[caption id="attachment_382085" align="alignnone" width="1178"] Photo: Smarterware[/caption]

Life sometimes feels like an endless loop of grocery shopping, stocking up the fridge with the best intentions, but still feeling like there’s nothing to eat. I see the food, I recognize the food, and yet it sits there daunting and questionable. When did I buy that? Is it even good? You take a whiff, but doubt how much you can trust your nose. Plus, depending how organized you keep your fridge, food is hidden behind other food and some of it is in jars or Tupperware you’re afraid to open and quite frankly, it’s all a little bit terrifying.

It always seemed like one of those problems with no real answer. In our modern day we’re beginning to have smart-everything and now here comes the next thing we didn’t know we needed — Smarterware!

Smarterware works using a system of “SmartTags” that can be linked to Alexa. The idea is that you get back from the grocery store and grab your smart tag, say “Alexa this is a bell pepper” and it will light up green. The smart tag changes from green to yellow to red as the days pass pulling the data on the life span of food from their database (which they are updating regularly). When the food is reaching its final days you’ll receive a notification on your phone along with recipe recommendations using what you have in your fridge. No more helplessly wondering what to do with what you got, Smarterware will help you out.

For those who don't have access to Alexa, fear not, using these does not require its assistance, as you have the option to input what food you have right through the app. Also, as their database grows, they’re not going to have everything just yet, but you can easily add any obscure food item and its lifespan.

If you’re clueless like me it will default to three days. Not only that, but you can customize your preference for food freshness in case you think certain foods just shouldn’t last that long.

By the way, this isn’t just for grocery fresh food, SmartTags are designed to stick on your Chinese takeout box, too. Ovie’s goal is to utilize what you have in a smarter way to prevent food waste in the home and eventually make a difference on a larger scale. Co-founder and head of brand for Ovie, Stacie Thompson, stated that, “Most Americans don’t know what they’re having for dinner at 4pm, but we think dinner is already in your fridge. So we want to help you find it!”

Smarterware is designed to accommodate everything in your fridge. The SmartTags can be used in a clip, on a Smarterware container, or with a small connecter that can stick to anything. There are kits available for pre-order online at ovie.life ranging from $130-$300 depending how many you need with an option to build your own kit if you’d like. Pre-orders are expected to ship in March this year.