The summer holidays are here, which means one thing for households with teenagers: empty cupboards, constant snack requests and the feeling you're being eaten out of house and home.
Thankfully for parents, Gen Z have found a surprisingly budget-friendly solution. The humble supermarket meal deal has taken on cult status, becoming a genuine teenage obsession complete with favourite combinations, fierce supermarket loyalty and endless social media debate over the perfect pick.
If you thought a meal deal was simply a sandwich, crisps and a drink, think again. For today’s teenagers, what goes into their basket says almost as much about them as their trainers. Yes, really.
Meal deals have become a social currency
A quick scroll through TikTok shows thousands of videos reviewing, rating, and debating supermarket meal deals. Teenagers proudly show off their combinations, while the comments quickly rack up, deciding whether the choices are elite or embarrassing.
For example, if I were to pick up supermarket sushi, McCoy’s crisps and a smoothie, I could expect some approving comments, while a plain cheese sarnie, bottle of water and fruit pot is more likely to be seen as tragic. Look, we don’t make the rules.
Some creators deliberately choose bizarre – and admittedly quite amusing – combinations simply to spark debate.
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It’s not just about saving money
Part of the appeal is that meal deals give teenagers a sense of independence. They’re cheap enough to buy with part-time wages or pocket money, they're customisable and buying one has become part of meeting friends after college or during the school holidays.
Many have become experts at working the system, carefully selecting the most expensive items included in the offer to squeeze out the biggest saving. For some, getting the maximum value is almost as satisfying as eating the lunch itself.
As one (young) Good Housekeeping colleague puts it:
‘Do I count as a teenager? Whenever I get a meal deal, I always end up choosing a Naked smoothie because it’s normally about £4 on its own. I don’t even like them that much, but it feels like you're getting it for free. And you know I’m pro meal-deal sushi.’
Every supermarket has its fans
Ask a group of teenagers where the best meal deal comes from and you'll quickly discover they have strong opinions.
Tesco remains the default favourite for many, while others swear by Sainsbury’s or Co-op. Boots still has loyal fans thanks to its snack selection, while picking up a meal deal from M&S can even be seen as a bit of a luxury.
One teenager told us, ‘It’s always Sainsbury’s chicken sushi with a Diet Coke and crisps for £3.95 – it’s way cheaper than Itsu, which I'll only get if my mum’s paying.’
Meanwhile, another colleagues daughter backs Co-op:
‘I like the Co-op meal deal – I go for the falafel wrap, watermelon as the snack and a Black Cherry Rubicon as my drink.’
Parents, meanwhile, have their own views on the matter.
‘My teen likes sushi, a fruit snack and then ruins it with a Monster. Vile child. Seventeen-year-old boy. According to him, Tesco is the only meal deal worth having.’
The meal deal combinations worth trying
Curious about what we'd put in our basket? Inspired by the combinations teenagers are talking about online – and a few favourites shared with the Good Housekeeping team – we picked the meal deals we’d buy today.
Tesco meal deal
Price: from £3.85 (with Clubcard)
What we’d pick today
- Main: Triple Chicken Sandwich, £3.40
- Snack: McCoy's Flame Grilled Steak Crisps, £1.25
- Drink: Naked Green Machine Smoothie, £2.90
Why we’d choose it
If you're following the Gen Z playbook, this is the Tesco combination to beat. The premium smoothie does most of the heavy lifting when it comes to value, while the Triple Chicken Sandwich has become something of a meal deal classic.
Saving on our pick
Bought separately, our basket would cost £7.55, meaning you'd save £3.70 with the meal deal.
Sainsbury’s
Price: £3.95
What we’d pick today
- Main: Sainsbury’s Salt & Pepper Chicken Dragon Roll, £3.75
- Snack: The Curators Original Beef Biltong, £2.50
- Drink: Starbucks Grande Caramel Macchiato Iced Coffee, £2.80
Why we’d choose it
This feels like the ‘cool’ meal deal. Supermarket sushi is one of Gen Z’s go-to picks, while the iced Starbucks coffee and beef biltong maximise value by including some of the priciest items in the deal.
Saving on our pick
Bought separately, our basket would cost £9.05, meaning you'd save £5.10 with the meal deal.
Co-op
Price: £3.85 for members (£4.25 otherwise)
What we’d pick today
- Main: Co-op Vegan Mexican Falafel Wrap, £3.55
- Snack: Co-op High Fibre Berry & Cherry Overnight Oats, £2.50
- Drink: Innocent Super Smoothies Energise, £2.75
Why we’d choose it
Co-op has quietly become a favourite among younger shoppers thanks to its strong vegetarian and vegan options. The falafel wrap feels bang on trend, while the Innocent smoothie helps you get the most value from the deal. It’s a combination we’d happily pick up on a summer lunch break.
Saving on our pick
Bought separately, our basket would cost £8.80, meaning you’d save £4.95 with the meal deal.
At least if your teenager heads to the supermarket for lunch, there's a good chance they'll leave your fridge alone for an hour or two. And it's certainly cheaper than buying them a new pair of kicks.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
