This week, on my commute to work, I’ve been learning about the global issue of food waste and exploring the Play Store for apps that make it possible and easy for the average smartphone owner to become part of the solution. Here’s what I’ve found:

The Problem of Food Waste

There are about 800 million starving people in the world. We produce more than enough food to feed everybody, but sadly one-third of all produce is lost or wasted. The biggest culprits for this are unsurprisingly (and uncomfortably for myself, as a Brit) the Western world. Food is lost at all stages of the cycle – production, retail, and consumer. This isn’t a new problem, and there are various initiatives and organizations working to seal the leaks (Fareshare, FoodCycle, OzHarvest).

We produce more than enough food to feed everybody, but sadly one third of all produce is lost or wasted.

It is well known that supermarkets discard blemished fruit and vegetables, even though they are still edible, assumably in the fear that customers will perceive their products as low quality. If we can eat broken biscuits, surely we can eat dented fruit? I really was pleased this morning to stumble across this recent article – LIDL are doing its bit by selling 5kg boxes of imperfect fruit for just £1.50. Hopefully, other big chains will catch on soon too.

It is well known that supermarkets discard blemished fruit and vegetables, even though they are still edible.

When it comes to prepared food outlets like restaurants and cafes, I can imagine it’s quite hard to avoid having a few extra meals or sandwiches at the end of the day – consumer behavior is impossible to predict perfectly.

For many years, The Pret Foundation (aka Pret A Manger) has been sending a fleet of vans around to stores at the end of the day to collect unsold goods and deliver them to homeless shelters – last year they’re estimated to have distributed over 3 million food items to people in need! Well done, Pret.

Food Waste Apps that are Addressing the Problem:

I’ve picked out three of my favorite food waste apps on the Play Store to share.

1) TooGoodToGo (Play Store, App Store)

its mission is to reduce food waste by allowing nearby restaurants, bakeries, and supermarkets to advertise and sell food that they would otherwise waste. Users simply find a local store, order, and collect at a specified time. All food is sold at a bargain price between £2 – £4.

2) Karma (Play Store)

similar to TooGoodToGo, this app focuses on reducing waste at the retail level. Pick up half-price, unwanted food from local grocery stores, restaurants, and cafes between 2 pm-6 pm, and get notified when your favorite outlets have just advertised unwanted food.

3) Olio (Play Store)

a handy little app that allows you to offer and take unwanted household food (and non-food) items from people nearby, often for free. With a few clicks and a couple of messages, you can avoid the guilt of throwing away that extra pot of baby food or bag of ground coffee, and meet a new neighbor in the process!

Don’t ever play yourself. Put it this way, it took me twenty-five years to get these plants, twenty-five years of blood sweat, and tears, I’m just getting started. Surround yourself with angels, positive energy, beautiful people, beautiful souls, clean heart, angels. It’s on you how you want to live your life. Everyone has a choice. I pick my choice, squeaky clean. I’m up to something. They don’t want us to win. Mogul talk. Look at the sunset, life is amazing, life is beautiful, and life is what you make it.

What else can we do?

What else can we do on an individual level? Well, besides grabbing a box from LIDL and onboarding with initiatives and food waste apps like TooGoodToGo and Olio, there’s a lot we can do in our own homes.

My mum’s favorite phrase is “waste not, want not” and from thirty years of experience, I can tell you there is nothing wrong with eating (vegetarian) food that is ‘on the turn’. And what about that fruit tree in the garden? Feeling inspired, I took five minutes before leaving the house on Thursday to pop out to the big fig tree and fill up a large Tupperware with fresh, delicious figs to take to my friends and colleagues at work. They went down so well, I was asked to do the same the next day! I hope this article has inspired one or two people to become part of the solution too.

Food waste apps FAQs

How do you keep track of food in the fridge?

Keeping track of food in the fridge can be done through a few simple methods. One way is to label your food items with their names and dates of storage. This allows you to easily identify what needs to be consumed first. Another helpful tip is to store similar items together in designated areas or containers, such as grouping dairy products, fruits, and vegetables separately. Additionally, you can create a simple inventory list or use a digital app to track the contents of your fridge.

How do I organize my fridge to prevent food waste?

