The iPhone Mom

I’m a fan of the Serving Sizer apps, first the regular recipe converter and then the newer converter and cookbook version. Now the developers have taken the app and done it up for the iPad. The same great features are still there but they take excellent advantage of the larger screen. In this version when you add ingredients to your recipe a box for that pops up on the screen so you don’t have to navigate to a new screen and back. You can easily search for an ingredient or scroll through the list they’ve provided. Tap on the one you want then use a simple slider to adjust the measurement, tap the plus sign and it’s added to your recipe. (Note: you’ll have to tap the plus sign on the recipe screen, not in the ingredient box. It took me a couple tries to realize this.) You can literally add ingredients without having to type anything.  It was easy to put together recipes in the iPhone version but I really like the way the iPad handles this feature.  The finished recipes look fantastic when they take up the entire screen. Plus, it’s still as easy as before to convert the recipe for a smaller or larger group. A fantastic app!

Update 4/14 – Apparently the developers already have an update underway that deals with my little quibble about adding ingredients and the plus sign. They’ve also included some other tweaks. Looking forward to the update!

Price when Reviewed: $2.99

See the app in iTunes

Seller: Creative Algorithims, Inc

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review purposes.

I reviewed Serving Sizer Recipe Converter back in November, 2009. It’s a great way to convert the amounts of recipe ingredients if you’re making the recipe larger, or smaller. Now comes Serving Sizer Pro and it takes the recipe conversion one step further. In this app you can enter in your own recipes, apply the conversion and convert all the amounts in your recipe at once. You don’t have to do it one ingredient at a time. Here’s what I like about this app.

-When you are entering in a recipe you can choose from a list of over 500 ingredients. Or if yours is somehow not listed you can type it in.

-When you’re setting the amount for the ingredient you use a sliding line to choose the amount and the type of measurement. For example, slide the line to choose 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, etc. Then slide the bottom line to choose teaspoons, cups, pints. I really liked this feature because it cuts down on typing.

-Once you’ve entered in all the ingredients you can view the recipe on a “recipe card” and use edit to add in the directions.

-You can email a recipe out from the app.

-When you need to make an adjustment to the recipe’s size all you need to do is tap the “serves” button on that recipe and then choose the new serving size. You can choose to halve, double, triple or create a custom conversion for the ingredients.

The only thing that I didn’t like about Serving Sizer Pro was the absence of a “done” button. After I’d enter in my amounts and ingredient names I’d look for that button and it wasn’t there on every screen. Force of habit perhaps, but I missed it. I also couldn’t find a way to convert stand alone ingredients the way you can in the original Serving Sizer but I might be missing something. This app is staying on my phone and when I find the time I’m going to enter in some of my most used recipes into the app. The ones that I come back to time and again for parties and big dinners but this time there’ll be no more scribbling fractions in my cookbook. I’m not going to show my 5th grader this app though because once she saw what it does she’d no longer listen to my talks about fractions being something I still use all the time. My credibility when it comes to math is already shaky enough.

Price when Reviewed: $2.99

Seller: Creative Algorithims

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review purposes.

Don’t Eat That is a comprehensive list of all the harmful (and potentially harmful) things in the food we eat.  There are no frills to this app, it’s just pure information for you to use when making food choice for your family. The information can be viewed in several ways, beginning with a master list and then being broken down into more specific groupings.

All Ingredient Names – This is a list of over 1500 additives and ingredients found in foods. The names in red are things which can cause problems. Tap on a name and you can read more information about the additive/ingredient.

Problem Ingredient – This is a list of all the problem additives/ingredients that can potentially be found in food. These are the same as the red words in the “All Ingredients” list. Again, tap on a name to read more.

Harmful to Kids – A list of the problem ingredients that could be harmful for children.

Banned Ingredients – Ingredients/additives that are banned in some countries.

Carcinogens – Ingredients/additives that some people suspect might be linked to cancer.

Genetically Modified – Ingredients/additives that have been modified in some way.

Allergies – This is a list of those things which are of particular concern to those who have allergies.

Asthma – This list is more specific than the allergy list. It deals with ingredients/additives that can affect asthmatics.

Reading through this app is enough to make me never want to eat again. Don’t Eat That contains an overwhelming amount of information. Personally, I some of this with a grain of salt but that’s just me. We’ve been lucky enough to not have to really worry about what our kids are eating, beyond food allergies. Now our most allergic child to date is still an infant and my attitude could very well change in six months. I also understand that there are plenty of others in more severe situations and  I do appreciate the fact that the list was all inclusive.  Plus, the specific information that’s included for each additive/ingredient is informative.  Don’t Eat That takes those five syllable ingredients on food labels and explains them in easy to understand terms so you can make your food decisions for yourself.

Price when Reviewed: $1.99

Seller: Celldial, Inc.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review purposes.

