Synopsis of the App: MealConnect by Feeding America is a free food surplus and donation matching service dedicated to helping reduce waste while delivering food to those in need. It’s food recovery, simplified.
Price and Platform: Free. Apple and Android.
RDN Score: 5/5
Pros
Bright, cheerful and user-friendly design.
Designed with restaurants, bakeries and other foodservice entities in mind, the app is a safe and easy way to provide surplus food to those in need.
Use the app to snap photos of surplus food and schedule a truck to pick up donations.
Free to use and to schedule pick-ups.
Enter your zip code for availability and to schedule a pick-up.
Connects with a network of more than 200 food banks.
Cons
Limited availability but still growing.
Takes 24 hours for an account to be confirmed and verified — a smart move allowing the organization to protect its resources and ensure safety and efficient use of time. However, new users must keep this lag time in mind when scheduling initial pick-ups.
Must use a phone number and email address to use the service.
Bottom Line: Though geographic availability is currently limited, MealConnect is a free and easy way for restaurants to donate perfectly edible food to those in need.
Marisa Moore, MBA, RDN, LD, is based in Atlanta and specializes in culinary nutrition, communications and consulting. She blogs at marisamoore.com. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
Synopsis of the App: MealConnect by Feeding America is a free food surplus and donation matching service dedicated to helping reduce waste while delivering food to those in need. It’s food recovery, simplified.
