Statistics show that people in the US spent almost 3 hours on their mobile phones in 2015. The number of downloaded apps on iOS devices was 25 billion, and the number of Android apps was twice as high. The figures are astonishing, and the trend is ongoing, so we can expect people to spend even more time on their phones and to download more apps.
And if you don’t know what to cook for lunch or dinner (or tea or supper, or whatever you may call it), but you don’t feel like opening the dusty old cookbook you inherited from your grandma we are here to help. We are going to present you some of the best mobile cooking apps available for Android and iOS mobile devices.
Yummly
Yummly is one of the most popular cooking apps and there are several reasons for that. It provides hundreds of interesting and tasty recipes, but many other apps, websites and books do that. The best thing about Yummly is the fact that you can search for the exact types of recipes that you need.
For example, if you’re going on a diet, you can search for recipes that include only the ingredients that your diet permits, or that exclude the ones that it disallows. If you don’t eat a particular type of meat for religious or health reasons, you may look for recipes that include a substitute.
Probably the best asset of this app is that it is connected to a shopping platform, which allows you to order the ingredients for your chosen recipe and have them delivered to your doorstep, in a short amount of time, depending of course on where you live.
- Used by more than million people;
- Personalised diets;
- Numerous search options, users can browse recipes by number of calories, ingredients, cooking time and more.
Cookpad
Cookpad is an app that allows you to connect with millions of other cooking aficionados from all over the world and exchange cooking recipes. Once you cook the dish, you can take a photo and others can comment on it. Some of the comments may include useful tips, like suggestions for side dishes that would go well with that meal or something else.
The recipes and the pictures of the dishes featured at Cookpad have been uploaded by other ‘normal’ people just like you and not by professional chefs, so you don’t need to worry that a recipe would be too complicated or that they would be using ingredients that are too expensive or hard to find.
- Available in 6 different languages;
- Over 10 million users;
- Features a timeline, so you can see what your friends and connections have been cocking lately.
Sidechef
Even people who are new to cooking don’t have a problem with finding recipes, in fact, that is quite easy. The problem is how to actually cook the dishes without messing it up. The instructions are either too detailed or complicated or not specific enough. Sidechef is a perfect app for beginners, as it also provides step by step instructions for all of the featured recipes.
This app includes more than 3,000 recipes, with integrated step by step instructions and timers. Users are allowed to rate the recipes and upload their own photos. The search is fully optimised and you can browse recipes by keywords, diet, national cuisine or ingredients.
- Business Insider named it the perfect app for anyone who has ever ruined a meal because of a small mistake in proportioning or timing;
- Allows creation of shopping shortlists;
- Automatically adjusts amounts of needed ingredients based on the desired number of servings.
BigOven
If you want an app that contains basically every meal that you could imagine, then BigOven is the right app for you. With over 350,000 different recipes, it is probably the largest recipe database, packed in a neat and user-friendly app. The latest version allows you to sign in with your Google account.
You often hear that endorsements and mentions are a clear indication of an app’s influence and big oven has been featured in multiple popular publications, including AllYou Magazine, Buzzfeed, InStyle and other.
This app also has a social dimension and allows users to upload their own recipes, comment on recipes of their friends and other people and receive notifications.
- It has been downloaded over 12 million times;
- Enables creation of shopping shortlists;
- Use up leftovers feature where users simply need to type in the ingredients that they have in their fridge (up to 3) and the app will suggest possible dishes.