3 free apps that cook up savings

At some point, we all get tired of our go-to meals. For our family of four, going out to eat (or ordering in) two to three times a week adds up.

In 2017, according to restaurant industry analyst firms Acosta and Technomic, 51.8% of U.S. food spending went toward eating out. It’s estimated that restaurant sales will increase by 4% to $825 billion in 2018.

The average amount spent on food prepared outside the home kitchen per month totaled $144. Millennials tended to spend more ($202 a month) with 42% of their total monthly food budget allocated to eating out. In addition, 56% of Millennials and Gen X plan to spend more money for take-out and delivery.

Who doesn’t enjoy someone else doing the cooking and the easy clean-up? Our wallets, that’s who.

Still, gazing into our refrigerator and pantry, trying to figure out a new spin on chicken that’s edible, has been a real struggle.  My creative attempts of spice and food combinations used to be a series of more misses than rave reviews.

The following three free recipe apps have helped our family start enjoying more varied and tasty meals, on a consistent basis.

SideChef: I love the step-by-step voice instructions! No going back to check the next step. There are also many recipes to choose from, as well as fun food facts and videos.

Tasty: This app will help anyone believe cooking is easy and they can make anything. The short videos are fun and easy to duplicate. You can even get recipe recommendations based on the time of day, day of the week, and major holidays.

Yummly: It’s easy to tailor searches based on your specific needs whether dealing with food allergies, vegetarian dishes or kid-friendly meals. The app learns your likes and dislikes over time and it shows in the recipe recommendations.

 

Myriam DiGiovanni

Myriam DiGiovanni

After writing for Credit Union Times and The Financial Brand, Myriam DiGiovanni covers financial literacy for FinancialFeed. She is also a storytelling expert and works with credit unions to help ... Web: www.financialfeed.com Details