The iPhone Mom

Shop Healthy! lets you look up nutritional information for foods you’ll find in the grocery store. The idea is to use the app to help you make healthy, informed choices about your groceries. At the time that I’m writing this review there are over 100,000 products included in the app’s information.

It’s a good idea to read through all of the information on the “Info” screen when you first use Shop Healthy! When it comes to searching for foods you can look for them by name or see them sorted by grocery store aisle. To look up a specific food tap the “Products” button and then type in the name of what you’re looking for. The app pulls up everything it’s got that fits your search. Next to each name on the list are three apples. The apples are colored green depending on how healthy the food is. Three green apples is the best rating. You can tap on the product’s name to see more information including serving size and calories per serving. There is a button that shows you nutrition facts like those seen on a product’s package. Another button says “view factoid info” and this tells you some basic information about the type of food product you’re viewing. Back on the product’s detail page you are given a list of other products to consider as an alternative to the one you searched for.  So if what you searched for had a dismal 1/2 green apple rating you could browse through the list of suggestions and make a better choice.

You can also view foods based on their aisle in a store. To do this tap on the “aisle” button at the bottom of the screen. Now you’ll see four columns – Fruits & Veggies, Breads & Grains, Beverages and Canned Foods. In each column are different types of foods, represented by a picture. Tap on the picture and you’ll get a list of foods, each with a green apple rating next to it. Tap on the food to see the same detail information that I mentioned above for the products button. I really liked the detailed pages for the fruits and veggies. You pick a fruit or vegetable to look at and the app tells you how to select the best one, how to store it and some fun facts about it. I find that information very useful myself. The only change that I’d suggest here is to add a way to navigate back to the fruits or vegetables list after looking at a detail screen. There’s no arrow to get back to the list, you have to tap “Aisle” and begin again. There are arrows for the other foods, but not for fruits and veggies.

As you’re browsing through foods (and probably learning more about what’s in them than you might like to know) you can mark them as a “favorite”. These items will show up on a list that can be found via the “Favorites” button. The app is easy to move through and the layout is clean and makes the information easy to follow.

I thought that Shop Healthy! was a nice tool for comparing different foods that fall into the same category. It’s not going to do you much good if you want to compare fruit juice to ice cream, but if you’re trying to decide between different types of juice (or in my case, ice cream) it can help you make an informed decision before you load up your grocery cart.  Personally, I always set out for the store determined to make healthy choices and especially to avoid the sweets. But by the time I survive shopping with my kids the sweets have become a mental health necessity. Perhaps Shop Healthy! can help me choose between the lesser of my sweet evils.

Price when Reviewed: $.99

Seller: SmartNow.com

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.

Here is an app that’s just in time for my New Year’s resolution. Inner Slim is a program that is designed to help you make the mental changes necessary to lose weight. The idea is to listen to an audio track each day and allow your subconscious to change. There are seven audio tracks, one for each day of the week. Each is also accompanied by a stereogram that you are supposed to look at  before you listen to the audio track. I had to google “stereogram” to find out that it is an optical illusion that’s created from two flat two dimensional images. I have never been good at deciphering that sort of thing so I struggled a bit with the stereograms. The audio tracks in Inner Slim are very soothing. The combination of chimes and the narration relaxed me every time I listened. The audio track repeats a series of questions that are intended to make you more aware of your weight loss effort. 

I tried out Inner Slim over the past week and it probably wasn’t the best of timing. My kids went back to school and we were thrown back into our crazy routine and I was exhausted. When I lay down at night to listen to Inner Slim I kept falling asleep. Now this is actually a compliment to the app’s power of relaxation because it usually takes awhile for my brain to turn off so that I can sleep. The downside of all this relaxation is that I’m not sure how much of Inner Slim’s message actually made it’s way into my subconscious before I sank too deeply into dreamland. I know that I was making better food choices that week up until Friday night when my husband brought home takeout and my diet went downhill from there. What part of my choices were related to this app, I just don’t know. So I can’t provide a testimonial that claims weight loss but I can vouch for the relaxation factor.

Has anyone out there tried a program like this that works with your subconscious? How’d it work for you? Any tips for us newbies?

Price when Reviewed: $.99

Seller: Innervision Media, Ltd.

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

I purchased Edibles because I was looking for a way to unofficially track Weight Watchers points on my iPhone. Weight Watchers has an official app but you’ve got to be a current online member to fully use it. Since I am not but I still like to track points I did a search for apps that worked with points. My good friend Google led me to Edibles .  Edibles lets you track one thing – calories, carbs or a something you define. In my case that’s points and it does a good job keeping track of those. I personally like the fact that Edibles keeps it simple but I know that might not be enough for some users. It’s hard enough for me to stick to a diet and the less I have to keep track of the better.

