S.O.S

1. Food Banks

The Trussell Trust have a nationwide network of Food Banks across the UK. If you need help from a food bank you will need to be referred a . Don’t worry! This as not as troublesome as it sounds.

Food bank vouchers can be issued by many local organisations or individuals such as, GP’s, schools, CAB, Social Workers, Health Visitors, Children’s centres, nurseries, housing associations/ housing officers,  advice charities, mental health workers – the list is endless.

Your local foodbank will be able to advise you of referral agencies in your area. Find your local Food Bank HERE

Food banks provide a minimum or 3 days worth of food and can also offer additional support in some cases.

2. Olio

Olio is a mobile app for sharing by giving away, getting, borrowing or lending things in your community for free, aiming to reduce household and food waste. It does this by connecting neighbours with spare food or household items to others nearby who wish to pick. Olio is best used when dowloading the app but you can use the web based version HERE.

3. Community Fridge/Pantry

To find your local community fridge you can search HERE

4. Healthy Start Vouchers

If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk. If you are eligable you will be sent a Healthy Start Card

The healthy start card entitles you ree fruit, vegetables, milk, and vitamins worth at least £220 a year.

The NHS Healthy Start scheme provides a Healthy Start digital pre-paid card for milk, fruit and vegetables to pregnant women, and infant milk and vitamins, for families with children under the age of four.

The Healthy Start digital pre-paid card can be used in shops that are registered with the scheme and this includes most major retailers.

If you are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four, and in receipt of certain benefits, you could be entitled to a Healthy Start prepaid card worth £4.25 per child per week, to spend on healthy food and milk.

You also qualify if you are under 18 years of age, even if you do not receive the above benefits.

If you have previously been in receipt of vouchers you will need to re-apply to continue getting help.

To check to see if you are eligable and apply CLICK HERE

5. Supermarket cafe/Kids eat Free offers.

From time to time supermarkets with cafes will have offers on for families with children. These are especially popular during school holidays but can also be continuous.

Look out for banners in store and visit supermarket websites.

At the time of writing this Morrisons have an ongoing ‘Kids Eat Free’ deal on in their cafe. All day everyday when you purchase an adult meal for £4.49 or over.

We often post a round up of school holiday cafe offers in our Facebook group regularaly. You can join our Facebook group HERE

6. Too Good To Go App

This App is a must! it is only available as a free app so you will need to download it from your app store on your device but it’s just a brilliant initiative. The Too Good To Go app allows consumers to rescue unsold food from, supermarkets, mini markets, cafes, restaurants and more – Allowing you to purchase at a reduced price and also combating food waste.

Download the app and have a browse to see where your local establishments are, you can even add your favourites. Keep checking to see what is available at all different times of day. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner etc.

You can’t choose your products as you will get a surprise bag but on a personal note, I have never been disappointed  by what i’ve received. 

You will order a “Surprise bag” of surplus food at a reduced price, you then collect it from the story at the time stated (this will be shown before you make your purchase). 

For example of what’s available, in my area we have Toby carvery which also includes a vegetarian option, Tony breakfast, morrisons cafe cooked food, Morrisons supermarket groceries, Nisa Local, Greggs, costa and much more. 

7. Street Feeds

This is a free service and is dependant upon where you live as they are usually voluntarily run and rely heavily on volunteers giving up their time and donations from local businesses. I know that lots of my readers are based in Coventry. If you are you may want to look up Sky Blue Support on Facebook who operate in Willenhall and Hillfields. It is a service that is very much in demand.  There is also Streetfeeds Coventry.

If you are not local to Coventry then use Google to search street feeds in your area and do the same on Facebook too. 

Street feeds aim to feed you a hot or cold meal at the time and depending on availability and donations may have supplies for you to take home too.

8. Yellow Label Shopping

9. Local Church/Community Centre

10. Loyalty Points

11. Vouchers/Coupons