Marks & Spencer, Bella Italia, and Yard & Coop are among some of the places giving kids free meals this half term.
Now that schools across Greater Manchester are out for the Easter break, and especially amid the growing cost of living crisis that’s continuing to make its impact felt on many families, plenty supermarkets, chain restaurants, and pub groups across the UK are offering kids the chance to eat a hearty meal out for free.
If you’re looking to treat the kids to a meal, but are keen to keep things on the cheaper side and save a few pennies, then thankfully, eating out just got a whole lot easier.
Here’s everything you need to know.
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Supermarkets
M&S Café
When you spend over £5 in the M&S Café this half term, kids can get a meal deal – which normally costs around £3.95, and includes either a sandwich, toastie, pizza or pasta, and a snack, fruit, and a drink – completely for free.
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One free children’s meal per transaction, and the offer runs through to 22 April.
Morrisons Café
From 3pm every day at every Morrisons Café across the UK, you can get a meal from the kids menu for free with any one adult meal at a value of £4.50 or over, and the offer applies to anyone under 16 years of age.
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There’s also a feed the family for £10 running over Easter too.
ASDA Café
Similarly to Morrisons, ASDA Café is offering kids the chance to eat for free every day from 3pm, with both hot meals and a cold selection including in the bargain deal.
Schools across Greater Manchester are out for Easter half term / Credit: Asda CorporateA selection of meal deals at discounted prices mean eating out just got a whole lot easier / Credit: Farmhouse Inns
Restaurants
Bella Italia
Children can eat for £1 with any adult main meal at Bella Italia this Easter.
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Running every day except Saturdays, the Piccolo menu is aimed at children aged two to six years, with the Grande for seven to 11-year-olds, and some of the dishes include meatballs, bolognese, carbonara and pizza, with the deal also including three courses and a fruit water.
The offer is running until 24 April.
Hungry Horse Pubs
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, which is why Hungry Horse Pubs – which has a number of branches in Greater Manchester – is offering kids the chance to eat breakfast for free with every paying adult.
The offer is available from 8am – 12pm daily.
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Farmhouse Inns
Available every weekday up until 22 April, two kids per paying adult can eat for just £1 each at local branches of Farmhouse Inns this Easter, and they can choose from the small breakfasts, any kids meal or junior carvery, and then relax in the dedicated family areas.
Table Table, Beefeaters & Brewers Fair
Ensuring no one goes hungry this Easter, each Table Table, Beefeaters & Brewers Fair branch across Greater Manchester is offering a free breakfast for every child with a paying adult.
You can choose as much as you like from the cooked and Continental selections, including bacon, sausages, eggs, hash browns and more, alongside baked pastries, cereal, fresh fruit, and chilled juices and unlimited tea or coffee to accompany.
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Sizzling Pub & Grill
There’s a whole host of Sizzling Pub & Grill restaurants across Greater Manchester and the north west that are offering kids the chance to eat for just £1 with every adult main meal between 3pm-7pm on weekdays.
Plenty supermarkets, chain restaurants, and pub groups are offering deals / Credit: Bella Italia
Families get the chance to save money on hearty meals out this Easter half term / Credit: Yard & Coop | Brewers Fayre
Yard & Coop
The Northern Quarter’s home of buttermilk fried chicken is offering a kids eat free deal this Easter, which offers one selected free kids meal with every adult main, and has a menu including the likes of Nugz – boneless fried chicken – and the veggie option of Not Chicken Nugz or vegan chicken.
The offer is running noon to 7:30pm on weekdays up until 22 April.
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YO! Sushi
Japanese street food and sushi favourite YO! is letting children under 10 eat for free this half term between 3:30pm and 5:30pm on Monday – Thursday when an adult spends at least £10, with the offer including a main, a side, and a drink from the Kids Meal Deal menu, and a dessert can be added for £1.50.
This offer is running right through until 26 May.
The Real Greek
With a popular branch in the Corn Exchange in Manchester city centre, and a new restaurant having recently opened in the Trafford Centre too, kids can eat for free at The Real Greek on Sundays this Easter when adults spend over £10
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Children under 12 get to choose a kids meal, a drink, and an ice cream or sorbet.
Dunelm Cafe-Pausa
Dunelm Cafe-Pausa is offering kids the chance to a free mini main meal this Easter half term, along with two snacks and a drink for every £4 spent in the cafe.
The offer is running until 24 April.
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Featured Image – Morrisons
Trending
Dream Days return at Manchester United as first-team stars meet fans face-to-face
Danny Jones
Man United have made more unforgettable memories with their fan base as they once again invited supporters to the club’s training ground for the latest edition of Dream Day.
Now a bi-annual occurrence, the Dream Day events are not only yet another way of giving back to the local community, but also to give those less fortunate and facing difficult life circumstances a truly wholesome experience.
