January specials: Your monthly guide to freebies and meal deals

January is the month of resolutions.

And if you're resolving to save more money in 2019, you've come to the right place.

Welcome to USA TODAY's January guide of free food, meal deals, made-up food holidays and other savings.

One of the month's sweetest days is Jan. 23, which is National Pie Day not to be confused with Pi Day held March 14.

Bookmark this page because it'll be updated frequently with more specials.

Here are the deals, big days and ongoing specials, available at participating locations. To be on the safe side, always check with your closest location before heading out. Also, some will require you to have a restaurant's app or be signed up for emails.

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Limited-time specials

7-Eleven: Through Feb. 12, get a small cup of Chips Ahoy Hot Chocolate or any other hot beverage for $1 at participating stores. According to the convenience store chain, the limited-edition flavor is “a combination of fresh-baked cookies and warm hot chocolate.”

Carrabba’s Italian Grill: Through Thursday, Jan. 31, get a free order of lasagne or spaghetti to take home when you dine in and order select signature dishes, including Chicken Bryan, Chicken Marsala, Pollo Rosa Maria or Chicken Trio and mention the “Carrabba’s Today, Carrabba’s Tomorrow” offer.

Hardee's: The fast-food chain’s new Angus Thickburger Melts – the Cheddar Bacon Melt and the Mushroom Swiss Melt – start at $3.

IHOP: For a limited time at participating locations, get all-you-can-eat pancakes with any breakfast combo or get just the pancakes for $4.99. Dine-in and buttermilk pancakes only. Some exclusions apply and this offer isn't valid with senior and kids meals.

Jack in the Box: For a limited time, get $1 medium seasoned curly fries with the restaurant’s mobile app. On the menu section of the app, select “app exclusives” and add fries to your cart.

On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina: For a limited time, get endless seasoned ground beef or Chicken Tinga tacos for $8.99 at participating locations. Dine-in orders only.

Red Lobster: Lobsterfest is back for a limited time and the seafood chain has its largest selection of lobster dishes available all year. 

Subway: Through Feb. 6 or while supplies last, get $3 off any $3 order with a purchase through the Subway app when you pay with PayPal. According to the fine print, "Limited to the first 50,000 to save the offer."

Taco Bell: Not a deal, but in a tweet Taco Bell announced the Naked Chicken Chalupa is back on the menu "for a hot second" and to "get it ASAP before it disappears again."

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Jan. 28: Pretzel Pizza returns to Little Caesars

After a four-year hiatus, Little Caesars is bringing back its "much-loved Pretzel Crust Pizza" to its U.S. restaurants starting Monday, Jan. 28.

The pizza was first introduced as a limited-time promotion in 2014 and features "a large buttery-flavored soft pretzel crust pizza with creamy cheddar cheese sauce, mozzarella and Muenster cheeses and pepperoni." The pizzas are $6 plus tax and will be available at participating locations nationwide for a limited time.

“When the pretzel pizza promotion ended in 2015, we were inundated on social media and with phone calls, emails, and even online petitions by pretzel-loving customers,” said Ed Gleich, Little Caesars senior vice president of global marketing in a statement. “Four years later we’re still getting those requests and have a very passionate fan base. In fact, it’s still our most common product request.”

Pretzel Crust Pizza is available from 4 to 8 p.m. and customers can order ahead and pre-pay with the Little Caesars app, then collect the order using "Pizza Portal pickup, the Little Caesars heated, self-service mobile order pickup station."

Jan. 28-Feb. 4: Get a free Wendy's Baconator

There's a bacon battle heating up and Wendy's says it wants to prove it's the "Boss of Bacon."

The fast-food chain is giving away free Baconator burgers with zero delivery fees through DoorDash with a $10 purchase through Monday, Feb. 4.

“We’ve always owned bacon and that’s not changing because our competitors are throwing a happy hour to celebrate its importance,” said Kurt Kane, Wendy's executive vice president, chief concept and marketing officer in a statement. “Bacon is at the core of what we do at Wendy’s, and we aren’t afraid to throw down the gauntlet.”

Use promo code FREEBACONATOR when checking out at DoorDash to receive one free Baconator with a $10 purchase and also get free delivery. The promo code can only be used one time for each DoorDash account, but the free delivery is available all week without a promo code.

Wendy's says in a blog post that it has offered bacon since 1982 "when we threw the first slice of our delicious bacon on the flat grill, giving consumers the freshly-cooked bacon they deserve."

McDonald's hosted a nationwide bacon bash and hour-long free bacon giveaway on Jan. 29, before launching its new bacon lineup Jan. 30, which include Cheesy Bacon Fries, the Big Mac Bacon burger and the Quarter Pounder Bacon burger.

Jan. 30: Aldi's Valentine's Day items go on sale

If you're looking to wine and dine your sweetheart, discount grocer Aldi's heart-shaped cheese and a special chocolate wine will be available starting Wednesday, Jan. 30.

The two heart-shaped cheeses part of the Happy Farms Valentine’s Day Cheese Assortment are $3.99 each and the Chocolate Cellar Chocolate Red Wine, available at locations that sell alcohol, costs $7.99. Prices can vary. 

Aldi, one of the world's largest grocery store chains, has other Valentine's Day special products including: Specially Selected Heart-Shaped Chocolate Chip Brioche for $4.99, Reggano Valentine’s Day Pasta for $1.99 and Belmont Chocolate Sampler or Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cheesecake for $9.99.

There will be several non-food items, including: a Bee Happy 39-inch Cuddle Valentine Plush for $12.99, the Heart to Tail Valentine’s Day Dog Toy Set for $8.99 and Pembrook Valentine’s Day Cards for 99 cents.

