Apply Yourself

Like fellow smartphone users, it is likely that your application (‘app’) collection consists of Facebook, Twitter, Words With Friends and WhatsApp Messenger. Why not add some spice to your device with these food-related apps? They are sure to make cooking, finding and buying food a breeze, but you’re on your own to shuck the oysters.

Prices are approximate.

Cookit

Instead of setting the time on your watch, egg timer, stopwatch, phone or microwave to gauge where you’re at when cooking many items at once, Cookit has it under control. This genius app calculates all of your timings and signals when to start preparing each element. It also figures out your total cooking time and there’s a countdown for each item. Plus, kitchen cadets can save entire meals into a library. Definitely a de-stresser for frazzled foodies.

Cost: $1.19

Jamie Oliver’s 20 Minute Meals

Add some swoon-worthy material to the kitchen with the celebrity chef’s boyish charm. Jamie shows us how to eat well in 20 minutes or less with 60 easy recipes, step-by-step photography and extensive video material. Describing how to prep garlic and vanilla pods with his British twang makes honing your culinary skills a piece of cake. He even gives pointers on the pantry ingredients and essential equipment needed to set up the ultimate kitchen. Also, grocery buying is made breezy by sending recipe ingredients straight to the shopping list feature. With Jamie by your side, you’ll surely charm others into your dining room.

Cost: $9.99

Menulog

This app is basically the web version of Menulog shrunken to fit your mobile screen. With a push of a button, food can be requested for delivery to your home or office from more than 1200 restaurants in Australia and New Zealand. Easy-peasy to navigate, users can filter search results by categories like cuisine and special offers, manage their favourites, view restaurants on a map and receive immediate confirmation of their order. Plus, take-away never felt so rewarding since their loyalty discounts were launched. For instance, by ordering seven times you get your 8th meal free. Score!

Cost: Free

Urbanspoon

Who would’ve thought that jiggling your phone would find you dinner? Shake it and the Urbanspoon slot machine will choose an eatery for you to test. Or, find restaurants in the area you’re located with GPS in list or map mode. Urbanspoon is user-friendly with its search filter which includes cuisine, price and neighbourhood categories. Plus, compare places with fellow Spooners and review ratings from bloggers, newspapers and app users. Even better, there’s photos of popular dishes to drool over from listed restaurants.

Cost: Free

Epicurious' Recipes & Shopping List

Linked to Epicurious.com, this app is a recipe seeker’s dream. With 30 000 recipes updated weekly at cooks’ finger tips, there is no shortage of ideas for dinner. Recipes can be viewed in full-screen layout giving an authentic cookbook feel, while step-by-step instructions are offered as you go. Users can also be super-organised by adopting the menu creation feature. Topping off the app are the new recipes automatically received from Epicurious and other magazine editors, famous chefs and cookbook authors.

Cost: Free

By Jenna Chaitowitz

Image: Flickr