Sainsbury's meal deal hack lets you get ice cream 'for free' in hot weather

Daily Mirror

18-05-2025

Supermarket giant Sainsbury's is offering a free ice cream or lolly with your meal deal this summer but not everyone knows about the deal - here's how to get it
Navigating the working day during the sweltering summer months can present a few challenges - from choosing an appropriate outfit, finding a spot to soak up some rays outside the office, to deciding on a suitable summer lunch.
For many of us, a meal deal is a quick and convenient option for a work lunch - it's speedy to grab some snacks, making it perfect for those with short breaks, and it doesn't dent the wallet too much. Typically comprising a main or sandwich, a snack (like a pack of crisps or fruit) and a drink, meal deals are readily available in our local supermarket branches - from Tesco Express to Sainsbury's Local.
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But one thing you might not be aware of is that you can include an ice cream or lolly within your meal deal. And this even extends to the more expensive ice cream options - like a posh Magnum - meaning you can save a few quid while savouring a delicious cold treat in the sunshine, reports Bristol Live.
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Sainsbury's Meal Deals can be a bit perplexing, with various 'tiers' of meal deal - starting from the basic tier priced at £3.75, the second more premium tier offering a £5 meal deal, and the most expensive yet even more premium tier costing you £7.
Just to the left of the entrance in the Bristol city centre store, and the array of meal deal food, was a small vat of ice creams and lollies to choose from - and if you look carefully, you'll notice stickers decorating the area, indicating that you can include one of these frozen delights in your meal deal. However, not everyone notices these.
The selection ranged from Flake ice creams, to Cornettos, Fruit Pastille lollies, Calippos and Twisters - and even limited edition Magnums.
I chose a Flake ice cream, as it reminded me of times when a Mr Whippy ice cream during the summer months cost just 99p with a flake from the local ice cream van, writes Ellie Kendall.
While this one didn't cost me 99p, combined with a limited edition 'Nduja chicken and bacon caesar tortilla wrap and a bottle of classic Ribena, my lunch came to £5 and saved me a total of £3.90. And it hit the spot - the tortilla wrap was absolutely scrumptious.
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The Flake ice cream would have cost £2.75 on its own, while the wrap was usually priced at £4.30 and Ribena at £1.85.
We grabbed our selection, headed to the self service checkouts and then ventured up to sit on Queen Square in the sunshine - and it took us hardly any time at all, meaning we could enjoy a nice sunny lunch break before duty called once more.
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The only thing I would say you may need to consider, is eating your ice cream or lolly before your main, especially in the hot weather. Unless, of course, you have access to a freezer in your office.
All in all, it certainly made the otherwise rather mundane task of buying lunch feel a little more summery.
And, if you're venturing out with the kids in the summer holidays, this could also be a neat little hack to treat them to an ice cream and get them to eat a bit of lunch.