto deliveries.

Free items to avoid waste

Olio is a great app to both receive and give away free items. People can list items to give away and you can message and arrange to collect it if you’re local. Generally the app is used for fresh products that would go bad otherwise. For example we have used it to list items before we go on holiday that would get chucked out anyway.

It’s not just food though, I have listened unopened cat food that our boys didn’t like. And I even listed 8 rolls of turf that we overbought and would only last a few days.

If you’re struggling, don’t have much money to buy food, or just don’t want items to go to waste keep checking the app for items in your local area.

Free one off treats

By signing up to rewards programmes and loyalty schemes you can pick up a few freebies. And all three of these ones will also give you another freebie on your birthday, so make sure to add your date of birth when you sign up.

Sign up to the Krispy Kreme rewards programme– you get a free doughnut when you sign up and you can earn points on all spends.

Claim your free drink from Greggs– by signing up you get a free hot drink straight away.

Join the Costa Coffee loyalty club– when you sign up you get one free coffee bean and then an extra five when you make your first purchase. You only need 8 of them to redeem a free drink.

Cheap food if you’re going out to eat

There are quite a few ways you can get both free and cheap food when you eat out.

Most chain restaurants have their own apps or mailing lists, and generally when you sign up you’ll get a freebie bonus. For example if you sign up with Pizza Express you get a free portion of dough balls. And who can turn down dough balls?!

If you eat out fairly often, even just once every few months it may be worth getting a Tastecard. There are lots of 2 for 1 offers when you eat out (mainly during the week) and you can save a lot of money this way.

Do you have any other free and cheap food options to check out?