Hours vary by location but many stores open at 9 a.m. weekdays. The special items will be available while supplies last. In November, Aldi's wine and cheese Advent calendars quickly sold out.

Jan. 30: Krispy Kreme's heart doughnuts available

Krispy Kreme's new Valentine Conversation Doughnuts will be available starting Wednesday, Jan. 30 and through Valentine's Day.

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Jan. 30: McDonald's launches bacon menu

On Wednesday, Jan. 30, Cheesy Bacon Fries, the Big Mac Bacon burger and the Quarter Pounder Bacon burger join the McDonald's lineup for a limited time.

More:Free bacon, bacon and more bacon: McDonald's, Wendy's go whole hog on what Americans love

Jan. 31: Baskin-Robbins' $1.50 scoops

On Thursday, Baskin-Robbins celebrates its original 31 flavors with $1.50 scoops at participating locations. The Celebrate 31 promotion happens in months with 31 days.

Jan. 31: Bruegger’s Bagels anniversary

Bruegger’s Bagels celebrates its 36th anniversary Thursday, Jan. 31 with its annual free bagel giveaway. From open until 11 a.m. Jan. 31, members of the Inner Circle loyalty program get three free bagels with any purchase and the special offer.

“Our fans are the reason for our success, and that’s why we want to give them the gift of free bagels in celebration of our anniversary,” Bruegger’s Bagels President Tyler Ricks said in a statement.

Join the loyalty program at https://rewards.brueggers.com/subscribe. The free bagels' coupons will be sent on Thursday, Jan. 24, according to the Bruegger's website.

For taking part in the anniversary celebration, customers will also get a coupon for $2 off a future $5 purchase, valid through National Bagel Day, Feb. 9.

Plus, the chain will have a contest on social media. To enter for a chance to win a year of free bagels and coffee, post a “current or past photo of themselves at a Bruegger’s bakery” on the company’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts.

Jan. 31: National Hot Chocolate Day

Not to be confused with National Hot Cocoa Day held in December, National Hot Chocolate Day is Thursday, Jan. 31.

Biggby Coffee: At participating stores, baristas will be featuring different varieties of hot chocolate and some locations will hand out a variety of bounce back coupons, which will be valid until Feb. 13.

Nestlé Toll House Café by Chip: Buy a hot chocolate and get one free Thursday, Jan. 31. Find locations at www.nestlecafe.com/locations.

7-Eleven: Through Feb. 12, get a small cup of Chips Ahoy Hot Chocolate or any other hot beverage for $1 at participating stores. According to the convenience store chain, the limited-edition flavor is “a combination of fresh-baked cookies and warm hot chocolate.” Plus, with the 7Rewards loyalty program, when you buy six coffees, hot chocolates, fountain drinks or Slurpee treats, your seventh is free. Sign up for the free program at the 7Rewards website, by downloading the 7-Eleven app, messaging the 7-Eleven bot on Facebook Messenger or by picking up a physical 7Rewards card at participating locations. 

Ongoing specials

Applebee’s: The January drink of the month is the "$2 Captain and Cola,” made with Captain Morgan Spiced Rum and Pepsi and served in a 10-ounce mug.

Cicis: The pizza buffet chain has joined forces with Nickelodeon’s Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to create “Rise of the Turtles Tuesdays.” Each Tuesday through March 12 from 4 p.m. to close, kids 10 and under get a kid’s buffet for 99 cents with the purchase of one adult buffet and large drink. Limit one kid’s buffet per adult buffet and drink purchase. Learn more about the promotion at www.cicis.com/rtmnt.

Chili’s: The chain’s first $5 margarita of the month for 2019 is a fan favorite from 2018, The Cherry Blossom. The drink features of Lunazul tequila, St-Germain, Fresh Sour and Grenadine.

Dunkin’: Through March 3, get a medium-sized latte or cappuccino, hot or iced, for $2 from 2 to 6 p.m. at participating locations.

KFC: For a limited time, KFC is offering a two for $3 deal on its Chicken Littles. The sandwiches are available in four flavors: Smoky Mountain BBQ, Extra Crispy, Nashville Hot and Georgia Gold.

McDonald's: With an offer on the fast-food chain's app, buy one sandwich and get a second for 25 cents. Some sandwiches are excluded including the new bacon items. According to the offer details, this deal will be valid once per week through March 31.

Olive Garden: The fast-casual Italian restaurant announced its first-ever Never Ending Stuffed Pastas. For a limited time, get unlimited refills while dining in on four stuffed pastas including Stuffed Ziti Fritta and Cheese Ravioli with a choice of four sauces and five toppings. Prices start at $12.99.

Panda Express: Through Sunday, Feb. 3, get $10 off one Family Feast or $25 off two Family Feasts with promo code TOUCHDOWN. For online and app orders only.

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen: For a limited time, get three pieces of chicken tenders or bone-in chicken with a biscuit for $3.99.

Taco Bell: Get a free drink with any purchase through the app or website once-a-day through Feb. 1. According to the fine print, this deal is available at participating locations for web and app pay ahead orders only.

Wawa: Through Feb. 3, get any cup of hot coffee for $1 including Kenya AA Reserve coffee, which is available for a limited time. This offer is for self-serve coffee.

Wendy’s: The fast-food chain has brought back its Giant Junior Bacon Cheeseburger – also known as the Giant JBC – and its signature $5 meal deal. The combo deal, available for a limited time at participating locations, includes the Giant JBC, four-piece chicken nuggets, small fries and a small drink for $5. The burger also is available a la carte for $3.49. Pricing and participation can vary.

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Kelly Tyko is a consumer columnist and retail reporter for Treasure Coast Newspapers and TCPalm.com, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. Read her Bargainista tips at TCPalm.com/Bargainista, follow her on Twitter @KellyTyko and email her at kelly.tyko@tcpalm.com.