The £8 Sainsbury's deal helping parents survive the six-week summer holidays

For many parents, the school summer holidays bring one unavoidable challenge alongside finding ways to keep children entertained: constantly thinking about the next meal.

With youngsters at home all day, cupboards seem to empty faster than ever, and the familiar phrase "I'm hungry" can be uttered before lunchtime.

That's why Sainsbury’s latest three for £8 picky bits promotion could prove useful for families looking to keep the fridge stocked with quick, easy options throughout the six-week break.

The mix-and-match offer includes a wide variety of chilled favourites, allowing shoppers to choose any three participating products for £8, bringing the price down to around £2.67 per item.

Among the products included are family favourites such as Goats Cheese & Caramelised Onion Quiches, Ultimate Pork Sausage Rolls and Mozzarella & Basil Pesto Focaccia, alongside a broad selection of vegetarian and plant-based alternatives.

The variety means parents can put together simple lunches, easy dinners or sharing platters without having to prepare a full meal from scratch every day.

The deal could also come in handy on busy summer days spent at the park, beach or on family outings, when everyone arrives home hungry and dinner needs to be on the table quickly. It’s also possible to take a lot of the items out for a lunch at the park or beach as they can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Many of the products can be cooked in an oven or air fryer too, making them a convenient option for evenings when there's little time or energy left after a day of entertaining the children.

For larger households, the promotion also offers the chance to stock the fridge with a range of different options, helping to cater for siblings with different tastes while avoiding repeated trips to the supermarket.

With food prices remaining high, promotions like this can also help families make their grocery budgets go a little further, particularly during the school holidays when food bills often rise as children eat more meals at home.

While it's always worth checking which products are included before shopping, the three for £8 promotion offers plenty of flexibility, whether you're planning easy dinners, weekend movie nights or quick lunches during the long summer break.

For parents wondering how they'll keep everyone fed over the holidays without resorting to expensive takeaways, this could be one supermarket deal worth adding to the shopping list.

• Exclusions apply, selected products only and price, offer and availability subject to change. Please note, delivery charges may also apply. A Nectar card is needed to benefit from the offer.