Food apps offer the chance to get leftovers at a big discount

By Ashaad Evans
Special to The Independent Press

Food prices are on the rise but technology can help.

Food apps like Flashfoods, Too Good to Go and Misfits Market give consumers options to get lower priced goods.

Mitchell Perkins, who works as a cashier at Clifton Wine Shop, said he finds Flashfoods easy to use and it offers a range of options depending on your location.

“My experience of using the app was very simple and easy,” Perkins said. “They have various deals on food items. For example there’s mashed potatoes that cost $10.70 but the original price is $21.70.”

With inflation currently at 4.8% according to USDA Economic Research Service, consumers are feeling pinched in many areas of life, including at the grocery store.

“From 2019 to 2020, consumer prices for all items rose 1.4%. Over that period, food prices increased 3.9%, the largest over-the-year increase since 2011, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Too Good To Go is a free app that has taken off in New York City and has made inroads in Northern New Jersey. Founded in 2015, Too Good To Go allows restaurant owners to post leftovers for a lower price.

To use it, customers only need a mobile phone and to enable location sharing. The app will post restaurants and stores that have posted food on the app close to your area. A recent six mile radius search around Bloomfield shows options from pizza to bagels and salads.

A customer purchases the food on the app and then picks it up. Sometimes offered is a “surprise” bag of food items, generally, its items that would cost $13-$15 but sell for $4.99 when purchased on the app. The food inside is generally whatever is leftover and can’t be used by the business.

Flashfood allows consumers to save money on everyday grocery essentials. These products are near their expiration date but are still edible. The deals presented from Flashfood allow consumers to save on meats, vegetables, bakery items, etc. A recent search showed local grocery stores with items such as fruit boxes for $5 and mixed produce boxes for $5. Another low priced food app is Misfits Market. Customers can create a list of grocery items they want delivered to their home for a cheaper price.

Misfits Market specializes in food that might not look great but is fine to eat.

“We take in high-quality organic produce that sometimes looks a little different. Fruits and veggies that are too big, too small, or just sort of funny-looking. Oftentimes, though, it’s produce that’s simply considered “surplus,”’ the company said.

Once a customer is fully set up with an account they’ll automatically get their listed items delivered every week. It’s free to make an account and get started so all you have to do is pay for the food.

Quincy Brown, a team leader working at Panera uses the app Misfits Market for personal use.

“I like how cheap items like vegetables and fruits are and it’s convenient because it’ll deliver groceries to my door. The only issue I have with it is that you can only shop at specific times of day,” Brown said.

  bloomfield, Essex County, Food apps