10 Food Apps You’ll Want to Download Now
Updated: Aug. 14, 2018
You can't really call yourself a foodie unless you have these food apps on your smartphone.
Even the most informed food fans can use a little help from technology. Food apps can help you with all your food-related adventures—from keeping up with the latest recipe trends to finding out which food truck is nearby to learning what’s replacing #unicorntoast as the next trending food. So get your forks out. We’ve gathered up 10 apps every foodie needs on their smartphone.
1. OpenTable
OpenTable takes the headache out of making dinner reservations. This handy app allows you to put in your party number and find the closest available table at a restaurant near you. Its newest feature lets you invite dinner guests to your booked reservation. You can check out reviews of the restaurant before you book, along with menus and photos of popular food items. You can even earn points toward meal discounts.
2. Foodspotting
Once you choose your restaurant, the hard part begins—deciding what to order. With Foodspotting you can find which dishes other diners recommend. The app has a visual format, allowing you to browse through photos of food to find what looks especially tasty. Upload your own photos and reviews, and follow your foodie friends to see what they’re eating.
3. NoWait
This app allows you to see wait times for nearby places to eat—and put you on the list from anywhere. Home. Work. The park, so you can have more play-time with the kids. It’s convenient and also capitalizes on a partnership with Yelp.
4. ChefsFeed
ChefsFeed has the usual feature of a food app (videos, restaurant guides, photos and table booking) but with a bonus: recommendations from professional chefs. Instead of relying on the John and Jane Does of the world, get your info straight from the experts. The curated guides are created by chefs like Dominique Crenn and Marcus Samuelsson.
5. Farmstand
For those who strive to eat locally grown foods, this app is a must. Not only does it help you find farmers markets throughout the United States, it connects you to a community of locavores. As you discover new offerings, you can add markets to the selection and even upload images.
6. Handpick
How many times have you stared at the ingredients in your fridge, with no idea what to make? With the Handpick app, you can select the ingredients you have on hand, and the app will provide a few recipes you can make with those items. Dinner is served!
7. Roaming Hunger
This app lets you track the best gourmet food trucks nationwide. More than 7,500 food trucks participate, and many provide secret offers only to those who have this app. You can even use the app to book food trucks near your home or office.
8. Postmates
Picture this: You’re craving a specific restaurant but you don’t want to leave your couch, your blanket nest or your Netflix, and the restaurant doesn’t deliver. What is a lazy foodie to do? Enter Postmates. This genius app allows you to order from virtually any restaurant or store, and a member of their fleet will pick it up and bring it directly to you. They pride themselves on delivery anywhere, from dorm rooms to the office—or to your couch.
9. & 10. Instagram and Pinterest
OK, so these social channels are not food-specific apps. But they’re food-spiration. Food and food media brands, including Taste of Home, bloggers and social influencers, sure love to post their pictures, recipes and foodie inspiration for all to see. Follow us on Instagram at @tasteofhome and on Pinterest.