Set up by the Manchester United Foundation, the player meet-ups provide an opportunity for Reds with life-limiting illnesses to meet their heroes up close and personal.
They’ve always been such special days, and after more than two decades, they’re still bringing smiles to fans’ faces both in the flesh and online.
Commenting on his first attendance as a United player, recent and high-flying signing, Bryan Mbeumo, said: “It’s been a really good experience to take part in the Foundation’s Dream Day. To be able to meet the families, take photos and sign the shirts, I’m just grateful to be here and to make them smile.”
Being cheered as he entered the room at Carrington Training Complex before walking around to meet and greet, he went on to describe it as “just amazing to meet everyone, especially because they are cheering us on every weekend.”
Fellow newboy Benjamin Sesko was also clearly moved by the whole thing, adding: “It’s really special for us, because we can help to put smiles on fans’ faces and answer some questions. I know it helps them a lot, it gives them a great feeling, and for me it’s really nice to give back and help in any way I can.”
With so many senior United squad members in attendance, from established starting XI players like Mbeumo, Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw, Noussair Mazraoui, to youth graduates like Kobbie Mainoo, Ayden Heaven, and many more, virtually everyone possibly available made an appearance.
One particularly touching sight was seeing young Jayden meeting his idol in club captain Bruno Fernandes, who shared a heartwarming embrace.
You can find out more about how to be part of a Man United Dream Day HERE. (Credit: Supplied via MU Foundation)
Speaking on yet another emotional day, Fernandes said: “It’s important as a Manchester United player to take part in these days and to give back to the fans.
“It’s always great to see the kids smiling when they meet us. We can sense the love and support they give to us on and off the pitch – being with them in these little moments is what it’s all about.”
The 12-year-old matchgoer himself was understandably over the moon to meet the ‘Portuguese Magnifico’, telling the Foundation: “It’s been amazing today; I was quite star-struck when they all walked in, I didn’t really know how to react!
“I love all the players, Bruno is my favourite, and he even recorded a message wishing my football team good luck ahead of our game.”
As for his dad, he went on to note: “To see him experience it after everything he’s been going through, you just can’t put it into words. “It means an awful lot to him, and I can see that meeting the players has been so inspiring. They were really lovely with him, and so nice and welcoming.”
From regular school and hospital visits to the return of the upcoming winter Stadium Sleepout, the United Foundation does incredible work across Greater Manchester all year-round, and we’ll never tire of seeing moving scenes like these.
Featured Images — Manchester United Foundation (supplied)
Trending
Salford Red Devils granted another adjournment over unpaid debts
Danny Jones
Salford Red Devils have been given one more adjournment and yet another stay of execution, being given another two weeks to find the money to cover their unpaid debts.
The local rugby league side, which has been wrapped in all manner of struggles both on and off-pitch over the past year or so, reportedly needs to pay around £700,000 to HMRC alone and still owes roughly £5 million in total to various creditors.
To no surprise, regular matchgoers, neutrals and even rivals alike have expressed their continued disappointment with the club, mainly at the lack of transparency and clarity from the organisation throughout this long, drawn-out process.
This is coming from a wire fan but no club deserves to be left in the dark even longer than they already have done it’s nothing but a disgrace to the sport of rugby those owners and the court should be ashamed of themselves.
Updating fans on social media, this is all the information they have communicated at this time: “Salford Red Devils can confirm that HMRC have granted the club a two-week adjournment, providing additional time in which to secure the necessary funds.
“We would like to reassure supporters that we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a positive resolution. Further updates will be shared as soon as possible.”
It’s worth noting that the current owners have reiterated that they inheited around £3m in existing debt before they took over the club, but assurances over their own investments have still come to nothing; meanwhile, with many still waiting on wages, players and staff alike have now left.
Having been propped up by loan players and emergency loans, the team is now closer to a skeleton crew than it is an outfit capable of competing in the premier division.
Either way, the outrage remains and is only growing stronger. One user wrote on X: “A good approach by them if they was legit would be to engage and bring in The 1873 to bridge the communication black hole (they created).
“The problem with that is if they did it would expose them for what they are… Extortionists using the club as a vehicle.”
More alarm bells were raised recently when assistant coach and Krisnan Inu – who was also director of the company set up to take over the business – withdrew himself from a key position behind the scenes.
Speaking of The 1873, the outspoken supporters trust took no time at all in issuing a response of their own, adding: “The judge presiding over today’s case has adjourned by 14 days. This adjournment has dragged the uncertainty on even longer.
“Every delay makes planning for 2026 harder and keeps the club stuck in limbo when it desperately needs clarity and direction.
“The fans, the players and the future all deserve better — The 1873.”
You can see the rest of their statement in full down below, but for now, what do you make of this seemingly neverending saga, Salfordians?
Emily Sergeant -
7th April 2022 
