How to Get Free Food

Posted on March 31st, 2009 by Marck

(2 votes, average: 3 out of 5)

Loading ...

No Comments (Post Comment)

Republish

If you find yourself running dangerously low on funds just a few days before receiving your pay check allowance, here are some ways to get free food.

Parties and Gatherings

Sometimes all you need is timing, a stroke of luck, and good friends who’ll throw a party just in time when you’re broke. You only need to enjoy yourself and be polite; don’t make it seem like you’re only there for the sake of the free food or for the generosity of your host. Eat your fill, but don’t second-guess any offers by your host to take home some leftovers.

Stock Up

If you expect that you’re going to run short on food money, it’s important for you to stock up on samples and freebies you can get from supermarkets and restaurants. You don’t have to do anything drastic or illegal like shoplifting or stealing, but you need to take advantage of the many opportunities available for you to get free food. Here are some ideas:

Condiments. Many restaurants and fast-food outlets offer many condiments that you can get for free. Small packets of ketchup, mayonnaise, dressing, and mustard don’t cost much for them to make. The restaurant managers or attendants may understand your plight, and gladly offer you a few extra packets of condiments to add to your store of free food.
Food samples. Supermarkets are a great source of free food, especially if there are promos and samples in the aisles. A few extra cookies or a few extra blocks of sample cheese are helpful additions to your stock of free food.
Closing hours. Most restaurants and fast-food chains have a policy against giving away food after closing hours, but smaller restaurants don’t. Brush up on your people skills; most restaurant owners will be kind enough to give away food they were not able to sell or dispose of that day.

Experiment With What You Have

If you’ve already stocked up on enough free food to last you for a day or two, you need to turn it into meals that can tide you over until you have enough money for real food. You can’t be choosy with the ingredients you want to work with, but you can be more creative with dishes you want to make with stuff you got for free:

Raid the cupboard. Your stock of free food will always be limited, but you can always raid your cupboard for anything that can add to your meal. You never know when you’re going to come across a pack of rice or a can of beans somewhere in your apartment.
Check for freshness. Free food often doesn’t taste as good as a gourmet meal, but it doesn’t have to make you sick. Check the smell and the appearance of food, and make sure it’s not rotten or spoiled.
Make it nutritious. Food you get for free does not have to be any less filling and nutritious than your usual meals. Be creative with the ingredients you do have; maybe you’ll end up with a great recipe out of ingredients you got for free.

The best things in life are free, especially if you’ve zeroed-out your bank account and you’re worried about how you’re going to get by. With these tips, you don’t ever have to worry about being hungry.