This is how I got $60 worth of groceries for $30 with an app — and how you can, too

If you’re worried about height Grocery pricesYou are not the only one. A Recent CNET poll It found that 93% of Americans are concerned about inflation with groceries causing the biggest shock to stores.

To save on your weekly food spending, you can switch to brand-name groceries (I I did the math To see how much you’ll save) or try shopping at a wholesale outlet like Costco (we did the math). Switched to Costco for a yearAlso.) But there is another great option: flashfooda mobile app that lets you buy groceries as the deadline approaches Expiration dates Or damaged packaging direct from local retailers at half price.

I recently tried Flashfood and saved nearly 50% on my groceries from Stop & Shop. As someone who loves to cook at home and enjoys a good deal, Flashfood ticks a lot of boxes for me.

Read more: Here’s what one expert told me about food expiration dates

Here’s everything you need to know about Flashfood, including how to use the grocery discount app.

Screenshot from Flashfood

• service: An app to rescue nearly expired food items from local grocery retailers. Account registration is required, but there is no subscription fee.
• Partners: Flashfood retailers nationwide include Dash Mart, Piggly Wiggly, Meijier, Stop and Shop, Food Lion and others.
• Regional availability:Continental United States and Canada.
• It costs: There are no fees to join. Available products are discounted by 50%. A small 5% service fee, up to a maximum fee of $2.99, is added to each order.

What is the Flash Food program?

Flashfood is an app for purchasing discounted groceries that might otherwise be destined for the trash. Flashfood was founded in 2016 by Josh Domingo to reduce the massive amount of waste generated by food retailers, one of the biggest contributors to the problem. According to data from Recycling track systemsGrocery retail locations in the United States account for 16 billion pounds of food waste annually.

Flashfood partners with select grocery stores to allow them to sell foods that are near their expiration date or severely damaged items at a deep discount to consumers.

How does the Flash Food program work?

Flashfood does not require a subscription, but consumers must download the app and create an account. A Simple map feature It shows you which stores in your area are participating in Flashfood, and you can browse the available inventory.

The original price of each product is shown in the application, in addition to the 50% discounted price, and its expiration date is also indicated. Each item is listed individually for inventory purposes, so you may see multiple listings for the same item.

Flashfood shoppers can simply add items to their cart, then pay for those items in the app. Your order must be picked up in store, ideally on the same day you purchase it, but at the latest before the expiry date of your chosen items. Flashfood charges a 5% service fee per order, up to $3, to cover operating costs.

Save on food items at deeply discounted prices while you shop

The best thing about Flashfood is that you can browse what’s available on the app while shopping in the store, making the shopping experience all-in-one. If you do make the trip, you may find that many of the things on your list are available in the store’s Flashfood inventory. This is a departure from many other food rescue platforms that may offer a large selection of rescued items on their website for national delivery but that does not represent the entire aisle in the grocery store. It’s not a one-store situation. Flashfood probably is too.

There’s a lot of talk about the rising cost of groceries, so the 50% discount offered by Flashfood is something to take into consideration. I got a big batch for about $30: four different proteins, generously portioned, nearing their expiration date but ready to go in the fridge, including salmon, chicken wings, pork chops, and Italian sausage.

There were some items in the pantry that had been damaged in the box – the kind you’d probably ignore if they were sitting on the shelves, but when they’re on sale at 50% off, having them break down was a no-brainer. (My 90s Midwestern sensibilities that believe all cereals should cost no more than $3 were satisfied.)

There was some slight discoloration of a bag of fruit, but that’s about it, and a few pounds of apples, pears, oranges, and clementines were offered as a miscellaneous produce bag for $5. This wasn’t a guessing game or a mystery bag situation – the photo on the app showed exactly what I was getting.

The Stop and Shop store where I purchased my order also had whole bakery cakes for half price. I couldn’t justify it to my family of one, but I was tempted.

Pick up salvaged items in store before their expiration date

The pickup process for my Flashfood order was simple – well-marked Flashfood cabinets and refrigerators were located near the checkout area, and a manager scanned my order and handed me the specific items I had purchased. After I brought my own grocery bag, this was another item of waste eliminated through this process, and I was receiving my order within an hour of purchasing it. Some retailers may pre-package your order, but since Flashfood’s inventory is not endless at any given retailer, it was a quick process to find each of my items when they arrived.

Flashfood recommends that you receive your order the same day you purchase it, but as long as you receive it before the expiration date of your chosen items, it does not have to be immediate.

Who is Flashfood suitable for?

If you regularly shop at one of the major retailers that Flashfood partners with, like Piggly Wiggly, Meijier or Stop and Shop, for example, this is a situation you can’t lose. Since there’s absolutely no membership or commitment, you can also download the app and see what’s available in your store. You may find yourself leaving with some extra cash than you normally would.

Who is Flashfood not for?

Flashfood has about 2,000 retail locations in the United States and Canada. However, if one isn’t close to you, Flashfood won’t help you just yet. (The application is currently developing a method for Consumers to order Flashfood However, in their select markets.) There is currently no delivery mechanism for Flashfood, so you must pick it up in store. If you rely heavily on delivery services like Instacart or DoorDash, or even companies like Misfits Market or Thrive Market that ship locally, Flashfood may not be a practical solution.

Final verdict on Flashfood

flashfood It’s the most useful solution I’ve seen yet when it comes to finding cheap groceries while saving food that would otherwise be headed to the trash. I really encourage anyone to download the simple app and see what’s around the corner. I took 40 minutes out of my way to get to a grocery store that partners with Flashfood, but now that I’ve done it, I would totally do it again.