The default screen for Edibles is the “Food Log”. This is the screen that will show up every time you open the app. At the top of this screen is a section called “Available for Today”. This shows you how many points, calories, etc. are available for the day; it also tracks your exercise. You can adjust your total available by tapping on one of these buttons and setting up your numbers. Below this section is “Actions for Today”. Here you’ll see a running total of how many calories, points, etc. you’ve used for the day. You’ll see a “Log Food for Today” button and one that says “View Today’s Log”.  Use the “Log Food for Today” button to record what you eat. When you are logging food you can add it manually or search Edibles online database. To manually add a food tap the plus button. Next you’ll enter in the food type, serving size and how many calories, points it was. On this screen there is a button that says “Calc”. If you need to use the calculator to figure out what your food is worth you can do that from here.  Tap “Done” and you’re good to go. After you’ve added foods they’ll show up in the your personal database.  This will only contain the foods that you’ve entered so you won’t have to search through a gigantic list of things you’ll never eat.  As an alternative you can also search Edibles online for a food. Add one from here and it will show up in your personal database from then on.

The “Weight Log” button takes you to a weight chart. You can record your weight for today, another day or set up a password. The Weight Log will show  your statistics: current weight, starting weight, average lost, lost to date, goal and remaining pounds to goal. The lovely BMI is also included. Yippee! If you want to change your goal weight all you have to do is tap on it and make the change.  At the bottom of the screen will be a list of your recent weight entries.

The “Calculator” button is where I set up the formula for calculating points. If I wanted to quickly figure out some points before I entered them in the food log I’d do that here. If you want to calculate points you are going to have to enter a formula on this calculator screen. I found the formula online but I’ve now spent twenty minutes looking for the webpage and cannot find it. So I can’t give credit but I will share the formula.  On the calculator screen tap “Set Formula”. Now enter in (Calories/50) + (Fat/12) –Fiber/5). After you’ve done this your calculator will be set up to figure out the points value of foods.  The last thing I’ve customized is in my iPhone’s settings I turned on the “unused units badge”. This enables Edibles to display my remaining points on the app badge. I like this because I can see what’s left for the day without having to open up the app.

I’ve been pleased with Edibles. It’s easy to use and does a fine job tracking what I need. Now if it would only come with a dose of self control and will power I might be able to actually lose some weight.

Price when Reviewed: $4.99

Seller: Random Ideas, LLC

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.

This is the ice cream that I turn to when I want a treat but don’t want to hate myself after I finish a bowl. It’s from Dreyer’s light, slow churned line of ice cream but you’d never know it was “diet”. I like to scoop up a bowl and then let it  sit for a few minutes until the ice cream gets soft and creamy. Mmm. Such a great way to end a long day. The best part is since it’s got half the fat  I can eat two bowls instead of just one.

Apples 2 Oranges is nifty little conversion app and it’d be handy to have in the grocery store. When you’re in the “Ingredient” mode you can compare nutritional content of different foods. If you want to see how many calories are in a cup of yogurt as opposed to a cup of ice cream, you can do that. That’s a no brainer example but you get the idea. The yogurt will have fewer calories but the ice cream would probably taste better. So I guess that example actually creates a bit of a dilemma doesn’t it?

There is also a “Price” mode and this was my favorite part of the app. You enter in the size of something and it’s price. Then enter in the size of something else and it’s price. For example 10 pounds of rice compared to 5 pounds. When you tap the compare button Apples 2 Oranges is going to tell you what the price per pound is for each item. You’ll be able to see which item is going to give you the most for your money.

Apples 2 Oranges has a nice look to it and runs smoothly. It’s taken me a couple tries and some visits to the information screen to get the hang of “Ingredient” mode and I still don’t think I’ve completely got it. But I did figure the “Price” mode out right away and that’s how I can see myself using this app. This way I can see if those bulk Costco items really do save me money.

Price when Reviewed: $.99

Seller: Ilium Software

Let me begin by saying that I’m not nearly as health conscious with food choices as I should be. I think I’ve eaten enough preservatives to guarantee myself a very long shelf life should the need arise. Most of the time I don’t  read that fine print but there was a time when my son had a wheat allergy and we were reading labels and trying to decipher the gibberish on them. I did some research online and then had a note stuck to my fridge listing all the ingredients that he needed to avoid. The system worked out okay at home but when I was in the grocery store it got tricky. This was pre iPhone days so I couldn’t even do a google search from the cracker aisle.  What R U Eating would have been a handy app to have around. It allows you to search from a database of over 80 food additives. Select one and you’ll get a description of what it does along with foods it’s commonly found in. The search is easy to navigate and full of information  you’d probably rather not know about if you’re really going to enjoy that Oreo cookie.

What R U Eating also comes with a game but I could not figure out how to play it. It features falling junk food and a set of teeth trying to eat the food. I just couldn’t get the teeth to go where I wanted them to be. Instead the game kept pausing on me. According to the iTunes description once you’ve eaten all the food all of the additives you’ve just consumed will be displayed. I never got to that point.

If you need to know exactly what’s in your packaged food this would be a nice app to have on your iPhone. It’d come in extremely handy when you’re grocery shopping. Buy it for that reason, not the game.

