Top Five Apps for Cheap Discounted Products
According to the National Resource Defense Council , up to 40% of food in the US is never eaten. Many factors contribute to this: restaurants prepare more food than they can sell in a day; grocery stores overstock their shelves to give the appearance of abundance; farmers are not always able to sell products that are misshapen or ugly. Much of this food ends up in landfills, rots and releases methane, the NRDC explains.
To combat all this food waste, several mobile apps have sprung up to connect those with leftover food with those who want and want to eat it. An added bonus is that this food is usually sold at a significantly discounted price, allowing you to be kind to your wallet, your appetite, and the planet at the same time. While you won’t solve the climate crisis, you’ll at least enjoy food with a slightly lower carbon footprint than you might otherwise. Here are five applications to consider.
Imperfect Products
Imperfect Foods is a weekly grocery delivery service that offers discounted products that don’t sell on the shelves due to cosmetic features, custom sizes, or general overstock. Their grocery offerings include groceries, pantries, dairy, snacks, meats, and fish. Registration is free, but you must pay a $5.99 shipping fee per order (although orders over $60 are free shipping).
Delivery dates are based on your zip code, so some planning is required to get the best use of the service, but the company’s commitment to achieving zero carbon emissions by 2030 can help you feel better about not just ordering from Amazon Pantry. Imperfect Foods is available in 33 states. Check their coverage map to see if you live in the area they serve.
Too good to go
Too Good to Go connects users to shops and restaurants that have surplus food at the end of the day. Customers can select a restaurant from which they will receive a “surprise bag” of extra food at a reduced price, then pick it up at the store at a pre-set collection window. This app is a great tool for picky eaters looking for restaurant quality food at a seriously discounted price.
I use this app myself and find that you get the most bang for your buck when ordering pizza places – they tend to give you a good amount of leftover bites at the end of the day. Too Good to Go is located throughout the United States, including California, Oregon, Washington, Texas, New York, Maine, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Illinois and Virginia, as well as several European countries.
Loser Market
Misfits Market is an online retailer that works directly with farmers and food manufacturers to stock groceries, meat, seafood, staples and other items that might otherwise go to waste. And they boast 40% off merchandise compared to most grocery stores. Membership is free and you place a weekly order during a predetermined three-day shopping window, but there is a $6.99 charge for each delivery. Misfit Market delivers to 48 states (sorry, Alaska and Hawaii), although you can sign up for their waitlist if they don’t already serve your zip code.
Hungry Harvest
Hungry Harvest is a great resource for cheaper fruit and vegetable delivery with no shipping fees on orders over $30. They offer discounted products in pre-packaged boxes starting at $15 or in individual boxes made up of whatever you choose. Hungry Harvest currently operates in Maryland, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Florida, North Carolina and Michigan.
flashfood
Flashfood allows its users to view offers with up to 50% discounts at nearby grocery stores. Items for sale at a discounted price will be approaching expiration or “best selling” dates, meaning the buyer needs to keep in mind how to quickly use their loot before it goes bad ( not that those dates really mean much ). .
Unlike some other food waste apps, Flashfood requires their customers to pick up their order from the store rather than offer delivery. The Flashfood app currently serves residents of Kentucky, Nebraska, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, as well as Canadian provinces . and the territories of Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Newfoundland.