Here’s 4 Food Apps That Are Stepping Up With Free Meals

Forty-two million people will only receive half of their allotted SNAP benefits this November as the government shutdown continues. The Trump administration has agreed to use the program’s contingency fund, but hasn’t specified when recipients will begin receiving their benefits. According to estimates from Code for America, 3 million people were scheduled to receive their benefits on November 1. That number will grow to 13.7 million on November 5, and then to 26.6 million by November 10 if delays persist. 

While Democrats and Republicans bicker like children, everyday Americans are forced to figure out how to keep food on the table. In response, DoorDash is offering 1 million meals for free and has waived delivery and service fees for 300,000 SNAP recipients who shop at Sprouts, Dollar General, Schnucks, Food Lion, and other retailers. It’s one of several food companies offering aid to SNAP recipients, along with food banks, pantries, and community fridges. 

For additional help in these trying times, we’ve compiled a list of apps that redistribute leftover food for those in need.

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LIST GALLERY

Too Good To Go

Too Good To Go is an app that addresses food waste by connecting food businesses with those in need. The company operates in 19 countries, including the U.S., and has over 100 million registered users and 175,000 active partner businesses globally. It works by listing cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and/or stores that have discounted leftover food available. Food is put into “Surprise Bags,” which can be reserved for pick-up on a first-come-first-serve basis.

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The Too Good To Go app is available for download in the Apple Store and on Google Play. If you’re a business looking to donate surplus food, click here.

Too Good To Go

FlashFood

Find fresh produce, meat, and other foods near you for up to 50% off with the FlashFood app, which partners with food retailers to recirculate surplus food that would otherwise be thrown away. The app has over half a million users and has diverted over 145 million pounds of food from landfills since launching. You can download it from the Apple Store or Google Play.

FlashFood

OH, a potato!

This app uses artificial intelligence to recommend personalized recipes based on the foods you already have at home. You simply snap a picture of your fridge, pantry, or cabinets and voila!, it pumps out a list of potential ways to use them, thereby reducing waste and saving you a trip to the grocery store. Download and try the app for free here. Unfortunately, it is currently only available for Iphone users.

OH, a potato!

Olio

Olio is a U.K.-based app that lets people share leftover, unused food. You simply take a picture of the food item, upload it to your account, add a pick-up location and wait for a response. Being that the app is primarily U.K.-based, in America, Olio can only be accessed via Feeding America’s nationwide network of food banks and Food Pantries, which is a directory of food banks, soup kitchens, and non-profit organizations.

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However, in the U.K., food from Olio can also be obtained from individuals and from grocery stores like Tesco, Holland and Barrett, Iceland, Sainsbury’s, and others. Download in the Apple Store and on Google Play.

Olio

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