The name of this app, Picky Eater, is deceptive. It’s not about dealing with a finicky two year old who won’t eat anything orange. Here the picky in Picky Eater refers to watching what you eat because of food allergies. The app provides allergen information for over 100 different types of food and nearly 2,000 food ingredients.

If you tap the “Allergen” button at the bottom of the screen you’ll see an alphabetized list of foods that cause allergies. There will be the name of the food, a thumbnail picture and the number of ingredients associated with it. Tapping on the food will display those ingredients. They’ll be shown in another list, along with the number of allergens that they in turn are associated with. Tap on an ingredient to see it’s definition and the list of those allergens. It’s like a giant, intertwined circle. The allergens lead to the ingredients which lead to the allergens again. Here’s an example of how it works. I would first tap on chocolate, it’s a type of food that can be associated with food allergies. Next I would see a list of food ingredients that are connected to chocolate. A few of them are bakers chocolate, chocolate chips, cocoa butter, and many, many more. Chocolate is a big one. I’d tap the ingredient I’m looking for, let’s say it’s chocolate chips. Now I’ll see a definition of what a chocolate chip is, along with the different food allergens it’s involved in. They are beet, chocolate, cow milk and sugar cane. So chocolate chips are involved with more allergens than just chocolate.  Picky Eater also allows you to begin your search with the ingredients instead of allergens. To do this you’d tap the “Ingredients” button at the bottom of the screen.

If you’ve got a child, or if you yourself struggle with food allergies then you know how important it is to have the necessary resources to decipher what’s in your food. Having that information easily available is a bonus and Picky Eater provides a lot of information. I think where it would be helpful for me is if I needed help figuring out some of the more obscure allergens and ingredients. Cow milk I can pretty much figure out on my own. But figuring out what allergens are associated with a Jiffy Raspberry Muffin Mix, that I need help with.

One last note, Picky Eater is associated with the website www.cookingallergyfree.com. I checked it out and it looks like a fantastic resource. It provides recipes, a discussion board, and more. If you’re dealing with this food allergies I suggest you give the site a look!

Price when Reviewed: $1.99 – This is a special introductory price.

Seller: CovertApps.com

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review purposes.

Did anyone out there know that Walmart has a website and an iPhone app dedicated to recipes and entertaining? I had no idea until recently and I’m one of their best customers. The website and app are called Make it @Home.  The site features tips, videos, recipes and a tool to create a personalized grocery list.  The app allows you to create new grocery lists or import those that you’ve saved on the website. There are also several recipes and a Walmart store locator. The app’s grocery list feature is very straightforward. It comes with preset items or you can add your own custom ones. Make it @Home is a free app and if you’re still looking around for a grocery list app why not try it? It’s not as rich in features as some of the others but it’s straightforward, easy to use and free.

Price when Reviewed: Free

Seller: Lunchbox

AppeTeasers provides appetizer recipes and only appetizer recipes. No need to search through a huge database of different recipes looking for the perfect food to take to a party. This app presents four categories of appetizers: cheese, meat, seafood and veggies. The recipes are presented with beautiful pictures and easy to follow directions. When you are viewing a list of recipes you will notice that the preparation time is listed along with a rating of difficulty for the recipe. I liked being able to see this information for all the recipes at once. It let me narrow down choices with a simple glance.  Once you’ve chosen a recipe you can add it to a favorites list or tap a button that says “Add to Shopping List”. If you tap this button and then view the shopping list you’ll see that all the ingredients for that recipe have been added. You’ll have the option to display the ingredients by recipe or grocery aisle.  Two minor suggestions – If I already had one of the ingredients for the recipe I’d like to have the ability to delete it from the list. Also, when you pick up an ingredient and tap it a checkmark will appear. My personal preference is to have the item disappear altogether so my list grows shorter.

I think AppeTeasers does a nice job organizing and displaying recipes. Right now there are only four recipes included per category but I have heard from the developer that more will be added in the future.

Price when Reviewed: $1.99

Seller: Breakthrough Enterprises

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review purposes.

Foodditive is an app for anyone dealing with dietary restrictions and looking for a way to decipher the gibberish of food additives. The user interface for this app is smooth and pleasant to look at. Using the app you can browse through the different additives to learn more about each one. Additives can be browsed by classification, E-number or name. When you find an additive that you’d like to learn more about then tap on it’s name and you’ll be given a description, its’ common uses and adverse reactions. You can add personal notes to each additive and depending on your diet you can make them as “ok, suspect or avoid.” The app also provides a glossary to help you figure out what all the big words mean. (That was very helpful for me!) Foodditive will allow you to set  your own dietary restrictions- choose from Gluten Free, Halal, Kosher, Vegan and Vegetarian.