Organizing your fridge effectively can help prevent food waste. Here are some tips to consider:

1. Regularly clean and declutter your fridge to maintain visibility and prevent forgotten items from spoiling.
2. Store perishable items like meats and dairy products on lower shelves where the temperature is cooler.
3. Use clear containers or storage bins to group similar items together. This makes it easier to locate and use them before they spoil.
4. Place older food items in front and newer ones at the back to ensure that older items are used first.
5. Keep a designated “eat me first” section where you store items that need to be consumed soon.

Is there an app to keep track of leftovers?

Yes, there are several apps available that can help you keep track of leftovers. These apps allow you to input the type of food, date of storage and even set reminders for when it should be consumed. Some popular examples include “Fridge Pal,” “Fresh Box,” and “EatByDate.” These apps not only help you manage your leftovers efficiently but also minimize food waste by ensuring timely consumption.

How do I organize my leftovers in the fridge?

Properly organizing leftovers in the fridge can help you locate and use them before they go bad. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Use clear and airtight containers to store leftovers. Clear containers make it easier to identify the contents without having to open them.
2. Label each container with the name of the food and the date it was stored. This helps you keep track of how long the leftovers have been in the fridge.
3. Place the containers in a designated area, such as a specific shelf or drawer, to keep them separate from other items.
4. Stack containers neatly, with the oldest leftovers in front and the newer ones in the back. This ensures that you use the older leftovers first and prevents them from getting forgotten.
5. Consider grouping similar types of leftovers together. For example, keep all vegetable-based leftovers in one section and meat-based leftovers in another. This helps with easy identification and prevents cross-contamination.

Remember, it’s important to regularly check your fridge for any expired or spoiled leftovers and discard them promptly to maintain food safety.

When we think about all the things that are hurting our planet, we don’t necessarily think about how much food we’re throwing away and how it’s impacting our planet. Not only does it take a lot of resources to produce food, but when food gets wasted it contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and therefore climate change.

But the Karma team has come up with a cool idea that saves the earth and also a hungry man’s wallet…

What is Karma?

Karma is a Stockholm, Sweden-based startup by co-founders Elsa Bernadotte, Hjalmar Ståhlberg Nordegren, Ludvig Berling, and Mattis Larsson, which was created to mitigate the world’s food waste problem. They believe that great food shouldn’t be wasted. Their app Karma was officially launched in November of 2016 and the premise for it is quite simple: sellers upload pictures and information about unsold food to the app marked at a 50% discount and nearby users can browse the app, purchase food, and pick it up as takeaway. This way customers get cheaper food, restaurants make more money, and the planet suffers from less greenhouse gas emissions. It’s a win-win situation for everyone!

“great food shouldn’t be wasted” Karma app

How it all began

Karma initially started as a platform for sharing daily deals that users found and uploaded to the app (almost as a crowdsourced version of Groupon), however, the app quickly lost its user base, so the team made the decision to narrow their offering to surplus food.

In the beginning, the Karma team faced some issues while approaching restaurants and retailers. Very few were prepared to admit that they had food waste and many even said solving the food waste problem wasn’t something that could be done so easily.  Nevertheless, this didn’t stop Karma from becoming what it is today.

The startup attracted some early funding from Swedish investors that allowed the team to grow and look for a second market. They chose London for two simple reasons: it’s the capital city of a country with a huge food waste problem, and it has a growing sustainability movement driven by customers and sellers. To no surprise, Karma was a hit in London.

The startup attracted some early funding from Swedish investors that allowed the team to grow and look for a second market.

How is Karma helping save the planet?

While Karma is currently offered all around Sweden and in London, it has already achieved amazing results. It has:

• Partnered with more than 1,500 retailers,
• Created a community of over 350,000 app users,
• Spread to over 150 cities,
• Helped divert 200 tons of food from landfills per year,
• Increased the revenue for participating restaurants to up to €50,000 per year
• Saved 450,000 items of food
• Decreased greenhouse gas emissions equal to 19,000 days of car use

How to get started

Using Karma is as easy as can be.

1. Download the app to your iOs or Android mobile device,
2. Create an account,
3. Find and buy food near you. The app is location-based so you can easily and quickly see what restaurants and food are near you, then you simply pick up the food as a takeaway.

