Your guide to free & discounted kids' meals this summer holiday

Summer's here, and for many UK families that means excitement mixed with a little bit of stress! While we all look forward to more family time and sunny days, keeping the kids busy and entertained for weeks can definitely be a challenge. This guide is here to help ease that pressure by showing you all the different ways you can get free or discounted food and drink for your children over the summer holidays.

• Summer holiday key dates
• Restaurant deals during the summer holidays
• Supermarket & cafe deals during the summer holidays
• Beyond the deals: Support programmes for families

UK summer holidays 2025 key dates

The discounts and food deals reflect the dates of the summer break. Please check your local school holiday dates as they vary across UK nations and regions. You can easily do this on your child's school or local website.

The typical summer holiday periods for 2025 are as follows but may vary by about a week:

Kids eat free (or for £1!) at your favourite food spots

Numerous restaurants, pubs, and cafes across the UK are offering enticing deals for families this summer, making dining out more affordable. While the specifics of each offer can vary, it’s highly likely you’ll have to purchase an adult meal to qualify. Be sure to check the terms and conditions of your chosen restaurant before visiting.

And a heads-up about many of the promotions at places such as Harvester, Las Iguanas, TGI Fridays, Burger King, Beefeater, and Brewers Fayre: they often include a digital step, like downloading an app, signing up for a newsletter, or using a loyalty card. So remember your phone!

Here is a comprehensive list of establishments offering free or discounted meals for children:

Supermarket & café savings and deals

Beyond traditional restaurants and pubs, supermarket cafes and other retail outlets have a great range of options for budget-friendly meals. These establishments frequently offer deals with low or no adult spend requirements, making them a great resource for families on tighter budgets.

Supermarket deals – like Asda's £1 meal (no adult spend) or Tesco's free meal (60p adult spend) – are a more accessible and reliable choice for families who are on a budget.

Here’s an overview of the cafés where you can find a deal:

Beyond the deals: Essential support programmes for families

In addition to commercial offers, several government and community-led initiatives provide vital support to families during the school holidays, addressing broader food security and wellbeing needs.

The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme

The government-funded Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme offers healthy meals, enriching activities, and free childcare to eligible children during school holidays, promoting their health, wellbeing, learning, and social development. Primarily targeting school-aged children receiving Free School Meals, it also supports up to 15% of vulnerable non-FSM children.

Vouchers for Summer 2025 are expected around June 23rd via email or text from hello@holidayactivities.com, and are required for registration. Families should check their local council's website or child's school for specific eligibility and booking procedures, which vary by district. Local authorities provide the equivalent of six weeks of HAF provision across holidays, with summer typically offering 12-16 days of face-to-face sessions, each including a warm meal.

Early booking is advised due to popularity, and cancellations should be made if plans change. The programme is nationally funded but locally implemented, leading to variations in activities, booking processes, and availability, requiring parents to actively research their local council's system. Vouchers are district-specific but transfers can be requested before booking.

Free school meal holiday payments

Some local councils provide direct payments or vouchers to families whose children are eligible for benefit-related free school meals, specifically to cover holiday periods. This form of support offers direct financial relief, providing families with greater autonomy and flexibility in how they spend money on food, unlike commercial offers that often limit choices to specific venues or menu items. This direct financial assistance is a critical distinction for addressing broader household food security needs.

The way this is executed may vary by location, and what the local councils in your area may wish to offer. For instance, in some boroughs, eligible families will receive two vouchers during the 2025/26 academic year. The first, issued in July 2025, will cover the Easter and Whitsun holidays (backdated) and the six-week summer holiday, totaling £90 (nine weeks at £10 per week). A second voucher will be issued in December 2025 for the October half-term (backdated), Christmas, and February half-term holidays, amounting to £40 (four weeks at £10 per week).

Eligibility and application processes for these payments vary by local authority. As an example in some areas, qualification typically involves an annual income below £16,190 (for Child Tax Credit only recipients) or receipt of specific benefits like Universal Credit, provided the net earned income is below £616 per month.

It’s important to be aware that application deadlines are crucial for this to ensure timely issuance. Families should consult their local council's website for precise details. It is also important to note that the level of support provided by these programmes can be subject to changes in government funding.

Community food initiatives & wider support

Beyond formal government programmes, a robust network of community and corporate support helps address helping families during the holidays. Local food banks, such as those operating under the Trussell Trust, and various community groups often provide family food parcels, organise lunch clubs, or offer free meals during school breaks. Families can use the websites of these organisations to locate services in their vicinity.

Major retailers also contribute to broader community food initiatives. Tesco, for example, extends its support beyond its cafe deals through several programmes:

• Pre-filled donation bags: Available in large stores for £2–£3, these bags contain healthy, long-life food items that customers can purchase and donate. The contents are then distributed by charities like FareShare and Trussell to families in need across the UK.
• Grants for schools: Tesco supports schools running holiday breakfast and lunch clubs by providing £200 gift cards to those participating in its Fruit and Veg for Schools programme.
• Round up at the till: During specific periods, customers can opt to round up their bill to the nearest pound at checkout, with the collected funds split between FareShare and Trussell.

Smart saving tips for a stress-free summer

Beyond taking advantage of specific deals and support programmes, families can implement several practical strategies to manage their food budgets effectively throughout the summer holidays:

• Plan meals and snacks: Developing a meal plan for the week can help reduce impulse purchases and food waste.
• Utilise loyalty schemes and coupons: Actively engaging with supermarket loyalty programmes and seeking out digital or paper coupons can lead to significant savings on groceries.
• Cook at home: Preparing meals at home is generally more cost-effective than dining out. Batch cooking larger portions can save time and money by providing leftovers for subsequent meals.
• Simple, budget-friendly snacks: Opt for affordable and nutritious snack options such as popcorn, frozen fruit, toasties, and vegetable sticks, which can go a long way in keeping hunger at bay without breaking the bank.
• Explore local community initiatives: Beyond the widely advertised programmes, local community centres, churches, and charities may offer additional food support or low-cost activities.
• Seek financial advice: If facing significant financial difficulties, families should not hesitate to seek help from debt advice services, as support is available beyond just food-related initiatives.

By empowering families with these practical strategies for self-sufficiency, the focus shifts from merely receiving external discounts to actively managing household finances, fostering a greater sense of control over their food budget.

Enjoy your summer!

We know that the summer holidays can strain on the pockets, and time! This guide details various aids: "kids eat free" deals, supermarket cafe offers, government HAF programs, and local community initiatives that can help keep the family busy, enjoy some time out of the house while being friendly to the wallets.

By using these opportunities with smart budgeting, we hope families can make summer enjoyable and worry-free.