Food waste accounts for approximately 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while the average American household throws away around $2,000 worth of food every year. Most individuals and families do not track both the amounts of what they buy and the amounts wasted, so they continue to buy too much, contributing to climate change and losing money.
MindfulBites, an app I built that received the 3rd prize in the Congressional App Challenge, uses mathematical algorithms to help households waste less food and save money. It tracks your grocery list in order, taking into account expiration dates. Then, it plans your next shopping trip using an Exponential Moving Average to account for past waste data. Additionally, it can help find recipes with the ingredients you currently have, as well as guide you to nearby food banks to donate excess food.
