Food waste is an enormous problem for the world. In the United States alone, an estimated 30% to 40% of the food supply ends up getting thrown away. U.S. grocery stores, in particular, generate 16 billion pounds of food waste per year — because stores want to keep the shelves fully stocked with fresh food, they are constantly throwing away food that goes bad, which generates massive waste.
But what if there was a way to seek out and buy the food in grocery stores that was about to expire while getting a big discount in the process?
As it turns out, there is a way. It's an app called Flashfood. And one TikToker is showing off how much it can help your wallet and the planet.
"We are saving money this year on food and I'm so excited," @sidehustletay tells their viewers. They go on to show off their huge grocery store haul — two packs of peameal bacon (a type of Canadian pork product), four cups of yogurt, two whole chickens, two packs of ground chicken, nine packs of ground turkey, and a jar of Alfredo sauce.
All of that would have come out to around $150 before the discounts. But using Flashfood, they paid less than $75 — a huge discount of more than 50%.
@sidehustletay Another day, another Flash Food haul in the GTA! I was so excited to find meat on offer today so I stocked up to fill the freezer. Download the FlashFood app today and use referral code TAYL49JA to save $5 on your first order of $10! Money saved is money made baby! #flashfood #couponing #canadagroceries #groceryhaul #savemoney #savemoneytips #moneysavingtips #freezerstash #freezermeals ♬ original sound - Side hustle
The chickens, in particular, were massively discounted, going from $22 each to $8 apiece.
"Each of these I got for $8 each," they say, pointing at two packages.
And the majority of that grocery haul is freezable, meaning that even though the store was about to throw it in the trash, it will go on to provide meals for weeks, if not months.
Flashfood works by simply connecting customers with grocery stores and facilitating the sale of discounted, nearly expired items. It's a simple idea, but it ends up being a win for consumers (who save money), the stores themselves (which shrink their monetary losses), and the planet.
The app is currently partnered with 23 chains and counting, and there is a page on the website where you can type in your zip code and see if one of those chains is near you.
"Amazing," writes one commenter on the TikTok post. "I have a Flashfood pickup today too. I got flank steaks, two packs of sausages, eggs, and strawberries for $14. Woohoooo!"
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