Need food urgently? Start with local support
If you do not have enough food, start with a local food bank or community meal service rather than waiting for an app promotion. Trussell’s finder can help you locate a food bank and find out how to get a referral. FoodCycle’s meal finder and Hubbub’s community fridge map offer other routes to explore. Check opening times before travelling; a listed service may run only on particular days.
Tell the organisation about dietary requirements and whether you have access to a cooker or fridge. Ask what is available and how to collect it. Food-bank support is there for people who need help; you do not need to treat it as a shopping offer.
1. Olio: find free food nearby
Olio connects local people with surplus food from neighbours and businesses. Its app includes free food listings as well as other features, including discounted groceries, so check the individual listing carefully. Use the free food listings to see what is available in your area, then request an item and agree collection with the person sharing it.
Availability varies by neighbourhood and day. Read the collection instructions, only request food you can collect and let the sharer know if your plans change. Check the description and allergen information before accepting an item. Olio is useful for sharing surplus food, but it cannot promise a regular supply of groceries.
2. Greggs: app welcome drink and birthday treat
Greggs currently offers a welcome hot or iced drink when you register a new account in its app. The current terms allow hot drinks in any size; iced drinks are available in selected shops. Check the expiry on your issued reward and activate it as instructed before redeeming. This is a new-account welcome offer, not a free drink every day.
Greggs also advertises a complimentary birthday sweet treat through the app. Add your correct date of birth and check the reward’s conditions and expiry in your wallet. Its stamp-based rewards require previous purchases, so keep those separate from the welcome and birthday offers.
See the Greggs app offers
Read the current Greggs promotion terms
3. Krispy Kreme: a welcome doughnut
Krispy Kreme advertises a free doughnut for joining its Rewards programme. The published welcome terms specify one Original Glazed Doughnut, with 30 calendar days to redeem it after registration. Follow the redemption option selected when joining: the terms describe an app reward for a Krispy Kreme store or an emailed printable coupon for a Tesco cabinet.
Check your issued reward before travelling, as collection routes and stock conditions apply. This welcome reward is separate from collecting loyalty points through paid purchases. You do not need to buy extra items simply to use a genuine no-purchase welcome offer.
4. Trussell food banks: emergency food parcels
Trussell food banks provide emergency parcels containing at least three days of meals. To access this support, you normally need a referral for a food voucher, which you exchange at the food bank. Local community organisations can help arrange the referral. Use Trussell’s finder to contact the food bank serving your area and ask which referral organisations to approach.
Check the collection address and session times, and explain any dietary needs or difficulty preparing food. The food bank can tell you what support it can provide. A voucher is an emergency-support referral, not a discount code, and food-bank arrangements should be checked locally.
Find your nearest Trussell food bank
Find out how to get a food voucher
Read Trussell’s emergency food guidance
5. Independent food banks and local advice
Not every food bank belongs to Trussell. The Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) represents independent food-aid providers and has a member finder. Use it to look for organisations near you, then check with the individual provider about food support, opening hours and whether a referral is required. Local arrangements differ, so do not assume every service uses the same voucher system.
IFAN’s “Worrying About Money?” resources also signpost local advice and support to help increase income. These guides can be useful alongside emergency food assistance, especially if the problem is ongoing. IFAN is a network and information service; a listing is not a booking or a promise that a food parcel is ready.
Find IFAN member organisations
Find local “Worrying About Money?” support
6. Community fridges: surplus food open to everyone
Hubbub’s Community Fridge Network shares surplus food through local organisations and community spaces. Hubbub says the fridges are open to everyone and are not means tested. You can visit during opening hours to see what food is available to take home and use.
Use the map linked from Hubbub’s website to locate a fridge, then check its current hours and local collection guidance. Contents depend on donations and surplus stock. Take what you can use and follow any limits set by the team so the food can be shared fairly.
7. FoodCycle: free community meals
FoodCycle serves free community meals made by volunteers, using food that would otherwise go to waste. Everyone is welcome. This is a sit-down meal and an opportunity for conversation, rather than a food parcel to take home and cook.
Use the official meal finder to check the location, day, time and arrangements at your chosen project. Tell the volunteers about allergies or intolerances when you arrive. FoodCycle says it tries to cater for these, but donated ingredients mean alternative dishes are not always possible. Contact the project in advance if you need to check whether a meal will be suitable.
Find your nearest FoodCycle meal
Read about FoodCycle community meals
Which food apps and schemes still cost money?
A free app download does not mean its food is free. Too Good To Go normally involves reserving and paying for a Surprise Bag in the app. It can be a way to buy discounted surplus food, but it is not the same as a free Olio food listing.
Also check loyalty rewards, “free with purchase” promotions, cashback and community pantry memberships. These may involve spending first or paying a fee. Read the conditions before counting on an offer, and avoid paying a subscription solely to unlock one small food reward.
Before you collect: timing, storage and ingredients
Check opening hours and collection windows before leaving home. Bring any voucher, membership app or reward code the provider requires. If you cannot collect, cancel or contact the organiser so the food can go to someone else.
Read labels and storage instructions. A use-by date concerns safety; a best-before date concerns quality. Do not eat food after its use-by date unless it was safely cooked or frozen beforehand in line with the relevant guidance. Ask about ingredients if you have an allergy; do not assume a donated meal or unlabelled item is suitable.
Official links & further information
Researched on 13 October 2026. All external links below go to providers, charities or official guidance. Availability and terms can change.
- Find your nearest Trussell food bank ↗
- Find your nearest FoodCycle meal ↗
- Find out how Olio works and get the app ↗
- See the Greggs app offers ↗
- Read the current Greggs promotion terms ↗
- Join Krispy Kreme Rewards ↗
- Check the welcome-reward terms ↗
- Find out how to get a food voucher ↗
- Read Trussell’s emergency food guidance ↗
- Find IFAN member organisations ↗
- Find local “Worrying About Money?” support ↗
- Find a community fridge through Hubbub’s official map link ↗
- Read about FoodCycle community meals ↗
- Read how Too Good To Go works, including payment ↗
- Read official guidance on use-by and best-before dates ↗