The school holiday is always jam-packed with social engagements – and that means extra costs, too.

Whether you’re paying for holiday clubs, fuel to cover visiting friends, or hosting extra children for playdates, the costs rack up as you find things to do for family entertainment.

So, we like to find savings wherever we can for families – and this Easter, there are lots of places kids can eat for free.

Is it really free?

It might sound too good to be true, and in most cases, it is – but don’t fret! If you need to feed your children on the cheap, you can combine their lunch at an Asda cafe with your grocery shopping.

Children under 16 can eat for just £1 – with no need for an adult main meal to be purchased, so it really is just a quid per kid. Adult meals are also half-price after 3pm every day if you want to bag a real bargain.

Two kids eat free with a paying adult

This Easter, most restaurants offering reduced family meals need a paying adult. It still means a significantly reduced food bill – especially for the places that will allow two children’s deals to every one adult meal.

Try Beefeater and Brewer’s Fayre for breakfast, where two under-16s enjoy a free breakfast with a paying adult – including the unlimited Full English option. Hungry Horse is another chain offering up to two children’s £1 meals per paying adult, while two under-12s can eat for free with a £20 adult spend at Yo! Suhi.

Cheap children’s easter meal offers

Some restaurants and cafes are offering Easter specials, so keep an eye out at your local independent eateries. You can also make the most of Kids Eat Free or Kids Eat for £1 at national chains such as TGI Fridays, BrewDog, Dobbies’ garden centres, or Angus Steakhouse.

Age limits apply, and some deals need to be pre-booked, so make sure you check out the restaurant’s website before you go.

Kids eat free all year around

It’s not just Easter or school holidays for some restaurant offers – Real Greek has an offer allowing children to eat free when an adult spends £10 on their meal. Meanwhile, those aged under eight can eat for free at selected Gordon Ramsay restaurants all year around with the purchase of an adult main.

There are lots more offers both regionally and nationally for cheap café deals, £1 kids meals, and children-eat-free offers, so definitely check out your local area for more possibilities.

Other ways to save this Easter

The long Easter weekend also means a big feast for many of us, and that gets expensive if you’re not savvy at shopping.

The good news is there are a bunch of great deals to reduce the cost. You can even feed six people for under £10 for Easter lunch.

As for getting out and about, cheap activities are everywhere during the school holidays – for kids and adults – so make sure you take a look at what’s on in your local area to see how you can combine your socialising, entertaining, and cheap meals all in one go.