If there’s one thing that everyone can get behind, it’s that we all love FREE things! With the arrival of cellphone apps, digital coupons, and the like, it’s easier than ever to fulfill your desire to acquire your favorite items for free. One area where freebies seem to be rapidly growing in popularity is the food industry. Whether it’s from a fast food chain, a grocery store, or a food production company, there are plenty of ways to score free food throughout the US. Read on for tips on how you, too, can earn free grub.
Food Waste Supermarkets
Not many people have heard of this convenience, but it’s one that anyone who’s felt the pain of an expensive grocery bill will appreciate. When we head to our friendly neighborhood grocery store, we’re typically hunting down the freshest produce possible. However, we can save money and sometimes even earn free food by taking advantage of the older produce. Most grocery chains have a reputation of tossing good quality produce that is nearing the “Sell By” date. However, many regions, Europe especially, have embraced the idea of reselling these items at a reduced rate in specialized stores instead of tossing the food.
Consumer Test Panels
Many of the companies that we trust to feed our families welcome the input of their consumers in their creative process. Brands use demographic information to recruit people for test groups of their new products. For example, the popular spice company McCormick has an established program in which they conduct testing sessions at their Hunt Valley, Maryland headquarters or even in consumers’ homes. Those who sign up for the program can receive free spices simply for providing their feedback. This is a fun and creative way to reduce your food budget.
Food Apps
We all love our handheld technology, but we often forget that our phones can be used for things other than social media, texting, or playing games.. There are many apps on the market (most of which are free to download) that can help you save money. For instance, many fast food chains have developed apps which offer freebies, discounts, and special offers for their customers. While the Chick-fil-a app has seen a lot of press coverage, many of your other favorite chains might have apps that you were unaware of. This guide from SimpleTexting can help you to uncover all of the best restaurant apps and bots that provide freebies.
For those who are big foodies but don’t want to blow our budgets on their eating habits, these tips can be very useful for reducing (or completely eliminating) the financial burden of eating well.