Going out to eat on a budget by capitalizing on free meals for kids

Are you like me, working during the day and than running your kids to all their extracurricular activities in the afternoon and by the time you get home, it’s already dinnertime and you don’t have anything ready to eat? As a mom on a budget, knowing what restaurants offer free kids’ meals can help out when you are on the go or when you want to go out for a nice dinner. The savings can add up. I did some checking and found at least one restaurant a day, if not more, offering free kids meals.

Monday

On Monday all day long, you can visit the Mexican restaurant Carmelita’s, with locations in Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park and St. Petersburg, for a free meal for kids 10 and younger when you purchase an adult meal. Also on Monday and Tuesday, Cody's Original Roadhouse Bay Pines offers free kids meals for children 10 and under. You can get 2 kids meal per adult entrees purchased. Plus they have a person who will make balloon figures for the kids! Also Lee Roy Selmon’s offers a free kids meal. Quaker Steak & Lube has kids meals for kids 8 and younger form 5 p.m. to close with an adult meal purchase. They also have free games for kids.


Tuesday

The biggest night for free kids’ meals is Tuesday. Beef 'O' Brady's allows kids 12 and under to eat free all day on Tuesdays with the purchase of a regular price adult meal. Also on Tuesday, Delosa's Pizza & Italian Restaurant in Largo offers a free kid’s meal per adult meal purchase.

Kobe Japanese Steakhouse in Clearwater allows children 10 years and under to choose an item from the kid’s menu with the purchase of an adult dinner. Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q offers a kids’ eat free night on the first Tuesday of the month after 4 p.m., but only at the Tyrone location. You can get 2 kids per adult meal over $8.99 from 4-8pm.

Also Slyce Pizza on Indian Rocks Beach will give kids 12 and under a slice of pizza with an adult food purchase. The new Texas Roadhouse in St. Petersburg also has a kids night on Tuesday.



Wednesday

CD Roma Restaurant in St. Petersburg has a free kids night on Wednesday with the purchase an adult meal. It is from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and you can get up to two kids meals with an adult entrée.


Saturday 

On Saturday kids eat free with an adult meal purchase at Proino Breakfast Club in Largo from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. All weekend long kids can eat free at Steak ‘N Shake all day. For every $8 spent you get one free kid’s meal. You need to eat inside the restaurant.



Any day

Pick a day, if you like pizza, than take your kids to the Untouchables Pasta & Pizza in Largo. They offer a free kids’ meal every day with the purchase of an adult meal.

Personally, I have found it’s sometimes cheaper to eat out than cook at home when you get free kid’s meals.  I also enjoy not having to wash the dishes! One last money saving tip is to order water. Drinks can add up quickly. Enjoy!