Gearing up for the 2012 holiday season reminded us here at Gia On The Move that tasty treats, indulgent hors d’oeuvres and divine dinners might be sinfully fabulous, but left-overs headed for the garbage after all of those fine feasts are an extravagance we can all definitely do without.  Especially when according to a report recently released by the Natural Resources Defense Council, said that 40%, the equivalent of $165 billion of U.S. food alone, goes uneaten.  If food waste was reduced by 15% it would be enough to feed 15 million Americans yearly. That’s a lot of ‘grub.’

To the rescue is a trending solution in the mobile app world – foodie apps dedicated to helping reduce food waste, increase efficiency and save money. With just a few clicks or taps, these clever Smartphone apps help users do their part to minimize food waste while having a little fun doing it.  Check it:

Leloca– According to the Green Restaurant Association, one restaurant in the U.S. can produce anywhere from 25,000-75,000 pounds of food waste a year. Leloca is an app that helps minimize restaurant waste while simultaneously offering users great deals on dining out. Restaurants have the ultimate “perishable inventory” – fresh food. So when there are open tables at a restaurant food is wasted, as well as utilities, staffing and money. Leloca helps reduce the amount of fresh food that’s wasted by offering a platform for restaurants to activate dining discounts on Leloca when they have open space. The discount will be seen by users in the area, bringing diners in and thereby minimizing the restaurant’s waste. Meanwhile the user gets a discount for a meal at a top restaurant. Leloca’s deals, typically 30-50% off, are free to secure and are to be redeemed within 45 minutes. www.Leloca.com

What we love about this app @ GOTMLA:  ABSOLUTELY FREE!  No prepaid voucher.  No booking fees.  200 NYC restaurants participating so far and going nationwide very soon.

Gojee–  Gojee is a recipe sharing site driven by food photography, but other than browsing through mouthwatering photos, users can also search for recipes by ingredient. The app allows users to type in the ingredients in their cabinets or fridge and it will return recipes that feature those ingredients, making it easy and fun to minimize spoiled food in the home. Gojee has about 10,000 recipes aggregated* from over 300 contributors* on the web. www.Gojee.com

What we think is fun about Gojee @ GOTMLA: Totally visual with a “sexier” food appeal.  The popups and tips are fun.  You can sign up through your Facebook account and it’s a done deal!  Plus you get to rate your experience.

Green Egg Shopper– This grocery shopping app helps people manage and organize their shopping lists in a way that reduces food waste and saves money. Users can sort their shopping list alphabetically, by category or by priority (low, medium, high), as well as program in use-by dates, see built in categories of shelf life (short, medium, long) and much more. Beyond organization, the app helps to avoid over-buying, minimize food spoiling and even save a little paper on grocery lists. http://www.greeneggshopper.com/

What we think is relevant about Green Egg Shopper @ GOTMLA: Economics is a high priority on everyone’s list these days.  Who needs to fill up the gas tank any extra just to repeat buy stuff you already have.  No more moldy food and upset stomachs.  And you can add photos to your lists.  And while this app does cost  there is a “light” version to try out for free.

 222 Million Tons – This app was inspired by the 222 million tons of food wasted each year and the question of how one can get through a whole bundle of celery without getting sick of it. 222 Million Tons develops one-week menus and shopping lists according to family size, whether it is one or nine. The app helps people reduce waste (so all of that celery is used) while still being able to enjoy variety and excitement in their diet. http://222milliontons.com/app/

What’s obvious to us @ GOTMLA:  No more rotten food, period.  I used to just put my older vegetables in the juicer.  Now there are a few more options as to how to use what’s just about ready for disposal – but not quite.  Penny Pinchers Unite!