Cooking has never been easier with the help of technology. With the help of apps, newbies and professionals alike can make time in the kitchen easier than ever. There are thousands of recipes, instructions, and lists in the palm of foodies' hands that can be accessed with one click.
With thousands of apps out there, it can be hard to find the best apps for food lovers. It's even harder to find quality apps that are easy and fun to use that are free. The apps below aren't just free, they're highly rated by users and are easy to access when things get a little messy in the kitchen.
Updated on October 11, 2022, by Lynn Gibbs: The beauty of cooking is that anyone can do it and start somewhere. With millions of recipes, genres, and ways to play with food, it’s never been easier to cook. And thanks to the simplicity of cooking apps, even a beginner cook can become a professional over time. Thankfully for those who enjoy cooking on a budget, some of the best cooking apps are free. The best free recipe apps are now at the palms of food lovers’ hands.
Yummly
Used on iOS, Apple TV, and Android products.
When it comes to time in the kitchen, Yummy wants to be as helpful as possible. With over 22 million users and a 4.8 rating in the Apple apps store, Yummly is one of the most used apps in the cooking sphere.
According to the site, there are over two million recipes to choose from, all ranging from breakfast to side dishes. The app allows users to save their favorite recipes, create meal plans for the home, and it comes with educational articles on all things food. After using Yummly, users are going to feel prepared for any kind of cooking competition.
Whisk
Used on iOS, Android, and the Galaxy Store
With a 4.8 Apple Store rating, foodies love Whisk. The app allows home cooks to save and share recipes, plan meals, and even grocery shop!
With the Grocery List App, users can add the foods they need for the chosen recipe from Whisk and even checkout of their chosen store online. On top of being able to shop easier, app users can see how long a recipe takes to make based on the time count on each image. This app is easy to use and friendly, which is why it has won Google Play’s Best Everyday Essentials Award!
Food Monster
Used on Apple iOS Devices
For plant-based foodies, Food Monster is a dream. With over 20,000 vegan recipes, the app’s Instagram account claims it’s the “largest plant-based vegan food app.”
The app categorizes its menu options in a plethora of ways (meals, desserts, holidays, produce, etc…) and can even be found by season. Users who tried a recipe can even share comments, tips, and recommendations. Users can also bookmark favorite recipes and meal plan for the week. For pant-loving foodies, this app has it all to spice up breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
SideChef
Used On Apple iOS, Android devices, and Internet Browsers
According to SideChef's website, the app was created by a cooking beginner who wanted better in the way of cooking apps. After not knowing what some of the cooking terms meant (i.e. blanch, mincing...), SideChef was created. With SideChef, those in the kitchen will be told what to do every step of the way and how to do it. There are over 16,000 recipes on the app, but there's more to it than recipe browsing.
Those with iOS and Androids can use SideChef to help a person plan their meals based on how many people are eating. Users can also filter through recipes by dietary restrictions or preferences. After watching both real and fake cooking shows, viewers can put their knowledge to the test thanks to SideChef.
Tasty
Used On Apple iOS and Google Play
The Tasty app was created by BuzzFeed and has over 3,000 unique recipes that users can browse through. With help of fun and colorful videos, users can see what their meal should look like every step of the way (along with a written explanation). With an app that makes cooking this easy, cozy movies that feature cooking can now be mimicked by foodie fans.
The iOS and Android app also allow users to filter through recipes for what they're in the mood for or what they want to exclude from their diet. Based on what recipes users click on or are interested in, other recipes will be recommended. What's cooler is that the app has a "what's in your kitchen?" feature that allows users to find recipes based on what they have at home!
BBC Good Food
Used On Apple iOS and Google Play
Based on BBC Good Food's magazine, the app is free to use for three months and offers the same kind of elegance and assistance that the magazine does.
There are over 13,000 recipes that iOS and Android users can browse through, and the screen even locks on the recipe so that users don't need to use a passcode or use Face ID to get back to where they were. One of the more awesome things that users didn't know about Amazon Alexa is that they can sync the BBC Good Food app to Alexa!
Food Network Kitchen
Used On Apple iOS, Fire Tablet, Google Play, and FoodNetwork.com
For those who love watching foodie shows on the Food Network, its app Food Network Kitchen is going to feel comforting. The app has recipes that are done by Food Network's famous personalities along with food writers. Each recipe is broken down by prep time, cook time, difficulty, and how much the recipe serves.
It makes it incredibly easy for users to figure out what recipe is worth doing. There are over 80,000 recipes to choose from and iOS and Android users can choose recipes ranging from grilling to baking to kid-friendly and even dairy-free.
Mealime Meal Plans & Recipes
Used On Apple iOS and Google Play
Mealime keeps it simple in the kitchen for iOS and Android users. Each recipe tells users how much time it should take and comes with a cooking list so that users know what to grab from the store. But the app doesn't just come with thousands of recipes, it's also a meal-planning service.
The app's website says viewers can create a meal plan with over 600 customizations, including allergies, restrictions, likes, dislikes, and how many people the recipe should feed. Once users select a meal plan that works for them (or even a recipe), a shopping list is created, which allows users to check off what they already have or have bought. It's perfect for foodies and cooking beginners alike.
Cookpad
Used On Apple iOS and Google Play
Cookpad is easy and fun to use because, not only can iOS and Android users browse recipes, but they can also add their own recipes that other users may be interested in. It'll make users feel like they are on one of the best episodes of Chef's Table!
The app makes cooking a relatable and shareable experience. Users can upload pictures of their meals for recipes that they tried and liked, encouraging others interested in the same recipe. And like many other apps on this list, users can search for recipes based on their preferred diet.
Kitchen Stories
Used On Apple iOS, Amazon, App Gallery, and Google Play
Kitchen Stories proves that anyone can cook when recipes are gently broken down and shown along the way. Each recipe comes with a step-by-step photo guide for iOS and Android users so that home cooks can compare how their dish looks versus the apps.
Those who tried a certain recipe can leave their own personal experiences or feedback in the comment section so that other potential users can see it. Food lovers who get inspired by cooking shows should get the app to be inspired by other home cooks. Each recipe icon has how long the meal takes to prepare and how many people have tried it and liked it. There are also a bunch of articles to browse through relating to food and diet.
BigOven
Used On Apple iOS, Google Play, And On Web Browsers
BigOven refers to itself as a "recipe organizer." With over 500,000 recipes to choose from, BigOven makes it easy for iOS and Android users to find recipes that users have tried, liked, or want to try in the future.
App users can search different genres of food, ingredients, preferences, etc. There's also a section called "Use up Leftovers," where BigOven offers recipes on what to make based on three ingredients the user already has at home! Each recipe is bound to make users hungry.
Allrecipes Dinner Spinner
Used On Apple iOS, Google Play, Alexa, And Snapchat's Food Scan
Allrecipes Dinner Spinner has over 50,000 recipes to choose from that are easy to follow and create. Users can search for the kinds of meals they're looking for, or even brands that they trust and like using.
The app also has a function that shows users what ingredients are on sale in their area and what they can make with said ingredients. Users can also check out the app on the web browser to see more information on kitchen tips, five-ingredient dinners, one-pot meals, and more! Foodies who love to explore different documentaries about the food industry and trying different recipes that mirror what they've learned would appreciate an app like Allrecipes Dinner Spinner.