Grocery Rescue - Exploring an Individual Response with Misfits Market

Can we break the cycle of food waste?

QUICK SUMMARY

• While researching information for my last piece, I looked into Misfits Market, a self-proclaimed organic grocery delivery service “dedicated to making affordable, high-quality food more accessible while helping break the cycle of food waste.

• I was determined to make a Misfits Market order comparable to an affordable grocery store run for the same or similar items.

• While I added things to my cart on Misfits Market, I found identical or similar items to add to an order on Walmart.com.

• Walmart represents 21% of the market share for grocery stores, so its prices reflect what most shoppers have access to.

• I figured if it was accessible for the average person to support, I could encourage others to give Misfits Market a try to prevent food waste.

• When everything was compared side-by-side, the grocery order on Misfits Market was $8.06 cheaper than Walmart.

• I plan on continuing the subscription service and writing about my experience to encourage others to consider what they can do to contribute to reducing food waste and what they can do to contribute to hunger relief.

• I encourage anyone to check out Misfits Market for themselves and to check out my piece on hunger relief to see what individual actions can be taken to help with food aid at a time when federal funds for it are being slashed.

HUNGER RELIEF RESEARCH LEADS TO FOOD WASTE PREVENTION

Last month, I wrote a piece that was a response to funding cuts to food aid. I encourage anyone who has stumbled across this piece to check it out because both touch on preventing food waste.

While researching information for my last piece, I looked into Misfits Market, a self-proclaimed organic grocery delivery service “dedicated to making affordable, high-quality food more accessible while helping break the cycle of food waste.”

While many grocery delivery services market themselves as a way to eat healthier or to make meals with limited cooking skills, this particular business had a component of grocery rescue.

I loved everything about this concept, but with growing concerns about grocery prices, I couldn’t help but wonder if it was possible to justify trying it out. I was determined to make an order comparable to an affordable grocery store run for the same or similar items.

My findings may surprise people.

MISFITS MARKET VS WALMART

Misfits Market's infrastructure gives you a shopping window the week before your delivery (around 55 hours), and your cart (which they will initially fill for you) will show you how much time you have to edit it.

You have to commit to spending at least $30, and since orders of at least $70 have free shipping, I opted to make an order for at least that amount.

While I added things to my cart on Misfits Market, I found identical or similar items to add to an order on Walmart.com. I chose this grocery store because it allowed me to compare prices without going into a store, and since Walmart represents 21% of the market share for grocery stores, its prices will reflect what most shoppers have access to.

After scrolling through hundreds of items, I selected 19 for $70.33.

I figured if it was accessible for the average person to support, I could encourage others to give Misfits Market a try to prevent food waste.

MISFITS IN EVERY FOOD GROUP

The produce I selected included apples that were slightly blemished or on the big side, a basil plant that was rescued, potatoes that were slightly blemished or misshapen, and 2 slightly scarred zucchini and a cucumber.

I chose a 14-oz package of chicken thighs from Mission Driven Meat & Seafood, a sustainability-focused supplier that partners with Feeding America. Where we spend our capital matters, and the more we support companies that demonstrate awareness of their impact on the climate, ethics, and labor practices, the more impact we’ll have on these things.

I decided to try Impossible Burger Patties. It was at a reduced price because it had older packaging. Both of these purchases were made with the intent to increase support for the ethical poultry industry and plant-based meat industry.

I couldn’t find the Oatly Chocolate Milk I got on Misfits Market, so I compared it to Oatly oat milk for the same size. It was a reduced price because it was near its expiration date. When it arrived, it was 13 days before it expired. I opened it the next day and consumed it before the week's end.

There was no shortage of things I had never tried before, so I decided to get a 4-pack of Liquid Remedy ginger lemon kombucha since the same brand was only sold in a 12-pack on Walmart.com and at a significantly higher spending commitment. Plus, other brands for the same amount were the same price.

I took advantage of getting apple sauce that was reduced in price because it was extra inventory, fair trade milk chocolate candies that were cheaper because they were in a value-sized bag, and kimchi that was cheaper than the same amount at Walmart. All three of these items are things I purchase regularly.

So that I could meet the $70 threshold, I added a 6-oz container of Zoi Honey Greek Yogurt for $1.69. Zoi Greek Yogurt wasn’t available at Walmart, so I compared it to a Chobani Non-Fat Greek Yogurt Plain 5.3 oz Cup.

AFFORDABLE AND DELICIOUS

When everything was compared side-by-side, the grocery order on Misfits Market was $8.06 cheaper than Walmart. Again, I'm sure this came as a surprise to people.

The “misfit” items weren’t compromised in flavor. I especially enjoyed the significantly large apples (which I weighed on my kitchen scale to discover they were 3 times the size of the ones from the grocery store I had in my fridge) and the fresh living basil.

Signing up for this grocery service was an effective way to help prevent food waste. Currently, I have the subscription that delivers twice a month, but they offer a weekly service and flexibility options that allow you to order from them with less frequency, and upcoming orders can be paused at any time.

I plan on continuing the subscription service and writing about my experience to encourage others to consider what they can do to contribute to reducing food waste and what they can do to contribute to hunger relief.

Full disclosure, the link I provided in this piece offers a discount on someone’s first order while providing a discount to me.

I encourage anyone to check out Misfits Market for themselves and to check out my piece on hunger relief to see what individual actions can be taken to help with food aid at a time when federal funds for it are being slashed.