Broke and wondering how you’re going to put food on the table? Don’t assume you’re out of options! Whether you’ve lost your job or your grocery budget is just plain gone, there are ways to get free foods when money is tight. From food pantries to resources you may not know about, help is available!
Finding ways to save money on food is one thing, but there are times when the budget is just stretched thinner than you can cover and you find yourself wondering just how you’re going to feed yourself and your family.
You know how it is; those months when you struggle to pay the bills and are forced to choose between having groceries or food. I’ve been there more times than I care to admit in the past. In fact, there have been times where I not only needed cheap food, but I needed free foods.
Sometimes you simply have to swallow your pride and ask for help.
It can be hard to admit when you’re in a position like that, but let me remind you; there is no shame in needing to ask for help; especially in today’s economy. When a loaf of bread is almost $2.00 and gas for the car is over $4 in a lot of places, struggling is a given. With all of that going on, feeling hunger can make everything seem worse.
This post may seem like I’m trying to fool you, but I can promise there are ways to get foods with no money. You just have to be willing to use the local food resources that are available to you.
Apply for SNAP and WIC
First and foremost, if you aren’t receiving them, applying for SNAP and are in need of free foods, should be your first step. SNAP stands for supplemental nutrition assistance program aka “food stamps” or “ebt.” It is one of several federal programs designed to help you eat even if you can’t afford it.
For those that have kids under the age of 5, WIC which stands for Women, Infants and Children is another great nutrition program to apply for. It will help you with formula if you have infants or are at least 6 months into a pregnancy and with things like milk, cheese and cereal using vouchers or a card they provide. They will also help with nutrition education.
You may think you won’t qualify, but these days you never know. Snap benefits are available to anyone even single people so don’t be afraid or ashamed. The worst they can do is say no.
Food Apps That Give Free Food
If you haven’t downloaded the apps for the restaurants in your area, do it now. Most of the bigger ones like McDonald’s and Burger King offer free food or any free item from their menu either for signing up or as part of their rewards program.
McDonald’s for instance allows you to earn points that are then exchanged for free food. Some actually give you free food just for being a member or signing up. I know BK is good at doing this. I’m not gonna lie, I get a free coffee from McDonald’s reward app every couple of weeks or so. Don’t judge me. I drink a lot of coffee to earn those points, lol.
If you these types of apps installed, you stand a good chance of getting multiple things free as they do these types of promos fairly often. You’ll also be able to get buy one get one offers fairly often too.
They aren’t full meals, but when you’re hungry, anything works.
Free Food When You Sign Up
Just like the restaurant apps, a lot of grocery stores or gas stations often put out free coupons for food if you sign up. For instance, Kroger stores are sometimes known for giving a freebie once a week or so. It isn’t always going to be the best item, but it is better than nothing. I’ve gotten free potatoes, free drinks and more.
Grocery stores sometimes give coupons for free bakery items, rotisserie chickens, or deli items to new loyalty member. More often than not it’s snack bars or something like that. Gas station store programs sometimes hand out free drinks or snacks and some will have rewards programs that will allow you to earn points for filling up that you can trade for free food or drinks. I use Speedway’s rewards program to get drinks a lot for this reason.
Free Birthday Food
Birthdays are another great way to find free food with no money. There are usually birthday gifts for most stores and restaurants that will include free food a lot of the time. Some send coupons good for the whole month, but others will only be good on your birthday,
What you’ll get really depends on the store. Coffee shops usually give you a free drink. Ice cream shops hand out free cones or sundaes. A lot of sit down restaurants like Cracker Barrell might offer a free meal. Signing up for as many of these as possible will let you eat as many meals as you can for free right around your birthday.
There is a trick to these birthday freebies. The majority of them will require you are signed up before your birthday month starts. If you’re not, you likely won’t get the freebie even when your birthday hits. That’s why you should sign up for them as soon as possible.
Free Food for Thanksgiving
The holidays are an especially hard time for families if you can’t afford the groceries for your meal and need to look for free food. Luckily, there are places that can give you great ingredients and sometimes will even pass out turkeys for free. Some of these won’t require an income check so even if you’re not receiving assistance, you can still use them as long as you have a need.
The biggest of these are food banks and churches. Both may be offering so it’s worth checking. To find this kind of food assistance in your area, simple search things like “local food bank” or “food pantries near me.”
Just be sure you reach out early. Most of the programs that provide free groceries at the holidays will need you to sign up early as they typically only have a certain number of spots.
Other Ways to Get Free Food When You Have No Money
Once you have exhausted all of your other options, if you are truly in need there are some other ways you can find free food. Now, everyone has a line they draw when it comes to things like this and I honestly can’t recommend them all, but if you’re hungry and have zero other options, one of these may be an option.
Barter with friends and family
Bartering (or trading) is a great way to get food without begging. You offer something you have or a service you can do in exchange for a meal or few grocery items. You could offer to clean someone’s house or baby sit their kids. Lawn care or washing their car is also a great idea.
Eat at Family’s House
If you have family nearby, talk with them about what is going on. They may be willing to let you eat at their house once or twice a week. I know in my own family, if I am hungry, I eat.
Soup Kitchens
Soup kitchens are a great way to get a meal when you need one. You can find this type of help by calling your local churches or community centers. Depending on the size of where you live, you can probably find more than one and may be able to eat there several times a week.
Dumpster Dive for Food
This one may be across the line for some people and if it is for you, just move on. Personally this is farther than I am willing to go, but to each his own so I wanted to mention it. For those that it is not, I recommend checking your local laws first. A lot of stores throw out a lot of food. If you watch the dumpsters, you can usually catch the food right after it’s tossed. This allows you to get food that is still cold and usually within expiration dates.
However, with that said, always check any food you pull out of the dumpster for dates, sealed packaging, funky smells and so on. A meal isn’t worth food poisoning.
Local Food Pantries
Most cities and towns have food pantries that give out free foods when people need it. Calling 211 or visiting your local community center will usually help you find them and their hours. Assistance organizations and churches are your best bet for getting free foods from them.
Local Churches
Sometimes local churches will help with food. It helps if you attend regularly, but that isn’t always a requirement. Simply call your local churches and ask. The worst they can do is tell you no.
Forage for free foods
This is one that I want to caution you on and I’ll tell you why. Forage the wrong thing and you could make a potentially fatal mistake. But with that said, foraging is a great way to get free foods for your family. Nature really does provide what we need and foraged food is just one of those needs. Things like foraging morel mushrooms or eating dandelions are great options when you need to feed yourself.
Morels are fantastic breaded and fried and dandelions can be used from the flower down to the root and tastes great too! In fact, dandelion root makes a great coffee substitute! If you’re going to give foraging a try, I recommend picking up a foraging guide to help you identify plants correctly before risking it.