Our Most Shared Recipes EVER
A local restaurant serves a similar cheeseburger soup but wouldn't share its recipe with me. So I developed my own, modifying a recipe for potato soup. I was really pleased with the way this all-American treat turned out. —Joanie Shawhan, Madison, Wisconsin
Strawberry Pretzel SaladNeed to bring a dish to pass this weekend? This make-ahead strawberry pretzel salad will disappear quickly at any potluck. —Aldene Belch, Flint, Michigan
Amish Sugar CookiesThese easy-to-make, old-fashioned Amish sugar cookies simply melt in your mouth! I've passed this recipe around to many friends. After I gave it to my sister, she entered the cookies in a local fair and won best of show. —Sylvia Ford, Kennett, Missouri
Grilled Huli Huli ChickenI got this grilled chicken recipe from a friend while living in Hawaii. It sizzles with the flavors of brown sugar, ginger and soy sauce. Huli means "turn" in Hawaiian. This sweet and savory glaze is fantastic on pork chops, too. —Sharon Boling, San Diego, California
Simple Taco SoupWe first sampled this chili-like taco soup recipe at a church dinner. What a warming dish for a cold day. And because it uses packaged seasonings with several cans of vegetables, it's a snap to prepare. —Glenda Taylor, Sand Springs, Oklahoma
Barbecue Pork and Penne SkilletI'm the proud mother of wonderful and active children. Simple, delicious and quick meals like this BBQ pork skillet are perfect for us to enjoy together after school activities, especially if I have leftover pulled pork. —Judy Armstrong, Prairieville, Louisiana
Bacon Macaroni SaladThis pleasing pasta salad is like eating a BLT in a bowl. Filled with crispy bacon, chopped tomato, celery and green onion, the sensational salad is coated with a tangy mayonnaise and vinegar dressing. It’s a real crowd-pleaser! —Norene Wright, Manilla, Indiana
Egg Roll Noodle BowlWe love Asian egg rolls, but they can be challenging to make. Simplify everything with this deconstructed egg roll made on the stovetop and served in a bowl. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas
Basic Homemade BreadIf you'd like to learn how to bake bread, here's a wonderful place to start. This easy white bread bakes up deliciously golden brown. There's nothing like the homemade aroma wafting through my kitchen as it bakes. —Sandra Anderson, New York, New York
Easy Fresh Strawberry PieFor my mother's birthday, I made this strawberry pie recipe instead of a cake. Since it was mid-May in Oklahoma, the berries were absolutely perfect. It was a memorable occasion for the whole family. —Josh Carter, Birmingham, Alabama
Crustless Spinach QuicheI served this crustless quiche at a church lunch, and I had to laugh when one guy told me how much he disliked vegetables. Many people were surprised by how much they loved this veggie-filled quiche recipe—and he was one of them! —Melinda Calverley, Janesville, Wisconsin
Chicken Enchiladas with Cream of Chicken SoupA must for any Mexican meal at my house, try these enchiladas as a main dish or include them as part of a buffet. —Cheryl Pomrenke, Coffeyville, Kansas
Slow-Cooker Pot RoastBecause I work full time, this slow cooker pot roast is my go-to when I want a hearty, home cooked meal. It’s a comfort to walk in and smell this roast simmering. —Gina Jackson, Ogdensburg, New York
Lemon Blueberry BreadOf all the quick breads we had growing up, this beautiful lemon blueberry bread is the best! The citrus glaze adds a lustrous finish and locks in moisture. —Julianne Johnson, Grove City, Minnesota
Mom's Meat LoafMom made the best meat loaf, and now I do too. When I first met my husband, he wasn't a meat loaf guy, but this recipe won him over. —Michelle Beran, Claflin, Kansas
CokeCola CakeWe live in Coca-Cola country, where everyone loves a chocolaty, moist sheet cake made with the iconic soft drink. Our rich version does the tradition proud. —Heidi Jobe, Carrollton, Georgia
Fiesta PinwheelsWhenever I serve this make-ahead, easy pinwheel recipe, they disappear fast. When a friend at the office shared them with me, I knew in one bite I'd be taking her Mexican pinwheels home for the holidays. —Diane Martin, Brown Deer, Wisconsin
Never-Fail Scalloped PotatoesTake the chill off any blustery day and make something special to accompany meaty entrees. This is the best scalloped potatoes recipe ever, and my family loves when I serve it. —Agnes Ward, Stratford, Ontario
Corn PuddingCornbread mix and canned corn make this southern corn pudding casserole a snap to prepare. Now, this is real comfort food! —P. Lauren Fay-Neri, Syracuse, New York
Sandy's Chocolate CakeYears ago, I drove 4-1/2 hours to a cake contest, holding my entry on my lap the whole way. But it paid off. One bite and you'll see why this velvety beauty was named the best chocolate cake recipe and won first prize. —Sandra Johnson, Tioga, Pennsylvania
