“Did you know that 63% of food thrown away in Canadian households could have been eaten? The average family wastes 140 kilograms of food annually, which is the equivalent of about $1,300. Across Canada, a study conducted for the National Zero Waste Council estimated that 2.2 million tonnes of food are wasted by Canadian households each year, a loss that is equivalent to more than $17 billion.”
In an environmental context where action is urgent and where inflation continues to eat away at our savings, a question arises: can we really afford to fatten our brown bin? So I offer you five applications that have embarked on this anti-waste mission!
1. FoodHero
The hero of my heart! Simple and quick to use, FoodHero brings together IGA, Métro, Rachelle-Béry and Marché Tradition grocery stores that have teamed up to offer you food between 25% and 60% off. The app allows grocery stores to sell consumers surplus food, imperfect foods or those approaching their expiration date that would otherwise end up in our landfills. It includes fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, bakery products, dairy products, etc. It’s truly a win-win for everyone! New products are added every day, twice a day. So, I advise you to check the app when preparing your grocery list, create your weekly menu around the products on it and fill your freezer. The environment and your wallet will certainly thank you.
2. FlashFood
We start from the same principle as FoodHero, but with Provigo and Maxi grocery stores and with which we can get up to 50% off. I recommend FlashFood instead for persistent consumers who would take a look at it daily since the quantities are minimal. We still applaud the excellent initiative!
3. Too Good To Go
This app also tackles food waste by selling surplus from restaurants, cafes and stores near you in the form of surprise baskets that you collect before closing time. Too Good To Go is simple and user-friendly! In just a few clicks, you reserve, pay and collect at the indicated time. A great way to discover and encourage local businesses at low prices when you don’t really feel like cooking and want to be surprised!
4. Sauvegarde
Here too, the Sauvegarde application sells surplus food from cafes, bakeries, restaurants and grocery stores at reduced prices. It displays products or surprise boxes containing imperfect foods that are fit for consumption, but that cannot be sold. Once again, everyone wins. The consumer saves money, the merchant seizes an opportunity to sell products that would otherwise have been lost, but above all, it is the environment that has everything to gain! Their objective is in line with the City of Montreal, namely zero waste by 2030.
5. Olio
Have you ever gone on a trip and realized that you hadn’t managed to eat the right foods in your fridge? Am I the only one who feels deeply uncomfortable throwing away food that’s still good so that it doesn’t spoil in my fridge during my trip? That’s exactly why the Olio app was created! You can now share good food (for free!!) with your neighbors and leave with peace of mind. It’s also possible to share other types of non-edible items like soap, shampoo, creams that don’t suit you for example. When I think of all those creams thrown away because I was allergic… If that’s not good neighborliness, I don’t know what is!
Don’t hesitate to share your favorite apps with us!
By Millie Jacques, Customer Service Coordinator at Still Good
Sources
RECYC-QUEBEC, Prévenir le gaspillage alimentaire, [En ligne], 2023 [https://www.recyc-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/citoyens/mieux-consommer/gaspillage-alimentaire]
