Healthy eating
These apps help users eat healthy sans the hassle:
- Purple Carrot. Purple Carrot provides pre-measured ingredients and step-by-step instructions. The recipes are created by the company’s Chief Innovation Officer, Mark Bittman, and the recipes are vegan and include freshplant-based, dairy-free ingredients. ($68; thepurplecarrot.com)
- The SideChef app talks one through the cooking process, narrating recipe steps and offering voice commands like “next” or “back” when users would like to skip ahead or repeat a step. Built-in timers keep users on track as they move through a recipe. (Free; sidechef.com)
Blue Apron Family Plan. Blue Apron is said to offer a relatively low price-per-plate for home-cooked food. In addition to the company’s two-person and family plans, it has an online market, which stocks tools and cookware necessary for obtaining the best cooking results. A wine subscription is also available for six bottles each month to pair with meals. (From $60 for meal boxes; $66 for wine; blueapron.com)- HelloFresh is said to deliver everything one needs to prep three meals, in two-person or family-size boxes. ($69 for a Classic box for two, with three meals; www.hellofresh.com)
- Green Chef. Green Chef is a meal kit that is USDA-certified organic and can be customized to one’s dietary preferences, including vegetarian, Paleo, and gluten-free. (From $72/box; greenchef.com)
- Chef’d. Chef’d offers over 200 meals to choose from, including options for vegans, fitness lovers and foodies. (From $19/two-person meal; chefd.com)
- For those who don’t mind buying their own groceries, PlateJoy’s service will help streamline the preparation process. Clients take a quiz about what and how they like to eat, and PlateJoy creates a custom meal plan and shopping list, which accommodate special dietary needs, including gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo, low-carb, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian and more. In addition, the app’s algorithm pairs meals together to minimize the items on one’s grocery list, and tracks what he or she has at home. ($60/6 months; www.platejoy.com)
Source: Shape.com. For more information visit http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/cooking-ideas/best-cooking-apps-and-food-services-make-healthy-meals-breeze.
Recipe apps to get you in shape
Before you begin your next grocery list, remember, healthy planning is a click away:
- Whole Foods Market Recipes. Whole Foods Market Recipes (free of charge) is said to be user-friendly and fast, with a broad selection of recipes and photos. Individuals with dietary concerns can search a variety of menu options, including fat-free, high-fiber, low-fat or sugar-conscious. It also includes categories for dairy-free and gluten-free recipes. Nutrition facts are provided for each recipe, including total calories per serving, total fat, saturated fat, sodium, carbs and protein.
- com Dinner Spinner. The AllRecipes.com Dinner Spinner app (free of charge) offers a fun way to discover new recipe ideas. Users choose a course and main ingredient, shake their iPhone, and the app displays recipes that meet their criteria. With thousands of user-submitted recipes to choose from, users are bound to find something new. AllRecipes.com reportedly is one of the best apps for low-carb dieters, as it has a filter to identify recipes that meet low-carbohydrate standards. The app includes nutritional information for all recipes, including total carbs and dietary fiber, so users can calculate their net carb intake. AllRecipes.com also has filters for high-fiber, low-fat, gluten-free and low-sodium diets.
- Simply Organic. Simply Organic (free of charge) may not offer as many recipes as some apps, but it consistently displays nutritional facts for each meal. The app includes total calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates and protein. That said, it does not contain information on fiber, so it may not be the best option for those requiring low-carb diets. The app offers a great variety of recipes, ranging from Cajun to kid-friendly meals.
- Martha’s Everyday Food. Martha’s Everyday Food app (free of charge) contains thousands of recipes from the magazine of the same name. The app is said to be highly functional, with push notifications for new recipes, Twitter and Facebook integration, and a robust shopping list. Nutrition facts are also included, so it’s a good choice for dieters. Martha’s Everyday Food includes information on carbs and fiber, in addition to total calories, fat and protein.
- The SparkRecipes app (free of charge) is provided by the creators of SparkPeople.com, a popular diet and calorie-tracking website. The app, which is sponsored by Lean Cuisine, focuses on helping dieters shed pounds. SparkRecipes includes nearly 200,000 user-submitted recipes, each with detailed nutritional information. Unlike some diet apps, which provide a brief overview of nutrition information, SparkRecipes is more detailed and includes information on polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, potassium, fiber and sugar. Users can also search for specific low-fat or low-carb recipes.
Source: Lifewire.com. For more information visit https://www.lifewire.com/delicious-cooking-apps-dieters-1999362.
Step into Spring
- Zepp 2. The Zepp 2 is a sports sensor, which attaches to a baseball bat, a tennis racket or golf club for real-time stats. The battery is said to be long-lasting and the device supports low-power Bluetooth. $150.
- Suunto Ambit3 Vertical Black. A mountain-climbing and hiking watch, the Vertical shows users their speed, distance and heart-rate (using a chest strap), as well as one’s altitude on a climb. The device provides day-to-day comparisons. $469.
- GDU Byrd. When exercising, be sure to exercise caution! The GDU Byrd is a drone designed to fold up to the size of a shoebox. The drone sticks by the user, but can fly home if there’s a problem. $749.
- BioLite PowerLite Mini. The BioLite PowerLite Mini is a camping light that reportedly lasts for 52 hours per charge and can boost one’s cell phone as well. It fits in one’s pocket and is said to emit 135-lumens light, which is substantial for reading in a tent. $45.
- Caseco Testa. The Caseco Testa is a shock-proof iPhone 6s case with a built-in mirror, credit card slots and the capacity to enhance the iPhone’s speaker. Ideal for travel, walks or hiking. $50.
- Fat Tire X-Treme E-Cherokee. Although not cheap by any standard, this bike travels 30 miles at 30mph on a full charge. Those who assist with pedaling will get much farther. It is said to handle mountain trails and beach rides. $1,799.
- Tentsile Connect Tent. The Tentsile Connect is designed to accommodate two adults, or one adult and two children. Three huge ratchets connect to trees, cars or trucks, boulders or other support structures. $450.
- ExOfficio BugsAway Impervio Crew Shirt. This spring (and summer), leave the bug spray at home! The ExOfficio BugsAway Impervio shirt is designed to repel bugs. The company also offers hoodies and other camping-friendly clothes. $60.
- Edyn Garden Sensor. Attention gardeners: When stuck into the garden soil, the Edyn Garden Sensor is designed to track light, humidity, temperature, soil nutrition and moisture. The device can be connected to a smartphone or tablet app. $100.
Source: Inc.com. For more information visit http://www.inc.com/john-brandon/ss/22-tech-gadgets-spring-2016.html.