The news has broken - the price of one of the nation’s favourite lunches is going up.
Tesco announced the change - confirming it is increasing the price of its Meal Deal from £3.60 to £3.85 with a Clubcard.
Those without the loyalty card will see their price hike to £4.25 from £4, while the cost of the Premium meal deal will also change, going up to £5.50, from £5, for those with a Clubcard and £6 for those without.
The news has left many furious - with many taking to social media to vent their anger over the price hike.
But if you will still be indulging in their lunchtime offer, here are some tips to enable you to get the most for your lunchtime money.
Opt for a hot drink
In most Tesco and Tesco Express stores, there will be a hot drinks machine, with the cost of these starting at around £3.
The meal deal can include a hot drink, and these are much more pricey than the bottles and cans normally opted for.
Smoothie talking
As well as waters and the fizzy options, smoothies are also included in the drinks selection.
These retail at more than carbonated favourites, starting at £2 - meaning you will get more for your money if you opt for one of these.
Baked goods
A Tesco worker lifted the lid on the secrets of the meal deal rules in a video on TikTok.
He shared in it that bakery items were included in the deal - something no one had realised.
He said: “You can get bakery items in the Meal Deal!
@nathanlorenzo_ Tesco really be doing bits with the meal deals I can’t lie #fyp #foryourpage #tesco #retail #mealdeal #bakery
♬ original sound - nathanlorenzo
"I'll let that sink in now for a minute there.
"Bakery items - croissants, cheese twists, chocolate twists - the lot!"
Soup
Yes it is slightly warm right now, being the middle of summer - but that should not mean you sleep on the next top tip.
Stop getting the same old lunch, because at the start of the year Tesco added the 280g Covent Garden soups into the Meal Deal – and they're listed as a snack meaning you can still get your favourite sandwich on top.
Ice cream
If it is a hot day and you are fancying something refreshing, you can also opt for one of the single ice creams from the freezers as your go to snack. This one isn’t much of a money saver, but it is good to know when the weather is hot.
Go nuts
The snack option in the meal deal has a wide variety - ranging from fruit pots, to chocolate bars and even cheesy snacks.
But if you are wanting to go for the highest value option money wise then a nut bar is good choice.
The Naked fruit and nut bars start at £1.19, meaning they are a more expensive option when compared to the other choices.