*Update – Marc contacted me to explain the teeth game. It’s based on the iPhone game Falling Balls and the teeth are meant to move left to right along the bottom of the screen as you tilt your iPhone. I was trying to use my finger to get the teeth to move so no wonder they didn’t catch any junk food. Thanks Marc!

Price when Reviewed: $.99

Seller: Marc Edwards

The Godiva app is a mobile way to order chocolate from the online Godiva store (www.godiva.com). Chocolate shopping from your iPhone. Or as I’ve been using it, chocolate drooling/window shopping. Don’t forget to wipe off your screen.

Start with the “Shop” button and choose your shopping category. Next you choose the chocolate item you’re craving and the app will pull up a description, price and a yummy photo. If you see something you’d like to order touch “Add to Cart”. This adds the chocolate to your shopping cart. You’ll see a cart icon at the bottom of your screen. You can also email the product information to someone who cares using the “Email Item” button.

“My Cart” shows you what you’ve impulsively, okay – maybe that’s just me, put in your shopping cart. From here you can email out your list, clear your cart or check out. If you’ve set up an account at www.godiva.com you can check out and order the chocolates directly from this app. I’ve mustered up a big dose of self control and haven’t actually done this part yet, so unfortunately, or fortunately for my thighs, I can’t walk you through actually checking out with your truffles.

If you enjoy Godiva chocolates and need to order them often this may be the app for you. It’d take a minute to set up your account online but then think of the possibilities – the ability to order expensive chocolates whenever you felt the urge. Then again, this could be a very dangerous app.

Seller: Digby

Price when Reviewed: Free

Click here to see the app at the iTunes store

I think this might be an almost perfect iPhone app. Lose It helps you keep track of your caloric intake and the calories you’re burning with exercise. It helps you set goals and then track your progress towards your new weight. I was absolutely amazed at the amount of food it had in it’s database and the variety of exercises included.

When you first start Lose It you enter your starting weight, your goal weight, your height and your birthday. Then you choose your plan: maintain your weight, lose 1/2 lb. a week, 1 lb. a week, 1 1/2 lbs. a week or 2 lbs. a week. The app then gives you a calorie budget and calculates the date you’ll reach your weight loss goal.

Tap the "My Day" button at the bottom of the screen and you get to see how you’ve been doing for the day. (At the top you can also choose "This Week" to see how your progress has gone for the entire week.) With "Today"  you get a summary of what your calorie budget is, what you’ve eaten and how many calories you’ve burned with exercise. At the bottom you’ll see "Add Food". Touch that and you’ll get to choose whether your food goes with breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacks.  After you choose your meal you can then enter in the foods. Do this by searching foods, choosing from brand name foods or creating a new food of your own.  Brand name foods lets you choose either supermarket or restaurant foods. I couldn’t believe how many different food choices were available. Yes, I searched for my weakness – Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. And yes, it allowed me to enter in my realistic serving size – the entire container. Hooray for a diet app that lets you get the sad truth right out there. Even if you can’t find exactly what you ate my guess is that you’ll find something pretty darn close. If that still doesn’t do it for you then create your own food. After that it’ll be saved under "My Foods". I loved having the ability to choose from previous meals. If you ate  the same thing on Tuesday that you’d had on Sunday you can choose the "Previous Meals" button. Choose the date you want and then choose the food you ate. This saves you the step of having to search and reenter foods over and over again.

Back on the "My Day" screen you can also add exercise. There is a huge list of exercises and if you can’t find what you want you can always tap "Create New Exercise". "My Exercises" shows you a list of everything you’ve recorded previously so it saves you from having to browse the list all over again. Lose It has exercises from lawn mowing to curling to gardening to house cleaning. According to the app 90 minutes of house cleaning burns 214 calories. That takes care of about 1/6 of the Ben & Jerry’s consumed previously. I like it!

The "Log" button shows you all the food and exercises you’ve recorded for that day. At the top you can tap an arrow to move forward or backward dates. The plus button will let you add a food or exercise. The edit button lets you edit what’s already on the list.

With the "Goals" button you get to see what your goal weight and plan are. There’s also a chart to show you how your weight loss is progressing. At the bottom tap "Record Today’s Weight" to enter in a new weight. Hopefully a lower one.

Touch "More" and you can add in custom foods, exercises and recipes. You can also turn on the nutrient tracking. This allows you to track how much fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbs or protein you’re consuming. If you turn these on they’ll show up on the "My Day" section under the "Nutrients"  button at the top.

I cannot say enough good things about this app. I love how easy it is to use – a big plus to a busy mom who hates to diet anyway. Plus you get this great app for free. Lose It is staying on my phone and when I’m done with the pregnancy thing and need to loose an amount of weight equal to a kindergartner, trust me,  I will be wearing this app out.

Seller: Fit Now

Price when Reviewed: Free

Click here to see the app at the iTunes store