A 2022 report from the U.S. Department of Labor and Statistics found the average American spent $475.25 a month on groceries. Food prices increased in 2023, and that impact is felt in our wallets and bank accounts every time we buy groceries. 

Compounding the problem, many of us buy food, forget about it, and then throw it out after we notice a smell wafting from the refrigerator. That perfectly good, untouched head of broccoli is now spoiled and headed straight to the trash (or compost bin!). 

This is where apps can help cut down on your food waste and get the most bang for your buck whenever you go to the grocery store. 

Watch this video to see how apps can help you track your groceries and reduce waste. 

Grocery apps

There are a lot of different apps that can help you track the groceries you have or don’t have and suggest recipes to use them up. Plus, some will also remind you about food that you bought that is about to expire. 

A few of the apps I checked out were: 

• Cooklist. 
• Supercook. 
• CozZo.

They are all designed to help you reduce waste and eat the foods that you have before it goes bad, though some of their features may require a paid subscription.

However, they do require work on your end, especially at first. For the apps to do their job, you have to input the details of all the food you have, including the little things, such as spices, oils and condiments. And, once you use up something, you’ll need to adjust your digital pantry accordingly. 

But there are some ways to make the input process a little bit easier. 

• CookList lets you connect your loyalty cards at stores such as Target, Costco and Walmart. It automatically adds items you purchase to your in-app inventory. 
• SuperCook allows you to dictate the food you have instead of searching for individual items in the app.
• CozZo can scan your receipt and update your inventory instantly. 

Once these grocery tracking and meal planning apps know what you have, they can also work their magic and suggest recipes that use your ingredients, add the ingredients you need to your shopping list, and remind you what you need to use up before it goes bad.

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