Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about Shelfie and how it can help you save food, money, and time.
Food Waste Apps
What is the best app to reduce food waste in 2026?
Shelfie is a kitchen management app that helps reduce food waste by scanning groceries and tracking expiry dates automatically, suggesting recipes using ingredients you already have, sending gentle reminders before food spoils, and showing your savings and environmental impact. USDA research shows families waste $2,913/year on food. Users report preventing 30-50% of baseline waste ($875-$1,456/year saved).
How can I track what food I have at home?
Shelfie's Kitchen Intelligence lets you photograph groceries and automatically catalogs items with predicted expiry dates. Features include instant scanning (no manual typing), organization by storage location (fridge, freezer, pantry), expiry alerts 2-3 days before items go bad, and real-time family sync across devices.
What's the best meal planning app for families?
Shelfie offers family meal planning with shared pantries (real-time sync), collaborative grocery lists, recipes based on what you already have, family waste reduction leaderboard, and up to 5 family members on one plan. Families can sync across unlimited devices and never buy duplicates.
How much food does the average American waste?
The average American wastes approximately $728/year on food, while families of four waste about $2,913 annually. This represents 32% of purchased food that never gets eaten. Common causes include forgetting what's in the fridge, not checking expiry dates, buying duplicates, and cooking more than needed. Apps like Shelfie help reduce this by tracking expiry dates and suggesting recipes for soon-to-expire ingredients.
Technical
Does Shelfie work offline?
Yes, Shelfie works 90% offline. Your pantry, recipes, and grocery lists are cached locally. The only features requiring internet are initial scanning (Kitchen Intelligence recognition), family sync updates, and recipe web imports.
Is Shelfie free?
Shelfie offers a free tier (Shelfie Free) with 10 smart scans per month, 50 pantry items, basic recipes, and manual grocery lists. Shelfie Core ($7.99/mo or $69.99/yr) includes unlimited scans, all recipes, voice-guided cooking, and more. Shelfie Pro ($19.99/mo) adds Fuel Mode: protein goals + GLP-1 friendly meal suggestions for general wellness support.*
What devices does Shelfie support?
Shelfie is available on iOS (iPhone and iPad) and Android devices. We recommend iOS 16+ or Android 10+ for the best experience. Kitchen Intelligence features work on any device with a camera.
Features
How does the scanning feature work?
Simply point your phone camera at groceries or your fridge contents. Kitchen Intelligence recognizes items, quantities, and can even read expiry dates. Items are automatically added to your pantry with estimated freshness dates based on the food type and storage location.
Can I share grocery lists with my family?
Yes! With Shelfie Family, everyone sees the same pantry and grocery list in real-time. When someone adds items to the list or checks off purchases, everyone sees the update instantly. No more buying duplicates.
How does voice-guided cooking work?
When cooking a recipe, enable voice mode for hands-free step-by-step instructions. The screen stays on, and you can say 'Next step' or 'Repeat' without touching your phone. Perfect when your hands are messy.
Pricing
What's included in Shelfie Core?
Shelfie Core includes unlimited smart scans, unlimited pantry items, all 2,500+ recipes, smart grocery lists (auto-populate), expiry notifications (proactive), waste analytics dashboard, voice-guided cooking, and recipe web import.
Is there a family plan?
Yes! Shelfie Pro ($19.99/mo) includes everything in Shelfie Core plus Fuel Mode (protein goals + GLP-1 friendly meal suggestions for general wellness*), advanced nutrition dashboard, cross-store price compare, and real-time family list sharing. *Not medical advice — consult your healthcare provider.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes, you can cancel your subscription anytime through the App Store or Google Play. You'll continue to have access until the end of your billing period. We also offer a 7-day free trial for new Shelfie Core subscribers.
Comparison
How is Shelfie different from Mealime or Paprika?
Mealime plans meals but doesn't track your pantry. Paprika stores recipes but doesn't prevent waste. Shelfie is the only app that combines pantry tracking + meal planning + waste prevention—so you cook what you have before it expires. We're the kitchen's memory, not just a recipe box.
Privacy
What data does Shelfie collect?
We only collect what you add: pantry items, recipes you save, and meal plans. We NEVER sell your data. Your shopping habits stay private. You can export or delete your data anytime from Settings → Privacy.
Still have questions?
Download Shelfie and try it free. Or reach out to us directly.