What else can we do?

It starts with you. If each person in the world started caring more about the food waste that goes on in their household, the world could quickly start solving this worldwide problem that is killing our planet.

• Shop smarter
  Think about what food usually stays and expires in your pantry and refrigerator and consider that information the next time you go grocery shopping. It might sound simple, but it’s a huge change that you can implement in your daily life. It also helps to plan your meals in advance and make details shopping lists that you stick to and if you can, purchase locally sourced food from smaller sellers.
• Use smaller portion sizes
  With plate sizes and portions increasing drastically over the last few decades we need to become more mindful of the amount of food we put on our plates. Realistically, you don’t need giant portions to be full and the idea that you do is mainly driven by restaurants. When cooking at home, be mindful of the amount of food you’re cooking and
• Always check expiration dates before buying
  Make sure you’re not buying products that will expire sooner than you plan on consuming them. Especially check products such as milk and eggs to prevent coming home with products that are expiring within a few days of your purchase.
• Save leftovers
  Not only should you save leftovers, you should also eat them. If you have cooked too much food or brought home leftovers from a restaurant, plan your following days around eating the leftovers and keep track of when you got them and how long they have been in the refrigerator or freezer.
  

While there are many things you can do in your household to prevent food waste, companies like Karma are greatly increasing our chances of saving the planet from the food waste epidemic we’re currently experiencing. With more restaurants joining programs such as the one Karma offers, there’s no better time to join in on the action and help save the planet all while enjoying delicious food at a lower cost.

Unsold food waste FAQs

How can I get leftover food from restaurants?

There are several ways you can obtain leftover food from restaurants:

1. Food Rescue Apps: Many cities have food rescue apps or platforms that connect restaurants and other food establishments with individuals or organizations who can pick up surplus food. These apps allow you to browse nearby restaurants and arrange to collect leftover food that would otherwise go to waste.
2. Food Donation Programs: Some restaurants actively participate in food donation programs. Contact local food banks, shelters, or charitable organizations to inquire about their partnerships with restaurants and see if they accept donations of surplus food.
3. Negotiate with Restaurants: In some cases, you may be able to negotiate with restaurants directly. Speak to the manager or owner and explain your intention to reduce food waste. They might be open to providing you with leftover food or offering discounts on items nearing their expiration date.
4. Local Food Recovery Initiatives: Look for local food recovery initiatives or organizations in your area. These groups specialize in collecting surplus food from restaurants, catering events, and other sources, and distributing it to those in need.

Remember, it’s important to maintain food safety standards when handling leftover food. Make sure to store and handle the food properly to prevent any health risks.

How much food is wasted globally, and what are some examples of unsold food waste?

Globally, a significant amount of food is wasted each year. While it is difficult to provide an exact figure, estimates suggest that approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption is wasted. This equates to roughly 1.3 billion tonnes of food annually.

Unsold food waste refers to food that remains unsold or unused and is subsequently discarded. Some examples of unsold food waste include:

1. Fresh Produce: Fruits, vegetables, and other perishable items that do not meet aesthetic standards set by retailers may go unsold and end up as waste. These items might have slight imperfections, odd shapes, or superficial blemishes that do not affect their quality or taste.
2. Prepared Meals: Restaurants, cafes, and other food establishments often prepare more food than they can sell within a specific time frame. These unsold prepared meals, such as sandwiches, salads, or cooked dishes, may be discarded if not consumed or repurposed.
3. Bakery Items: Bakeries frequently have leftover bread, pastries, and other baked goods at the end of the day. These items may be considered less desirable for sale the following day and maybe wasted if not donated or repurposed.
4. Dairy Products: Unsold milk, cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products often contribute to food waste. These perishable items have limited shelf lives, and if not sold before their expiration dates, they are frequently discarded.
5. Packaged Foods: Retailers occasionally have excess inventory of packaged foods due to overstocking or poor sales. These products, including canned goods, snacks, and non-perishable items, may be wasted if not sold or donated in a timely manner.

Reducing unsold food waste is crucial for addressing food security, environmental sustainability, and economic efficiency. Efforts are being made globally to minimize food waste through improved supply chain management, donation programs, and public awareness campaigns.