5 anti-food-waste apps to reduce food waste and save money

"Did you know that 63% of the food thrown away in Canadian households could have easily been consumed? The average family wastes 140 kilograms of food annually, equivalent to about $1,300. A Canadian study conducted for the National Zero Waste Council estimated that 2.2 million tons of food are wasted by Canadian households each year, representing a loss of over $17 billion." . 

In today's environmental context, inflation is constantly eating away at our savings and we must ask ourselves: can we really afford to keep loading up the trash bin? Here are five applications that have undertaken this anti-food-waste mission!

1. FoodHero

A true lifesaver! Quick and easy to use, FoodHero is a partnership between IGA, Métro, Rachelle-Béry and Marché Tradition grocery stores that offer groceries at 25% to 60% off. The app allows grocery stores to sell surplus food, imperfect food or food nearing its expiration date that would otherwise end up in our landfills to consumers. You can find fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, bakery products, dairy products, etc. It's definitely a win-win situation for everyone! New products are added daily, twice a day. My advice is to check the app when you're planning your grocery list, and create your menu for the week around the products available, and pack your freezer. The environment and your wallet will most certainly be grateful! 😊

2. FlashFood

The idea is similar to FoodHero: they work with Provigo and Maxi grocery stores and you can get up to 50% off on some products. I recommend FlashFood for the persistent consumers who can take a look at it daily because the quantities are limited. Nevertheless, we salute the excellent initiative!

3. Too Good To Go

This app also tackles food waste by selling surplus food from restaurants, cafes and stores near you in surprise baskets that you can pick up before closing time. Too Good To Go is very simple and user-friendly! With just a few clicks, you can reserve, pay and collect at the time indicated. It's a great way to discover and encourage local businesses at a low price when you don't feel like cooking and you want to be surprised!

4. Sauvegarde

Similarly, Sauvegarde app sells surplus food from cafes, bakeries, restaurants and grocery stores at discounted prices. It displays products or surprise baskets containing imperfect foods that are fit for consumption but cannot be sold. Again, it's a win-win situation. The consumer saves money, the retailer gets an opportunity to sell products that would otherwise be lost, but most importantly, the environment wins! Their objective is the same as the City of Montreal's, which is to achieve zero waste by 2030.

5. Olio

Have you ever been planning a trip and realized that you still have good food to eat in your fridge? Am I the only one who feels deeply uneasy about throwing away food that is still good so it doesn't spoil in my fridge while I'm traveling? That's exactly why the Olio app was created! Now you can share good food (for free!!) with your neighborhood and leave with peace of mind. You can also share other types of non-edible items like soap, shampoo, or skincare products that don't suit you. When I think of all those products that were thrown away because I was allergic... If that's not being a good neighbor, 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