Tesco is carrying out a range of initiatives aimed at supporting children impacted by food poverty over the summer holidays.

The initiatives are taking place as summer is a particularly difficult time for children who would normally receive free school meals during term time.

This includes running a ‘Kids Eat Free’ scheme across 317 of the supermarket’s cafes over the school summer holiday. Through this offer children get a free hot meal or breakfast when an adult with them spends 60p or more and shows their Tesco Clubcard or Clubcard App at the till.

Tesco is also supporting school holiday breakfast and lunch clubs. It is giving £200 gift cards to all 400 schools involved, which are part of its term-time Fruit and Veg for Schools programme that provides fruit and vegetables in schools with a higher-than-average number of children who are eligible for free school meals.

In addition, for the final week of August customers can round up their bill at the till to raise money for food poverty charities FareShare and Trussell. Last year online Tesco shoppers donated £500,000.

Also, Tesco is selling pre-packed food donation bags in its large stores. Donated food goes directly to FareShare and Trussell to distribute to charities and food banks.

“Too often, families with too little support during the holidays worry about their children's physical and mental health, particularly if they're not getting the good food every child deserves,” said Tesco head of communities Claire De Silva.

“If we all pull together over the summer, whether that’s popping a few tins into a food collection point, picking up a food donation bag in our stores or rounding up our grocery bill, we can make a difference to the lives of thousands of children, who, without support, could have a tough summer holiday.”

According to Trussell a third of families with children are unable to regularly afford balanced meals. One in four children under the age of five are at risk of needing to use a food bank.

Trussell chief executive Emma Revie said: “We are extremely grateful to our partner Tesco and excited for this year’s in-store summer activities, making it easier for people to support their local food bank throughout the holidays.

“It’s not right that so many families with children can’t afford to eat balanced meals. Our community of food banks distributed more than 1 million parcels for children last year, illustrating the unacceptable levels of hardship so many families are currently facing.

Research by Tesco’s found that one in 12 families said their children have had to miss meals due to financial constraints.

“Any Tesco shoppers who can donate an item or two to FareShare will be making a big difference to children and families this summer,” said the food distribution charity's chief executive Kris Gibbon-Walsh.

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