These Apps Are Helping Families Save Big on Grocery and Restaurant Bills

If you’ve been to a grocery store or a restaurant lately, you’ve probably noticed that food prices have risen significantly. Essentials like eggs, bread, and even orange juice still cost more than they did a year ago, and menu prices have also risen over 8 percent compared to 2022.

With costs skyrocketing, shoppers are on the lookout for better ways to save. While creating a budget and sticking to generic labels or foods that are in season might relieve some of the pressure, more folks are turning to coupon clipping—and specifically, certain apps—to keep their bellies and their wallets full. Below, we break down two of the best money-saving apps out now for groceries, which are also helping to reduce food waste.

Flashfood

First up is Flashfood, an app that can help you save up to 50 percent on supermarket staples like milk, bread, butter, eggs, and more. These foods have been marked down because they’re nearing their “use by” date, so instead of throwing everything out and sending the food to a landfill, Flashfood works with grocery stores across North America to sell these items at a deep discount. All items on sale are still fresh and safe to consume.

To get started, just download the Flashfood app to your iPhone or Android device. After signing up for the free service, shoppers can browse through deals from local chains, including Stop & Shop, Giant Eagle, Meijer, Tops, and others (check out a complete list of participating grocery stores here).

You can click on the food items you want and add them to your virtual cart, then pay directly on the app with a debit or credit card. In fact, Flashfood also accepts SNAP EBT cards for eligible recipients. Once you’re done, you can pickup your groceries at the store’s customer service desk.

According to the company’s most recent Impact Report, more than 2.9 million people used the service in 2022, which helped keep more than 28 million pounds of food waste out of landfills. It also resulted in about $56 million in collective savings for shoppers throughout the U.S. and Canada, with produce, ground beef, and chicken breasts among the most popular discounted foods sold via the app.

Too Good To Go

Next is Too Good To Go, a similar service that not only partners with local grocery stores, but also with restaurants, bakeries, and cafés. Instead of donating or throwing away unsold food, businesses give patrons a chance to eat for cheap—for one-third off the original price. The service is partnered with a few chains too, including Blue Bottle Coffee, Cava, Eataly, and Just Salad.

Here’s how it works: First, download the Too Good To Go app on iOS or Android, and then sign up for a free account. Instead of selling single items, businesses offer special “surprise bags” filled with goodies. According to The Washington Post, these bags generally go for between $4 to $6 and can consist of various items depending on the chain. For example, at We, The Pizza in Washington, D.C., shoppers were able to get three slices of pizza and an order of garlic knots for just $6, or $12 off the regular $18 order price.

Via the app, you can browse through deals and reserve a bag, then pay for everything and pick it up during a selected time frame. According to Too Good To Go, more than 4 million users are on the app and nearly 10,000 businesses use the platform, including more than 4000 restaurants, more than 3000 bakeries, and nearly 2000 supermarkets. With partners across the U.S.—including in Los Angeles, Manhattan, Chicago, Boston, and Central Texas—plus around the world, this certified B Corp is poised to make a big difference when it comes to food waste and insecurity.

If you’re looking for a good way to save some money on your weekly meals, consider giving these food finder/waste prevention apps a shot. While you’re at it, you can also check out these useful tips for how to make the most of each grocery store run.