March 20 marks the official arrival of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, a time when many brands celebrate the changing season with promotional offers and free treats. As consumers emerge from winter, food and beverage companies, in particular, leverage this date to launch seasonal marketing campaigns. The provided source material focuses heavily on free food and discounted beverages available on March 20, 2025, while also referencing broader categories of free samples and products available through various online programs.
Seasonal Food and Beverage Promotions
The start of spring is characterized by several major food chains offering complimentary products to attract customers. These promotions are typically time-sensitive and limited to in-store redemption at participating locations.
Dairy Queen Free Cone Day
Dairy Queen offers a traditional "Free Cone Day" on March 20. Participants can receive a complimentary small soft-serve vanilla cone at most non-mall locations and some participating mall venues. The offer is valid all day, while supplies last, and is limited to one cone per customer. It is important to note that free cones are not available for delivery through the DQ Rewards mobile app.
Dairy Queen has partnered with Children's Miracle Network Hospitals for this event. While the cone is free, customers have the option to dip their cone in one of Dairy Queen's dipped coatings for a $1 fee. This $1 donation is then contributed to the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals.
Rita’s Italian Ice Giveaway
Rita’s Italian Ice continues a tradition of over 30 years by giving away free Italian ice on the first day of spring. On March 20, customers visiting any of the chain's more than 575 locations can receive a free 6-ounce Italian ice in the flavor of their choice. This year, the chain introduced a new Skittles Italian Ice flavor.
In addition to the free product, Rita’s is running a sweepstakes where guests can win free Italian ice for a year. Customers using the Rita's Ice App can enter the promo code "FDOS25" under the "offers" tab to participate in the sweepstakes.
Jamba Promotions
Jamba is promoting its new "Over Ice" line of iced drinks with a specific deal on March 20. From 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time, customers can purchase a small iced beverage for $1. This offer is valid only in-store and applies specifically to the Mangomorphosis or Dragonberry Blitz flavors.
Other Spring Offers
Other brands mentioned in the context documents regarding spring or seasonal celebrations include:
- Baskin-Robbins: Offering discounted smoothies, milkshakes, and limited-time Mangonadas on March 20. Prices are set at $5 for a small, $6 for a medium, and $7 for a large.
- Dunkin': Dunkin' Rewards members can earn 3x points on Dunkin' Refreshers on March 20, including the Raspberry Watermelon Dunkin' Refresher. Members must activate the offer in the app prior to placing the order.
- Ben & Jerry's: Mentioned as having a "Free Cone Day" scheduled for April 14, 2026.
- Haagen-Dazs: Mentioned as having a "Free Cone Day" scheduled for May 2026.
General Free Sample Programs
Beyond the specific date-based promotions, the source material lists various websites and programs that offer free samples, product trials, and brand freebies. These programs generally operate year-round and cover a wide range of categories.
Online Sample Aggregators
Several platforms are listed as sources for finding active freebies. These include:
- HeyItsFree.net: A website dedicated to listing active freebies still available to consumers.
- ProductSamples.com: A platform offering free samples.
- Daily Goodie Box: A service that provides free boxes of samples.
- SampleSource: Mentioned as offering "Spring SampleSource Freebie Packs" coming soon.
Brand-Specific Freebies
Certain brands offer samples directly through their websites or partner programs. The context documents mention the following specific sample offers:
- Enfamil: Free Enfamil Toddler Formula is available.
- Colgate: Free Colgate samples are available specifically for teachers.
- TENA: Free TENA Adult Pads & Guards are offered.
- PETA: Free PETA Vegan Starter Kits are available.
- Gratsy: A "Possible Free Gratsy Sample Box" is mentioned.
- Crumbl Cookies: The brand offers "70 Free Crumbl Cookies Crumbs Points."
Household, Health, and Niche Freebies
The source material categorizes a variety of other free products and services, ranging from household items to health-related materials and recipe books.
Household and Safety Items
Consumers can access specific household items and safety materials for free:
- Office Depot/OfficeMax: Free 5 lbs paper shredding services.
- Phantom Fireworks: 6 free gold sparklers.
- Meat Safety: A free meat safety fridge magnet is available.
- American Flag: Ace Hardware offers a free American Flag on May 24.
- Custom Labels: Free customized, personal bottle labels are available.
Health and Wellness
Health-related freebies include:
- HIV: Free HIV resources or tests are mentioned.
- Contraception: Free Vaginal Contraceptive Film is listed.
- Fitness: A free Planet Fitness Teen Summer Pass is mentioned.
- Cookbooks: Free cookbook resources are available for specific dietary needs or interests, including:
- Free Catfish Cookbook & Recipes
- Free Crohn's Cookbook
- Free Historic Mexican Recipe Cookbooks
- Free NOH Foods of Hawaii Recipe Book
- Free Sun-Maid Recipe Booklet
Food and Dining Coupons
In addition to the seasonal free treats, there are various coupons and rewards programs offering free food:
- Waffle House: A coupon for a free waffle.
- White Castle: Free food offers.
- Wendy's: Free food available with ANY mobile order.
- Taco John's: Free Beef Taco.
- Schlotzsky's: Free Sandwich.
- McDonald's: Free Coupons & Food.
- Chick-fil-A: Free rewards club benefits.
- Grubhub: A free 30-day Grubhub+ trial plus $7 off the first food delivery.
Magazine and Educational Subscriptions
A significant portion of the freebies listed involves magazine subscriptions and educational materials. These are typically digital or physical subscriptions offered at no cost.
- Magazines: Free subscriptions are available for a wide range of publications, including:
- Fast Company
- D Magazine
- Indianapolis Monthly
- Vogue
- Cigar Aficionado
- Afar Travel
- Whisky Advocate
- Sports Illustrated
- Wine Enthusiast
- Reason
- Philadelphia Magazine
- Boston Magazine
- ESSENCE
- Wine Spectator
- Conde Nast Traveler
- Harper's Magazine
- GQ (1-Year Subscription)
- Time Magazine
- LEGO Life Magazine
- Other Printed Materials:
- Free 2026 Handbook of Roses
- Free Yellowstone Ranger Pack
Sweepstakes and Rewards Programs
Several offers involve entering sweepstakes or utilizing rewards apps to gain free products or points.
- Sweepstakes: Rita’s Italian Ice sweepstakes for free ice for a year (requires app usage).
- Rewards Points:
- Crumbl Cookies: 70 free crumbs points.
- Swagbucks: Opportunity to turn grocery receipts into Swagbucks cashback.
- Teen Summer Pass: Free Planet Fitness Teen Summer Pass.
Conclusion
The first day of spring in 2025 is marked by a variety of free food promotions, primarily from ice cream and frozen treat retailers such as Dairy Queen and Rita’s Italian Ice. While these date-specific offers are prominent, the broader landscape of free samples and brand freebies includes year-round opportunities from health product manufacturers, household goods suppliers, and educational publishers. Consumers seeking these offers should be aware that many in-store food promotions are available only while supplies last and require physical presence at participating locations. For online samples and subscriptions, users should verify the terms of service and eligibility requirements on the respective brand websites.