Christmas tech: Apps to inspire your food choices

Is your fridge still heaving with food? Are there more leftover carrots and potatoes than you can stomach? Does the thought of eating another bite of turkey make you feel a bit green? There’s an app for that.

Olio

If you have spare food, you can share it with people in your local area. Olio’s motto is Share more, waste less, and that goes for everything from unwanted wine to non-food items such as cleaning supplies, cosmetics and toys. You simply snap a photograph of the item you want to share, decide a pick up point that suits you, upload the listing and wait for responses. You can also search for items, filtering by location or item type. And even better, it’s all free.

[ https://olioex.com/ ]

No Waste

Prevention is better than cure. The No Waste app allows you to keep track of what food you have in the house plus their expiry dates, so you know what you have on hand and don’t overbuy (again). You add the items as you buy them - there’s a quick list you can pick from in the free version of the app, and a scanner feature in the Pro version, which costs €6.99 as a once-off purchase - and you can plan meals for each day based on your list. If you go for the Pro version, you’ll also get reminders when food in your list is about to expire.

[ https://www.nowasteapp.com/ ]

Supercook Recipe by Ingredient

If you are in need of inspiration, the Supercook app can come up with suggestions for almost everything in your fridge and cupboard. You simply tell it what is there, and it will suggest different options. It’s a good way to find inspiration for the food you already have and need to get rid of before it turns, thus cutting down on your food waste.

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[ https://www.supercook.com/ ]

Yummly

Another option for personalised recipes is Yummly. The free app offers recipes and a shopping list, so you don't buy things you don't need. There are over 2 million recipes on the app, so there should be something for everyone to enjoy, regardless of taste or diet type. You can choose your favourite cuisine types - including Irish - and choose relevant food allergies and diets, plus dislikes and your level of cooking skill. When the app suggest recipes, you can save your favourites, giving it further information on what you like to eat. There is a pro version too, but it's unavailable in Ireland for now.

[ https://www.yummly.com/ ]