Flashfood is an app that allows you to store discounted groceries that will in any other case be tossed as a result of packaging injury or looming expiration dates. Flashfood Pros
Shop for discounted groceries when you store for different groceries
Rescue meals that will in any other case must be tossed
Heavily discounted gadgets obtainable throughout all grocery classes
Straightforward app and procuring course of
Seamless pickup
No packaging waste
Cons
Available solely at choose retailers
Some shops have few gadgets obtainable
May embody broken gadgets
No supply possibility
We’re all nonetheless coping with inflated grocery costs, and meals insecurity stays an actual downside for a lot of within the U.S., with greater than 13% reporting some kind.Flashfood, a cellular app that allows you to buy groceries with nearing expiration dates or broken packaging immediately from native retailers at half the worth, is a method of us are combating meals waste and inflation with the assistance of collaborating supermarkets. I attempted the finances grocery app and saved roughly 50% on a haul of Stop & Shop groceries. As somebody who likes to prepare dinner at dwelling and a great deal, Flashfood ticks loads of containers for me. Read extra: Here’s What an Expert Told Me About Food Expiration DatesHere’s every little thing it is advisable to learn about Flashfood, together with methods to use the grocery low cost app.Snapshot of FlashfoodService: App for rescuing almost-expired meals from native grocery retailers. Account registration is required, however there isn’t a subscription charge.Partners: Flashfood retailers throughout the nation embody Dash Mart, Piggly Wiggly, Meijier, Stop and Shop, Food Lion and others.Regional availability: Flashfood is at present obtainable at greater than 2,000 shops throughout the US and Canada with most US places on the East Coast and in California and Nevada. Find places on Flashfood’s web site.Cost: No charge to hitch. Available merchandise are discounted at 50%. A small service charge of 5%, as much as a most charge of $2.99, is added to every order. Flashfood is an app that allows you to store discounted groceries that will in any other case be tossed as a result of packaging injury or looming expiration dates. FlashfoodWhat is Flashfood?An app for buying discounted groceries that could be destined for the trash, Flashfood was based in 2016 by Josh Domingue to curb the great quantity of waste generated by meals retail companies, one the largest contributors to the issue. According to knowledge from Recycle Track Systems, US grocery retail places account for 16 billion kilos of meals waste per yr.Flashfood companions with particular grocery shops to permit them to promote meals that’s nearing its expiration date or closely broken gadgets at a deep low cost to customers.How does Flashfood work?Flashfood does not require a subscription, however customers should obtain the app and create an account. A easy map characteristic exhibits you what shops in your space take part in Flashfood, and you may browse the obtainable stock. The app exhibits gadgets with each their unique and discounted costs. Flashfood/Screenshot by CNETEach merchandise’s unique worth is proven within the app, in addition to the 50% discounted worth, and its expiration date can be indicated. Every merchandise is listed individually for stock functions, so that you may see a number of listings for a similar merchandise.Flashfood consumers can merely add gadgets to their cart, after which pay for these gadgets within the app. Your order should be picked up within the retailer, ideally on the identical day as you buy it, however on the newest earlier than the expiration date of the gadgets you selected. Flashfood collects a 5% service charge per order, as much as $3, for its working prices. Flashfood cabinets and fridges are situated close to checkout. A supervisor helped me discover my purchases. Pamela Vachon/CNETRescue deeply discounted meals when you storeThe better part about Flashfood is which you could browse what’s obtainable on the app when you store within the retailer, making it a one-stop procuring expertise. If you are making the journey already, you may discover that a number of issues in your checklist can be found within the retailer’s Flashfood stock. This is a departure from a number of different meals rescue platforms that will provide an enormous number of rescued gadgets on their web site for nationwide supply however that do not signify each aisle within the grocery retailer. It’s not a one-stop store state of affairs. Flashfood doubtlessly is. Here’s what $60 of groceries for $30 seems like. Pamela Vachon/CNETThere’s loads of speak in regards to the rising value of groceries, and so a 50% low cost that Flashfood affords is basically one thing to think about. I bought fairly a haul for about $30: 4 completely different proteins, generously portioned, nearing their expiration date however able to go proper within the freezer, together with salmon, hen wingettes, pork chops and Italian sausage. Produce luggage are listed, labelled and put aside for pickup. Pamela Vachon/CNETA couple of pantry gadgets merely had field injury — the sort you’d possible cross over in the event that they have been sitting on the cabinets, however when supplied at a 50% low cost, snagging them was a no brainer. (My 1990s Midwestern sensibility that believes all cereal ought to value not more than $3 was glad.) A bagful of fruit had some gentle discoloration, however that was it, and some kilos of apples, pears, oranges and clementines have been supplied as a miscellaneous produce bag for $5. This wasn’t a guessing recreation or thriller bag state of affairs — the {photograph} on the app confirmed precisely what I used to be getting. The Stop and Shop the place I bought my order additionally had full bakery truffles half off. I could not justify it for my one-person family, however boy I used to be tempted. Slightly field injury is effectively definitely worth the 50% low cost. Pamela Vachon/CNETPickup rescued gadgets in retailer earlier than their expiration datesThe pickup course of for my Flashfood order was easy — well-marked Flashfood cabinets and fridges have been situated close to the checkout, and a supervisor checked my order and handed me the particular gadgets I bought. Having introduced my very own grocery bag, it was one other factor of waste eradicated by the method, and I used to be choosing up my order inside an hour of getting bought it. Some retailers might bundle your order forward of time, however as a result of the Flashfood stock is not bottomless at any given retailer, it was a fast course of to seek out every of my gadgets once I arrived.Flashfood recommends choosing up your order on the identical day as you bought it, however as long as you choose it up earlier than the expiration date of your chosen gadgets, it does not must be instant. You’ll see the expiration dates earlier than you commit. Flashfood/Screenshot by CNETWho is Flashfood good for?If you often store at one of many main retailers that Flashfood companions with, resembling Piggly Wiggly, Meijier or Stop and Shop, for instance, then this can be a can’t-lose state of affairs. Since there is not any membership or dedication concerned in any respect, it’s possible you’ll as effectively obtain the app and see what’s obtainable in your retailer. You might end up leaving with some further money than you’d usually. Flashfood helps you observe your financial savings. Flashfood/Screenshot by CNETWho is Flashfood not good for?Flashfood has about 2,000 retail places within the US and Canada. That stated, if considered one of them is not close to you, then Flashfood will not do you any good simply but. (The app is at present growing a method for customers to request Flashfood of their particular markets, nonetheless.) There’s at present no supply mechanism for Flashfood, so you could choose it up in-store. If you rely closely on supply companies like Instacart or DoorDash, and even companies like Misfits Market or Thrive Market that ship nationally, then Flashfood is probably not a sensible answer.Final verdict on FlashfoodFlashfood is essentially the most helpful answer I’ve but seen with regards to discovering cheap groceries whereas saving meals that will in any other case be destined for the trash. I really would encourage anybody to obtain the straightforward app and see what’s close by. I went 40 minutes out of my method to get to a grocery retailer that companions with Flashfood however having finished it, I’d completely do it once more.