Buffalo Chicken DipThis is the best Buffalo chicken dip recipe! Whenever I bring Buffalo dip to a tailgate or potluck, everyone asks for the recipe. —Peggy Foster, Florence, Kentucky
Raspberry-Rhubarb Slab PieSlab pie is a pastry baked in a jelly-roll pan and cut into slabs like a bar cookie—or a pie bar, if you will. My grandfather was a professional baker and served pieces of slab pie to his customers back in the day. Here is my spin, featuring rhubarb and gorgeous red raspberries. —Jeanne Ambrose, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Cauliflower SoupThis cheesy recipe is way tastier than any other cauliflower soup I've tried! We like it with hot pepper sauce for a little extra kick. —Debbie Ohlhausen, Chilliwack, British Columbia
Banana PuddingI didn’t see my son, Lance Corporal Eric Harris, for more than two years after he enlisted in the Marines after high school. And when I saw him arrive at the airport, I just grabbed hold of him and burst out crying. When we got home, the first thing he ate was two bowls of my easy banana pudding recipe. He’s a true southern boy! It’s a dessert, but you can have it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. —Stephanie Harris, Montpelier, Virginia
Easy Crab CakesReady-to-go crabmeat makes these delicate patties easier than other crab cake recipes. You can also form the crab mixture into four thick patties instead of eight crab cakes. —Charlene Spelock, Apollo, Pennsylvania
Farmer's CasseroleBetween family and friends, we have nearly 375 visitors a year! This casserole is handy—you can put it together the night before, let the flavors blend, then bake it in the morning. —Nancy Schmidt, Center, Colorado
Crispy Fried ChickenIf you've wanted to learn how to make crispy fried chicken, this is the recipe for you. Always a picnic favorite, this deep-fried chicken recipe is delicious either hot or cold. Kids call it my Kentucky Fried Chicken! —Jeanne Schnitzler, Lima, Montana
Moist Chocolate CakeThis moist chocolate cake recipe with coffee reminds me of my grandmother because it was one of her specialties. I bake it often for family parties, and it always brings back fond memories. The cake is light and airy with a delicious chocolate taste. This recipe is a keeper! —Patricia Kreitz, Richland, Pennsylvania
French Toast CasseroleTopped with cinnamon and sugar, this overnight French toast casserole is my favorite way to make this breakfast favorite. Since you assemble this baked French toast the night before, you save time in the morning, and if you have an extra hungry crowd, it's easy to bake up a few batches. —Sharyn Adams, Crawfordsville, Indiana
Contest-Winning New England Clam ChowderThis is the best New England clam chowder recipe, ever! In the Pacific Northwest, we dig our own razor clams and I grind them for the chowder. Since these aren't readily available, the canned clams are perfectly acceptable. —Sandy Larson, Port Angeles, Washington
Sheepherder's BreakfastMy sister-in-law always made this delicious breakfast dish when we were camping and had to come up with good, easy breakfast ideas. Served with toast, juice and milk or coffee, it's a sure hit with the breakfast crowd! One-dish casseroles like this were a big help while I was raising my nine children. Now I've passed this recipe on to them. —Pauletta Bushnell, Albany, Oregon
Apple PieI remember coming home sullen one day because we'd lost a softball game. Grandma, in her wisdom, suggested that maybe a slice of hot apple pie would make me feel better. She was right. —Maggie Greene, Granite Falls, Washington
True Belgian WafflesIt was during a visit to my husband's relatives in Europe that I was given this Belgian waffle recipe. These homemade waffles are fantastic with any kind of topping: blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, fried apples, powdered sugar or whipped topping. —Rose Delemeester, St. Charles, Michigan
Best Chicken PotpieThis is the best chicken potpie recipe! Chock-full of chicken, potatoes, peas and corn, this recipe makes two golden pies, so you can serve one at supper and save the other for a busy night. —Karen Johnson, Bakersfield, California
Best LasagnaWant to know how to make lasagna for a casual holiday meal? You can't go wrong with this deliciously rich meat lasagna recipe. My grown sons and daughter-in-law request it for their birthdays, too. —Pam Thompson, Girard, Illinois
Sour Cream CucumbersIt’s been a tradition at our house to serve this dish with the other Hungarian specialties my mom learned to make from the women at church. It’s especially good during the summer when the cucumbers are fresh-picked from the garden. —Pamela Eaton, Monclova, Ohio
Grape SaladEveryone raves when I bring this refreshing, creamy grape salad to potlucks. For a special finishing touch, sprinkle it with brown sugar and pecans. —Marge Elling, Jenison, Michigan
Originally Published: December 15, 2017
