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What’s the best food waste app?
19. May 2022 Published by Raphael DoerrIt sounds unbelievable: In 2020, 2.5 billion tons of food were thrown away instead of ending up on the plate. That equates to 40 percent of the food produced worldwide, according to the results of a WWF study. And because that figure is so incredible, the authors have added a stark image to illustrate it. If all that food were loaded onto trucks, the convoy would stretch to the moon and back twice! That’s a terrifying thought. But the good news is: We can help by doing something to prevent food waste. And so, today’s question is: What’s the best food waste app?
Less food waste: There are many ways to reach that goal
To answer that question, we need to take a closer look. Many smartphone apps revolve around people collecting left-over food from stores or restaurants. Unfortunately, the participating businesses to date are mainly located in conurbations. That means these apps are of less use in rural regions. However, we can do something to stop throwing away heaps of food. How? By making the best use of the food you buy, for example. Or by giving some away if you’ve bought too much. Apps on the smartphone can also help in that.
Food waste app no. 1: Too Good To Go
Too Good To Go is probably the best-known food waste app. Stores and restaurants use it to offer left-over food at low prices shortly before they close. In other words, the app lets you save money, rescue food, and also discover many a restaurant you didn’t know before in the city.
Food waste app no. 2: Resq Club
The same principle, but a different app: Restaurants and stores also report left-over food using Resq Club. Anyone wanting to rescue it can normally get 50% off the original price. The app is used to pay for it. All you then have to do is collect the tasty food yourself.
Food waste app no. 3: ResteGourmet
Who hasn’t been in this situation? Your fridge is full, but you still can’t come up with an idea on what to cook. One solution is to buy more food and make a meal out of that. But a better solution is to find a recipe that uses the food you already have. And that’s where ResteGourmet helps. It’s very simple to use: Enter the food you have in the food waste app’s search function. Up pop suitable recipes and you can get frying.
Food waste app no. 4: Zu gut für die Tonne!
A food waste app that boasts prominent support is Zu gut für die Tonne! (“Too good for the bin”). The German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture has assembled numerous tips in it to help reduce food waste: How can I prepare vegetables that are no longer fresh? If I’ve bought too much food, what should I do to ensure it keeps? It also contains tasty recipes from what are termed “cooking mentors.” They include prominent personalities like Sarah Wiener, Tim Mälzer, Daniel Brühl, and many others besides.
Food waste app no. 5: Olio
Olio is a widespread food-sharing app that enables private and commercial users to give away their excess food. Have you bought too much? You can’t empty the fridge before going on vacation? Or has this year’s harvest produced an abundance of zucchini? No problem: You will find a willing taker with Olio. That means you need to throw less away. And the key principle is: No money changes hands, since the food is given away for free.
Food waste app no. 6: NoWaste
There’s been a lot of talk about the smart home and the Internet of Things (IoT) in recent years. One appliance often cited as an example of the completely connected home is the refrigerator. In the future, it will know what is in it. And, based on that knowledge, it will then help its owner, for example, by pointing out that food is about to expire. Indeed, there are already initial models that boast such features. However, they still aren’t mature. And they burn a big hole in your pocket. Until these smart refrigerators are ready for the market, you can use the smartphone app NoWaste. Simply scan the food you’ve bought and then you can arrange it by sell-by date. That way, nothing goes bad.
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