Soaring food prices are enough to give most families indigestion.
Grocery price inflation is running at nearly 10% - the highest since 2009 - and experts warn the average household to brace themselves for a £450 a year leap in their food bills.
But unlike with energy and fuel - two other outlays surging - there is some help with food.
The Government unveiled Help for Households this week - deals from firms to ease the pressure on cost of living ravaged families - plus McDonald’s and Burger King have revealed their first ever loyalty cards.
Here we explore a raft of recent money-off announcements by supermarkets and restaurants, along with some schemes already in place.
Asda
Supermarket giant is offering £1 kids meals at its in-store cafes from now until the end of the year.
Crucially, there is no minimum spend for adults with them.
The move is welcome given the number of children who qualify for free school meals.
And it could prove a hit. In Scotland, where the offer has been running for a fortnight, more than 11,000 meals were bought.
Separately, Asda is trialling a loyalty scheme - called Asda Rewards - which includes “cashpot” rewards which can be converted into vouchers.
Morrisons
You can get a kids’ meal free if you buy an adult meal for £4.99 or more.
The deal runs seven days a week at all 402 Morrisons cafés - with no end date as yet.
The chain also has My Morrisons, a scheme offering personalised money-off vouchers via email or app.
Sainsbury’s
The supermarket is offering a free children’s meal from in-store cafes with an adult meal from £5.25.
Sainsbury’s also re-introduced its “feed your family for a fiver” campaign a few weeks ago.
The Sainsbury’s Nectar scheme also allows you to earn one point per £1 spent in store, online or on fuel at its forecourts.
Five hundred Nectar points are worth £2.50.
Tesco
The Tesco Clubcard scheme has been around since 1995.
Members collect one point for every £1 they spend in-store and online, and one point for every £2 spent on fuel.
Tesco has also significantly expanded the number of exclusive deals it offers Clubcard members.
Iceland
If your child is eligible for free school meals, you may be entitled to vouchers to spend in supermarkets over the summer.
Eligible families will receive vouchers for £15 per child, per week from their schools or local councils.
Frozen food chain Iceland said that for every £15 those shoppers redeemed, it will add £1.
You will need an Iceland Bonus Card - its loyalty scheme - but that is free.
Co-op
The Co-operative membership loyalty scheme doesn’t give you points.
Instead, you earn money back on your purchases: 2p for every £1 you spend on selected Co-op products and services goes into a membership account.
The Co-op gives the same amount to support community organisations and local causes.
Lidl
Lidl ’s loyalty scheme offers exclusive discounts and rewards via an app.
You get four weekly coupons for different products, such as 20% off fresh pizzas or 15% off crackers and crispbreads.
Spending £100 in a month gives you £2 credit, while spending £200 or more will earn you £10.
McDonald’s
The fast food giant has just launched its app-based McDonald’s Rewards scheme.
Customers earn a point for every penny spent - so 100 for every £1.
With 1,500 points you can pick from six items, such as small fries or a Mini McFlurry - or donate £1.50 to charity.
Clocking up 4,000 points means you can choose from menu favourites such as a Big Mac, or six Chicken McNuggets.
If shelling out £40 to get a free Big Mac seems steep, the firm is offering double points when you buys items such as a salad or from its McCafe range - which brings it down.
Plus, those signing up get 1,500 points on their first order.
Burger King
Fancy a free Double Whopper Meal? Well, you need to get through £80 worth of Burger King food and drink before qualifying.
The fast food giant’s newly unveiled loyalty programme - Your Burger King - is also based around an app.
Diners get 10 loyalty points – called crowns – for every £1 they spend.
Crowns can be redeemed for certain menu items.
Having 150 points will get you a free portion of fries, cheeseburger, or regular drink.
Like McDonald’s, the scheme is more of a perk for someone who would pop into Burger King anway.
Bella Italia
If you are lucky enough to have spare cash to eat out, then some restaurants are running special promotions.
One tempting offer is from Bella Italia, where kids can eat for just £1 with the purchase of every adult main over the summer.
It runs from 4pm to 6pm on Monday to Thursday only.
KFC
The fast food chicken chain has exclusive offers for those who download its app.
You get a stamp with every purchase over £3, or two when you spend £15 or more.
Swap stamps for free sides, snacks or money off.
Greggs
The sausage roll chain also has an app-based loyalty scheme, with a stamp for every purchase.
After every ninth purchase of a breakfast, savoury or bake, hot drink, sandwich or salad, sweet treat or hot food - the next one is free.
You also get a free sweet treat each year on your birthday.
Pizza Express
PizzaExpress announced this week that its loyalty scheme - launched last December - is close to hitting the one million member milestone.
The app-based Pizza Express Club starts with free dough balls when a customer signs up.
It then has bronze, silver and gold tiers offering free rewards, collecting stamps along the way.
Costa Coffee
The coffee chain’s Costa Club offers rewards the more you spend. So, for every eight you buy, the next is free.
Alternatively, those with a reusable cup get a free drink for every four they buy.
You also get a free cake on your birthday.
Pizza Hut
The pizza chain’s scheme, called Hut Rewards, applies to certain online orders.
You earn one point - called a “slice” - for every £10 spent.
Slices can then we redeemed for a “reward”.
You need seven “slices” - so spend £70 - for a free medium pizza, and 10 for a large pizza.
Breakout on non-food
Theatres
London’s West End is uniting to run Kids Week, an initiative giving children the chance to see a show for free throughout August.
A child aged 17 and under can get a ticket for nothing when accompanied by an adult paying full price.
Plus, an additional two children can attend for half price.
The shows where it applies include Grease, Jersey Boys, and Phantom of the Opera.
That said, the starting prices can vary a lot.
For example, the cost of an adult ticket (plus free kids’ place) for the hit Wicked is from £35.
But the same for Disney’s stage version of Frozen is from £69.50.
Mobile phones
Vodafone is promoting a mobile social tariff of £10 a month.
The tariff, VOXI For Now, is only available to people on Government benefits such as Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment.
Amazon
Amazon will also launch a ‘Help For Households’ page with links to get free music and TV, learning resources and cheap groceries.
