Seeking quick-approaching “best by” dates might just be the way to make your grocery purchases your best buy. With the Flashfood app now at Richmond-area Krogers, shoppers are one click away from major savings on meat, cheese, produce, and bakery items nearing their “best by” deadlines. It’s a formula that lets you buy heavily discounted items for your next meal while also preventing food waste—once the “best by” date passes, most items are landfill-bound.
On the app, users can scroll through mouthwatering premades and recipe-ready options—cheesecake, prime rib, pork chops, donuts, trout fillets, cornbread, cauliflower—all for up to 50 percent off. These items aren’t expired; their best-by date usually matches the day they appear on the app, perfect for a spontaneous dinner. Since launching last summer, Richmond Flashfood shoppers saved $580,000 and diverted 245,000 pounds of would-be food waste.
Featured photo by Meredith Jenks | Flashfood. This article originally appeared in the April 2026 issue.
