An interesting phenomenon which seems to have popped up in the last year or too are apps which claim to rescue unused/unwanted food from being wasted by offering them to the general public either for free or at a reduced cost.
The concept is really simple and although you never know what you might get, the incentive is that it is super cheap. A magic bag via the Too Good To Go app for example will save the consumer at least 50% off the RRP. Result!
But what do you actually get for your money?
I tried the Costa Magic Bag to see.
The ordering process was simple. Just hop onto the app, pop your postcode in and see what comes up in your area. I will just say that the Costa Magic Bags do seem to be quite popular so I think it was a bit of a fluke that this came up.
As well as Costa, on the TGTG app, you will find other big brands such as Starbucks, Aunt Anne Pretzels, Nisa, Spar, Greggs and more!
They all seem to have their magic bags loaded on at different times throughout the day but if you want one then be prepared to have to go out late on to collect.
I happened to be out anyway last night when I noticed the Costa magic bag was available and with pick up less than 10 mins away I thought it rude not to. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
What’s in the bag?
After a very swift collection I was able to finally see what you got for your £3 from Costa!
I will be honest here and say that I was hoping for sweet treats like those lush chocolate twists they sell or maybe a slab of millionaires shortcake.
It seems though that I did not get what I was hoping for. Instead it was rather healthier and in the end, not actually Costa food but Marks & Spencer!
Inside my bag I found salad!
3 different salad items to be precise. There was the Prawns with dip, the Italian chicken salad and the superfoods salad. All 3 were dated the same day.
I did eat the prawns straightaway because you do not mess about with seafood dates. The other 2 though I left to the following day and used them at lunchtime (disclaimer: I know the risks of eating out of date food and am in no way suggesting you do this. If you do, then you take that risk) and to be honest they were pretty good!
The superfoods salad did, admittedly, smell a bit…farty…. but there was a LOT of veg so that might be why. It tasted way better than it smelt though, thankfully!
The magic bags from Costa cost £3 and should contain items to the value of at least £10. I would say that, yes, they did achieve this. It would have been nice to have had something sweet though but that’s the point. You really never know what you will get! I will certainly be trying it again.
Would you take the chance on one? Or have you used the app already? How was it?
Ugh! I would be slightly disappointed with the salads but I suppose it is a bit of pot luck. I would love to try a Too Good to Go bag but no one does them locally. Hmmf. They’re all a bus ride away. x
We have had a few disappointing morrisons bags, but the Toby carvery ones are excellent, you get an entire roast dinner and our last one I counted 30 giant Yorkshire puddings!