Here in PR land, we get to find out about and help promote new app launches all the time and it seems that for us lucky foodies, there’s a new food and drink app being developed daily…
Whether it’s pointing you in the direction of the best places to go for dinner, capturing those mouth-watering meal moments or helping you conjure up dinner using those leftovers from the fridge, there’s an app for everything.
But, with thousands of apps available, how do you know which ones are best?
With a nod to the fact that our northern office specialises in food & drink PR, we’ve compiled a round-up of the top 20 seriously useful apps that we think every foodie should download (as with any list and such a vast range of apps available, there maybe a vital one I’ve missed off, so please feel free to tweet me @EmilyUrbsPR and I’ll add update it as and when I can).
On a separate (but very relevant Northern/food related note), we’ve just announced our partnership with Manchester based new social enterprise, Foodinate, which provides free meals to the homeless by working with local restaurants. Read more here !
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1. Fooducate (free)
A must-have app for healthy eaters, Fooducate allows you to scan the barcodes of foods before you purchase, to get detailed information on the nutritional informational of a product, as well as suggesting healthier alternatives.
2. Deliciously Ella (£2.99)
Currently holding the top spot in the top grossing food & drink apps, food blogger, Ella Woodward’s Deliciously Ella celebrates natural, healthy food, with the app containing over a hundred simple, easy-to-follow recipes which you and your body will love.
3. Urban Spoon (free)
This restaurant finder app will let you compare the best, cheapest or nearest places to eat in a wide range of countries. You can even book reservations or find your way to your chosen restaurant using the inbuilt map.
4. Food Planner (free)
Food Planner organises all of the healthy recipes you’ve uploaded yourself or downloaded from other sites and compiles a shopping list of the ingredients you’ll need. This means no excuses to keep on top of your weekly meal plan, wherever you might be!
5. Teach me sushi (£2.99)
Sushi is becoming increasingly popular amongst foodies and this app gives step-by-step advice in easy-to-follow videos on how to create the perfect sushi from beginner to advance.
6. Foodspotting (free)
A necessity for food-loving snappers, this restaurant finder app replaces conventional reviews with photos of dishes from other users. You can upload your best food pics, add comments and find good restaurants nearby. If you’re looking for a specific cuisine, have a search and the app will let you know which restaurants are dishing it up near you.
7. Jamie’s 20 Minute Meals (£4.99)
Not the cheapest of apps, but the list wouldn’t be complete without The Naked Chef himself. This app contains videos and step-by-steps photographs to guide you through the making of 60 Jamie Oliver meals. An interactive shopping guide helps source ingredients and tips for each recipe.
8. BigOven (free)
This recipe database has more than 200,000 of its users recipes on offer. You can search by keyword, ingredient or collection and even has a handy ‘leftovers’ function, which will help you rustle up something delicious with the limited ingredients you have leftover in your cupboards.
9. OpenTable (free)
With OpenTable, you can discover, explore, book and manage restaurant bookings at any time. The app contains over 32,000 restaurants worldwide and the extensive, but easy-to-use search function allows you narrow down restaurant choices according to date, time, cuisine, price, size or distance. Users are rewarded with points and there’s even a special offers section if you’re after a good deal!
10. Fromage (£2.29)
Perfect for cheese lovers, Fromage let’s you create personal notes and rate your favourite cheeses on a scale of 1-5 stars. Add your favourites to a list, along with your tasting notes. The app even offers a comprehensive list of all the cheeses on offer in the world and enables you to share yet-to-be discovered new cheeses with the Fromage app developer.
11. Riverfood veg recipes (free)
This app from the organic vegbox scheme includes almost 800 recipes, plus storage and preparation tips to help you in your quest to eat more veg!
12. Dinner Spinner (free)
Ever stood in front of the fridge door not knowing what to cook? If so, the Dinner Spinner app is for you! Search the app’s collection of 40,000 recipes listing the ingredients you have in your fridge, or use the spinner function and this clever app will select a random ingredient and dish type to find a recipe.
13. Primal Paleo (£0.69)
If you’re keen to give the Paleo diet a try that follows the eating habits of cavemen, including meats, seafood, fruits, vegetables and nuts, then this app is for you! It provides information on Paleo eating, plus recipe ideas, healthy eating ideas and a searchable list of Paleo foods. You can even use the app to connect with other users in the Paleo community!
14. My Fitness Pal (free)
You’re probably already aware of this one, but with a database of more than 2m foods, the My Fitness Pal app is essential for anyone wanting to lose weight. Enter your daily calorie goals, the foods you’ve eaten that day (either by searching the database or scanning the barcodes) and how much exercise you’ve done and the app will work out if you’re on track to reach your goals.
15. Gluggle (free)
There has been a significant rise in the popularity of a gluten-free diet in the UK, so if you’re one of the many people avoiding gluten, this doesn’t mean food needs to be boring. Gluggle offers an easy-to-use database of gluten free cafes and restaurants near you to relieve the task of finding delicious gluten-free food.
16. Foodgawker (free)
Similar to Pinterest, the Foodgawker app collects beautiful pictures of food in a gallery for viewers to scroll through, whether you’re looking for cooking inspiration or just some mouth-watering images to tease your appetite.
17. BBC Good Food (free)
Another essential app for foodies, BBC Good Food offers just 20 recipes, but these are broken down into different categories to help you search more easily. The app also offers handing cooking information such as the best way to chop specific vegetables and how to properly poach an egg.
18. Kitchen Dial (free)
With this app, converting measurements has never been so easy. Kitchen Dial lets you line up the measurement you have, whilst converting it into the measurement you want.
19. Mixology (free)
Mixology allows you to create drinks with the ingredients you already have in your home. With over 8,000 recipes and 1,300 ingredients, Mixology caters for all tastes and even includes hot drinks and non-alcoholic options. Save custom recipes and add favourites to your personal list.
20. Time to Roast (£0.69)
We Brits all love a good Sunday roast, so last on our list is the Time to Roast app which allows you to calculate the exact cooking time for your roast. Punch in the weight and type of meat you’re cooking and the app gives you times and tips.
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