Foodditive would be nice to have on your iPhone if you, or someone in your family, has restrictions on what they can eat. It could be extremely helpful if you are in the grocery store trying to figure out which packaged foods are “safe”. For more information on what is considered an additive and would be included in this app visit www.foodditive.com.

Price when Reviewed: $4.99

Seller: Groxy Pty Ltd.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this app for review purposes.

Here’s another app that has the potential to spice up mealtime at the iPhone mom’s house. (Tacos are getting a little bit redundant.) AllRecipes.com’s Dinner Spinner is easy to use and you can search for recipes by using either the “dinner spinner” or a more traditional search.

When you use the dinner spinner feature you select your dish type, one ingredient and the time you want your dish ready in. I really liked seeing that they have a “slow cooker” option for this. After you’ve made your selections you tap “View Matches” and you’ll see what recipes matched up with your requests. From here you can view the recipe and the reviews about it. If you like what you see you can add it to a favorites list or email it out. Now if you’re feeling a bit adventurous about the spinner you can just shake your iPhone and see what it selects for you. This could be a fun way to discover some new recipes that you might not think of yourself.

If you choose the regular search route you’ll type in an ingredient or recipe that you’re looking for. The app then pulls up a list that matches your request. At the top right of this screen there is a button that says “Filters”. Selecting one of these filters will narrow down your search results. You can filter by the following: vegetarian, vegan, no dairy, no wheat, high fiber, low fat, low sodium and low carbs. Another option for finding recipes is to tap the “Featured” button. This will show you a list of recipes that AllRecipes.com thinks are great. I looked these recipes over and found the yummiest looking Snickerdoodle Chex Mix recipe that I can’t wait to try out with my kids.

This app doesn’t contain all of the recipes from AllRecipes.com but I don’t see how it could without taking up all the space on your iPhone. I suppose it could link out to the website but personally I like having everything contained in the app. I’m excited to delve even deeper into Dinner Spinner and create a list of new things for my family to try.

Price when Reviewed: Free

Seller: AllRecipes,com, Inc.

My inbox has been full of the best apps lately – you developers have been on a roll! Serving Sizer came my way and I must say that it is a TERRRIFIC tool for moms. It gives you the ability to take a recipe and tweak it to fit your family’s size. Say for instance I’ve got a recipe that serves 4 but I have seven in my family. Serving Sizer will help me go through the recipe’s ingredients and figure out how much I need of each to serve my seven. This is perfect for customizing recipes for families, large groups, or even small ones.

It’s extremely easy to use. You enter in the original serving size and the new serving size that you want to figure out. If it’s a custom serving size you want to figure out then tap the “custom” button. If you’re looking to halve, double or triple the serving size there are buttons you’ll tap for that and you won’t need to enter in the new serving size. Next you enter in the original ingredient’s measurement. There are measurements for volumes, weights and items. Once you’ve entered it all in the new measurement shows up at the bottom of the screen. It’s that easy.

I’m going to sound like a broken record but math is not one of my sharpest skills. For me converting recipes usually involves fractions and counting on my fingers and lots of frustration. I am thrilled to have an app that’s smarter than me and is going to eliminate that frustration. Just in time for Thanksgiving too!

Price when Reviewed: $1.99

Seller: Creative Algorithms

If you’ve ever spent time in a supermarket checkout line you’ve probably found yourself staring at a Woman’s Day magazine and the yummy foods they feature on the cover. Well, they’ve got a free app that features those foods: Woman’s Day Cooking Assistant. The app is broken down into several parts and I’ll give you a little summary of each one.

Featured: This is a list of featured food/recipe articles. Tap a recipe to read the article. From here you can also view the recipes. The recipes provide instructions, a picture and nutrition facts. If you tap on the small plus sign at the top right side of these screens you can choose to email the recipe, add it to favorites or add it to a shopping list.

Search: Search the recipes by keyword or browse through categories. Recipes appear the same way they do in the “Featured” section and have the same features.

Shopping List: I liked this feature. If you’ve chosen to add a recipe to your shopping list then the ingredients from that recipe appear here.   You can also add additional items of your own. I wouldn’t use this app as my primary shopping list but it’s an easy way to make sure you’ve got a list of what you need for the recipes featured in Cooking Assistant.

Favorites: Presents the list of recipes you’ve selected as your favorites.

Tips n’ Tools: Another app feature that I liked. Here you’ll find a cooking time calculator with information about how to cook various meats. There’s a guide to using certain pieces of kitchen equipment, information on prepping vegetables and weights and measurements. There are general kitchen tips and a herbs and spices dictionary. I found the information to be helpful and much of it was new to me.

I’m always up for a new recipe that’ll add some variety to our standard dishes, the easier and more kid friendly the better. It’s nice to have access to another free app that provides some inspiration in the kitchen. I’m hoping that they continually update this one with recipes featured in the magazine.

Price when Reviewed: Free

Seller: Hachette Fillpachi Media U.S.