Save food and money - it's too good to go

Food waste is an enormous problem in the western world, however it is one that we rarely think about, and is usually overshadowed in the media by ‘bigger’ issues. Whilst we have the privilege to choose what we eat, what we (dis)like, and what we are feeling on that specific day, it might seem like there's an obvious solution to stopping food waste at home: eating leftovers. But what about businesses, who are the main contributors to food waste? There's something we can do to save that food as well.

An app called Too Good to Go is offering discounts in collaboration with supermarkets and eateries to help save food that is, otherwise, going to be thrown out. This is an amazing opportunity for students looking to save money, and add to the good cause.

How does it work?

Shops post on the app what food they (will) have leftover, with a time slot for you to pick it up. Depending on where you get your items from, it might be that the shop hasn’t sold out before closing, or they have left over food that will go out of date and will end up in the bin. You can get anything from groceries, to ready meals, and baked goods. You will get a ‘magic bag’ meaning you won’t know what’s inside until you pick it up (some shops offer specific meals, however, this is rare).

Not knowing what’s inside your bag is one of the fun parts of this app for me, however, it depends on a personal perspective. Obviously, you can be left disappointed, and I wouldn’t recommend it if you have common allergies. I find it is something similar to a mini Christmas gift, when you open the bag for the first time, after receiving it! Or maybe that's just my inner child having a little fun with dull adult things like grocery shopping...

The key to the app is being flexible. You can even turn this into a challenge of making a meal out of products you get, combined with what you already have in the fridge. You can always give something to a flatmate or a friend, or worst-case scenario – throw it out. Although bit cynical, it would’ve ended up there anyway, so at least you’ve given it one last shot.

The price for magic bags ranges from £1 to £10, while the average for most shops is £3. I have given it a try, and so far, have not been disappointed. A £5 M&S magic bag would’ve cost me £20.25 normally, or £10.20 if I would’ve bought it the same day without the app. I got a salad which was my dinner, a wrap, and a sandwich which ended being mine and my friend’s lunch the next day; sausages that I froze for later use, and an Italian burrata that my flatmate used in a salad. So I got a two dinners and lunch for 3 people all for the price of £5. Need I say more?

My second try was Jesmond Starbucks and that was just as good – for a bit more than £3, I got a panini, focaccia, and caramelised biscuit loaf. Breakfast and lunch for the next day sorted. Although the prices weren’t on the items, I can imagine this combination of items would normally cost around £12.

The most popular bags will be snatched up by the most vigilant users pretty soon after they’re uploaded to the app – so don’t count on getting a Starbucks breakfast every other day, and keep an eye out for good bags to pop up. A wholesome addition to the app reminds you why it was created in the first place – you can see how many food bags, money and CO2e you’ve saved by shopping on the app. While as students we might do it more so for the price than the cause – it’s still a cute reminder that you’re doing good.