6 Apps for A Happier Plate
Your smart phone could be the key to a happier belly and a more balanced plate. A slew of mobile apps have appeared with the goal of improving the way you eat, and we’ve picked six of our favorites that deserve a spot on your home screen.
FoodTree
The FoodTree website and free app present a crowdsourced picture of where your food comes from. Look up where to buy local and responsibly sourced food products, and check out how some of your favorite restaurants source their food. Anyone can upload and tag photos of food and restaurants with information about the sources. Available for the iPhone; free.
Seafood Watch
Make sure you’re making the best seafood choices when you’re sitting at the sushi bar with the comprehensive Seafood Watch app from the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The app ranks fish as a “Best Choice,” a “Good Alternative” or one to “Avoid” based on health concerns, like mercury contamination and environmental concerns, such as overfishing. You can search local businesses that provide ocean-friendly choices and even search a sushi list with the Japanese and English names of all the fish, so you can be confident in your order. Available for iPhone; free.
Locavore
A one-stop-shop for eating seasonally, the Locavore app provides a list of what’s in season where you live, a guide on where to find it, and an integration feature with Facebook to share your food finds with all your friends. Find local farmers markets and farms that sell your favorite local products. Available for iPhone and Android; free.
EWG Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides
Grab the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides app and always have your list of the “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Fifteen” with you when you’re shopping for produce to help you avoid pesticides in your food. Available for iPhone; free.
Veg Out
If you’re vegetarian or vegan—or dine out with someone who is—you know how challenging it can be to find great restaurant options beyond the green salad. The Veg Out app offers an extensive and international, searchable list of vegetarian, vegan and vegetarian-friendly restaurants that will expand your restaurant repertoire. Available for iPhone; free.
Slimkicker
If you’re interested in slimming down or getting fit, there are a zillion calorie-counting apps available, but the new Slimkicker app turns watching what you eat into a game with points, levels, badges and real prizes. It makes tracking the food you eat a more enjoyable experience. Available for iPhone; free.
image: JD Hancock
