Top 5 iPhone Cooking Apps

It is quite possible that I am as addicted to food as I am to my iPhone. Being on hold during a conversation is now something I look forward to because it allows me to browse through apps on the phone, get a little shopping in and plan the meals for the week. I thought it would be fun to go through the top 5 apps I use to get me motivated in the kitchen. Being a busy mom on the go doesn’t afford that luxury I took for granted before motherhood, time. These choices below somehow make my life easier and slightly more manageable. See which one I pick as the overall must download.

Allrecipes.Com Dinner Spinner

Allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner is a cooking app with a twist spin (I had to!). Boasting 1000’s of recipes, Allrecipes.com allows you to choose your meal, ingredients and the time involved to cook it (Believe me when I say I checked for a zero minute option, no such luck). The great thing about this app is that you also get to see the ratings and comments of others people who have tried the recipes. This lets you know about variations/suggestions for the meal. You can also turn on filters for vegetarian, gluten-free and other special diet restrictions.

Overall, it is a good cooking application.

Allrecipes.com Dinner Spinner is available for free [iTunes link].

20 Minute Meals With Jamie Oliver

If you like Jamie and would like him to cook with you in the kitchen, then this is the app for you. This gives you a more personalized experience and it is more costly than most cooking apps but it makes up for it with an sleek look intuitive feel. I personally like the videos included (it comes with 21); Jamie chats on topics such as knife skills, how to make the perfect steak, and how to properly use your cutting board. Each step in the recipe comes with a picture. ( a plus so you can compare and confirm you aren’t making a disaster) It also gives you an easy-to-use shopping list and allows you to toggle portion sizes by number of guests. All of the recipes are installed in the application so you don’t need to connect to the Internet. The one negative to this application is the lack of recipes, with only 55 included (though you can access more recipes via integration with Jamie’s website).

Overall, if you like Jamie Oliver’s cooking techniques, then this is the app for you.

Jamie Oliver’s 20 minute meals is available for 7.99 [iTunes link]

iFood Assistant

This is app is delivered to you by Kraft so their product placement in the app is thick. You can easily substitute these for any brand you prefer however, I found it to be a bit too much. You choose your recipe by the kind of meal you want to prepare (either snack, breakfast, entrée etc), and then your main ingredient. Most of the key functions can be accessed offline but you will need access to the internet for initial set-up.

Browse through recipes, be inspired by the recipe of the day or check out their recommendations for Dinner Tonight. Even smarter, check out their BudgetWi$e section (currently available in the US only) for scrumptiously affordable meals and the secrets to restaurant-style faves you can make at home. I like the no-hassle shopping feature which enables you to get the shopping list and directions to the nearest store (again US only) and it also tells you which aisles to go to so you’re out of there fast. (no more searching for honey in the syrup aisle)

You can organize the recipes by prep time, reviewer rating, total time or name. This makes finding a quick meal fast and efficient. The application has over 40 cooking videos, which give you tips, but the video quality is low. The recipes range in difficulty from beginner to advanced, so there’s a bit of everything.

Overall, just ok but not quite up to the standard of these other apps.

iFood Assistant is available for $0.99 [iTunes link].

Look and Taste

I am so used to telling the kids, look but don’t touch that I welcomed this app with open arms. Look and Taste is an application that gives you plenty for your money. Its clean, easy to use interface allows you to seamlessly pick which recipes you want to cook. Watch over 250 step-by-step videos-many recipes also have video included on how to cook the meal (as opposed to other applications that only use video to show you some tips). There are also videos on various glossary terms, food items and chef tips. The recipes can be chosen by cooking time, difficulty, ingredients and main ingredient. See a recipe you like, cooked or enjoyed? Click one button and its added to your favorites. Featured recipes are updated every week  and there are an additional 50 text recipes available.

Overall, loads of information for cooks of all levels and is well worth the price tag.

Look and Taste is available for 4.99 [iTunes link]

Epicurious

I try not to save the best for last but it always works out that way. Introducing Epicurious, a cooking app with over 27,000 recipes, a shopping list and ratings from others who have tried the meals. If you are going to pick just one cooking application, Epicurious would fit the bill. A vast array of recipes to choose from allows for a lot of versatility in the kitchen. Best of all, it’s free!

Recipes in this app come from Bon Appetit, Gourmet and renowned cookbooks and chefs. When you’re ready to cook, turn your iPhone on its side to view recipes step by step. I often browse through just to inspire my inner chef! You can also email any recipe to yourself or to a friend-last minute dinner party? No problem!

Overall, I like the look, the price and the recipes in the cocktails selections. Martini anyone?

Epicurious is available for free [iTunes link]