10+ Ways to Get FREE Food & Drink
Free food has to be the best kind of freebie. I’ve been searching for ways to claim free food since being a teenager and I’m still on the lookout today!
I’ve managed to find multiple free food websites, apps, and initiatives that offer meals and single items in exchange for a review, downloading an app or for signing up to a service. So if you’re wondering how to get free food here are some of my favourite apps, websites, newsletters that allow me to claim free food.
How to get free food
Please donate any leftover food that you don’t want or need. I often claim free items to donate to my local foodbank.
Shopmium (my favourite!)
If you love a good deal from your local supermarket this is the app for you. Shopmium offer fab deals on food, drinks and cosmetics & there’s always something for free in the available offers section!
How does Shopmium work?
- Download the Shopmium app and create an account.
- Browse the discount offers and deals (there’s usually several free food offers on there).
- Buy the products next time you go shopping.
- Scan the barcode of the product & take a picture of your receipt.
- Get your cashback in your PayPal (or bank account) within 2 days.
- If you sign up here (or with code: AEFAMUGY) you’ll get an extra freebie too!
CheckoutSmart app
CheckoutSmart is very similar to Shopmium in that it is an app (available on iOS and Android) that has a range of discounted and free products.
You’ll need to manually cash out, and if you cashout anything less than £20 you’ll be charged a small transfer fee. I check CheckoutSmart daily for freebies from my local supermarket and cash out when I hit the £20 mark.
Green Jinn app
The Green Jinn app is my favourite free food app as it offers cashback on healthy food. Green Jinn offer money off items such as fruit and veg, vegetarian food and eco friendly products.
Currently cashback offers are available at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, ASDA, Morrison’s and Waitrose, but they are constantly expand to include additional stores and brands.
Use promo code ‘beemoneysavvy1’ when signing up for a £1 bonus.
Mystery shopping
As a Market Force mystery shopper, you’ll get paid to eat and shop for free at your favourite shops/restaurants. I usually do a mystery shopping assignment once a month – I get the money I spent on food/clothes back as well as a payment for my time. Sounds like something you’d like to do?
There are various other companies out there that pay you as a mystery shopper but I prefer to stick with Market Force as I’ve never had an issue with them & the money has always gone into my account a week or so after the assignment has been cleared.
Modern Milkman – £5 free credit
The Modern Milkman app makes it easy support local farmers by having fresh produce delivered directly to your door. You’ll get £5 off your first delivery one you set up a regular milk order.
Foraging
Foraging is the acquisition of food by hunting, fishing, or the gathering of plant matter. If you’re new to foraging I’d recommend staying away from mushrooms/fungi (lots of these could be potentially harmful), but berries & nuts are easy to identify! Here are a few easy ones to get you started:
- Chestnuts: The Sweet Chestnut tree produces edible nuts. These are usually roasted & eaten.
- Blackberrys: Blackberries grow just about anywhere! You can add them to smoothies, yogurts, jams or if you’re not ready to use them yet, freeze them!
- Apples/Pears: You can pick apples and pears from trees, just make sure they’re not on private land first.
- Nettles: They can be found pretty much anywhere. Use them to make soup, tea, & nettle beer.
- Cockles/mussels: If you live by the seaside, you can also go cockle picking! Check Google to find out the best spots to go picking cockles.
I particularly like the idea of foraging because there’s nothing better than food that is fresh, healthy and free! Just make sure to clean your food with chemical free cleaning products before eating.
Get cashback on your food shop
TopCashback offer money back from your online & (some) in-store grocery shop! If you’re not already sign up to TopCashback what are you doing?!
When you shop online, simply sign in to your TopCashback account & click through to the store you want to shop at. By doing this, you’ll earn cashback on your purchase. When shopping in store you either have to set up your card to get cashback (at selected stores) on the website or use the snap and save page to upload your receipts (and claim your free food).
I use multiple cashback websites, apps, and cards to make sure that I’m saving as much money as possible, you can find out more about these cashback tools via the link below.
Triyit – product discovery club
Triyit UK is a product discovery club. They send out boxes of products for you to try and review at home. I’ve had lots of food to test at home. Just sign up, tell them your preferences and check your emails when you’re matched to new products.
Just make sure to review any products you receive – you’ll be invited to more campaigns when you review.
Taste testing
With taste testing you get products to test and review. There are two websites I use for taste testing:
- Vegan inventions – taste test vegan products. They send out product trials for you to try and review at home.
- Flavor Wiki – try a range of food and drink items. Buy in-store and upload your receipt to get paid.
OLIO – food sharing app
Olio is a mobile app for food-sharing, aiming to reduce food waste. I use this app to find free food near me. You can view all the free food listings in your area, and collect the freebies you want.
You can also share any surplus food you may have and become a food waste hero. Tesco are also signed up to Olio and regularly request that local people collect food that would otherwise be thrown away.
Too Good To Go – discounted leftover food
Too Good To Go is an app that allows you to purchase discounted food from local chains that might have otherwise gone to waste.
Some of the chains that regularly post leftover food on the Too Good To Go app include Greggs, Toby Carvery, Upper Crust, Starbucks & more.
Recipe boxes (discounts)
There are a whole host of recipe boxes. These often have a welcome offer including money off or freebies. Her are some of the recipe box deals I’ve found recently:
- Gousto – get your 4 meals (for 2) for under £10 you’ll also earn £20 free credit for every friend you introduce to Gousto.
- HelloFresh – get £24.99 free credit which makes 3 meals (for 2) £8.49.
- Mindful Chef – get 25% off your first 4 Mindful Chef boxes.
- Pasta Evangelists – £10 off first order.
- Green Chef – £25 off your first box of healthy recipe kits.
Claim birthday freebies
Now I wouldn’t usually suggest eating out to save money but there is one rule to this exception – your birthday! Tons of restaurants and cafes have a policy to offer free food on customer’s birthdays!
Be birthday savvy and you could dine like royalty for breakfast, lunch and dinner (and have a few cheeky free snacks to keep for the next day) without opening your wallet once. Check out my guide to birthday freebies for the full rundown on getting your free birthday cake and eating it!
Loyalty apps
- Costa (Invite code AAJL3) – If you’re a frequent visitor to Costa it’s worth downloading their app. They do seasonal offers where you can claim free cake on your birthday and free drinks during the year.
Giveaway drink: SIQJN5NMYT (claimed)
- Greggs – From time to time Greggs offer freebies on their loyalty app. These freebies have included free bottles of pop, packets of crisp, sandwiches and hot drinks! You’ll also get a free treat on your birthday.
- Caffe Nero – free hot drink after your first purchase using the app + seasonal offers.
- Subway (invite code X-5Z9R3QO) – Expect a free sub on World Sandwich Day and free cookies on your birthday.
- KFC – When you download the KFC app you’ll get a free side that can be redeemed on your next order. You can also find exclusive offers in the app.
- McDonalds – I’ve managed to claim free hot drinks and wraps through the McDonalds app in the past. NHS staff can get 20% off via the app too.
- O2 priority – O2 and Virgin Media customers can claim a free Greggs treat every week with the O2 priority app.
- Sparks (M&S) – I have the Sparks app and that appears to offer various freebies including sweets and bread every few months.
Foodbanks
If you don’t have any money to buy food you may need the support of a foodbank. There are independent food banks you can use without a referral. These are sometimes called community pantries or fridges.
Some of these pay require proof of ID and for you to pay a small contribution.
Please consider donating any leftover food that you don’t want or need. I often claim free food items to donate to my local foodbank. Have you found a simple and legal way to bag free food? Let us know in the comments section below and we’ll add it to our list!