5 Apps to Keep You Organized in the Kitchen + giveaway!
This giveaway is now closed. The four winners chosen using random.org are: #6 Heather, #86 Laura, #43 Stacy and #41 Melissa. Congratulations!
I arranged today’s guest post from Erin, of Coupon Cravings, a couple of weeks ago to run this week while I’m tied up with moving. Then just a couple of days ago I received this timely email question from a reader:
I recently bought an iPod touch and I canNOT believe there are NO apps to aid in menu planning. I have searched for hours. I was wondering if there’s anything we can do to get this changed. I know a lot of Mom’s would use it. Thank you for any ideas you may have. Connie
Well Connie, you’re in luck. This post is sure to help you out! I don’t have an i anything but after reading this post I definitely want one now :)
And you don’t want to miss the fun giveaway at the end of today’s post either! There will be four winners chosen, woohoo!
I’ll be honest, I’ve never been a whiz in the kitchen. I stick to a handful of recipes I can make with my eyes closed, but if in the process of making dinner I realize I’m missing an essential ingredient, I freeze. I have four kids, so it’s not easy to run out to make an impromptu trip to the grocery store. Fortunately, I’ve found five iPhone apps that have kept me more organized (and far more sane) during the dinner hour.
ZipList (free): Some of my recipes require ingredients with longer names that don’t always make it onto my shopping list in their entirety (e.g., organic diced tomatoes with basil and garlic). I like that ZipList, a shopping list app, lets you scan product barcodes to add specific items to the weekly grocery list. This reduces the amount of time I spend standing in front of the diced tomatoes like a deer in headlights thinking about which variety to buy.
AllRecipes Dinner Spinner (free): If you’re here at I’m an Organizing Junkie, then you may already be a meal planning expert (do you use Laura’s printable Menu Planner Template?). If you’re like me and need a little inspiration sometimes, check out the Dinner Spinner. I like that I can choose dish type (main dish, side dish, etc.), ingredients and desired “ready in” time to get ideas on the fly. Saves me from flipping through the cookbooks in my pantry.
Smart Chef Substitutions ($1.99): If you don’t have, can’t find or don’t want to spend money on a certain recipe ingredient, then Smart Chef Substitutions is for you. This app has helped me out in a pinch (no pun intended) with over 300 substitutions for spices, herbs, vegetables, etc. You can also try Handy Replacements. It’s a free app, but you’ll find a much abbreviated list of substitutions (baking powder, tomato paste, etc.)
Kitchen Calculator ($1.99): I love the Kitchen Calculator app because as my family grows (and eats more!) it makes it easier to convert recipes for more servings. This is nice too when you need to convert recipes with measurements like milliliters, pints and even jiggers (jiggers?). This definitely keeps me from ruining recipes and having to order take-out.
CookIt ($.99): One of my biggest problems is timing my meals so that everything is ready at the same time. I like to have dinner on the table at a set time every night, so this is useful in reducing the number of times I hear “Is dinner ready yet?” in my house.
Now if only there was an iPhone app that also did the dishes. One can dream.
So, what are your favorite iPhone apps that keep you more organized and less crazy at mealtime?
Erin Gifford is a working mom of four who blogs at Coupon Cravings. She also works for new online shopping list and recipe search service, ZipList, which is rolling out free tools to enable bloggers to integrate recipe boxes and shopping lists into their web sites. She can be found on Twitter at @eringifford.
GIVEAWAY
Erin has kindly provided me with FOUR Blue Avocado Reusable Grocery Bag Starter Kits (each kit includes one carry-all, one stuff n’ go and one produce bag) courtesy of Ziplist to giveaway to four lucky readers!! Simply leave a comment on this post prior to Wednesday, August 4th at 4:00 pm PST. Winners will be chosen randomly.
Thanks Erin and Ziplist!
Love your ideas!! Looking into Ziplist now!!
I love my reusable grocery bags… still need to get a product bag, and that one looks great!
Awesome! I may have to confiscate my husband’s iPhone!! Thanks for sharing your great finds!
Neat applications list. I’m surprised How to cook Everything (the iPad app) isn’t listed. It’s 4.99; but worth it if you normally cook with Bittman’s book.
The giveaway is very timely in my case. I’ve been looking for something to replace fruit & vegetable bags, and my collection of reusable bags can always use one or two more. :D
Oh, I love ZipList.
I also use MacGourmet. It’s not much of an iphone app in and of itself, but I use the desktop MacGourmet. It syncs with the iphone app and I love having all my recipes handy at all times.
Love it!
These bags look great and I could really put them to good use! Thanks for the opportunity and for all your great ideas!
Love these – great app ideas!
I consider myself a “techi-girl” and love gadgets and such, but never thought about using apps for *grocery lists*. Well, big “duh!”. These are great tips. Thanks for sharing!
I do not have a smartphone, but ziplist sounds neat.
Love those bags!!
I can’t wait to try Ziplist… Now if I could just find a computerized inventory system so I don’t buy mayo when there’s one in the back pantry I might consider my life complete!
Sad but true, my iPhone is one of my closest friends! I always love to hear about new apps out there that can make my life easier. Thanks for sharing!
Just one more reason I need to buy an iphone or itouch… maybe I’ll finally cave in…. (I want one, I just don’t want to spend the money)
Oh my gosh! I need those bags! Shopping at our markets here in Germany requires those and I have been looking for some. LOVE them!!
I love lose it!
I don’t have an iPhone, but my hubby does. I’m going home to download the ziplist app tonight – scanning barcodes sounds like revisiting the fun I had when registering for my wedding and baby showers!! Thanks for the great list!!
I don’t own an i anything either… but those apps sound interesting! The grocery bags are cute :)
Great list of apps. Can’t wait to try some of them.
Ziplist looks like something I might be able to use…I’m checking it out!
I love the grocery bags!
I love this list! I am totally adicted to my iPhone! I am definately looking into a few of these apps :)
Thanks for the app suggestions! I’m going to definitely check into those. I love using re-usable grocery bags, but those are so much cuter than the ones I have! I also don’t have a produce bag…
Wow…these reusable bags are so cute. I’ve been looking around for a produce bag since I hate wasting the plastic in the stores. Super cute
Those bags look great ! Can’t wait to try those apps
Thank you, thank you, th
Great app list! Going to have to check some of these out when I get my new phone in the fall. Very nice shopping bags as well. Nice giveaway!
I love these bags. Plus I really need a produce bag!
I don’t have an I-Touch. But I do us my computer to save recipes and create shoppings lists.
Thanks for sharing the apps!
Hope I win the giveaway! :)
These apps look great! If only I had an iphone or ipod touch. ;)
I’ll definitely be investigating ZipList. Looks like a great giveaway too!
I need these bags!! So cute! I’ve been meaning to get some nice reusable bags. These are perfect! :)
I need to check out some of those apps on my iphone!
Great tips, thanks for the post!
Thank you for the information on the itouch apps. I currently use ziplist, but I didn’t know about most of those apps. Looking forward to trying them out. Love the bags too, I just started into the habit of the reusable bags, and remembering to bring them into the store… that’s by far the most difficult part :)
Sounds like some great apps for menu planning!!!
I don’t have an iphone or ipod touch, but my DS has an ipod touch and I just noticed yesterday a cool app called Shopper where you can scan barcodes, make lists, get local stores flyers, and it has coupon tracking, shopping templates , has budget tracking and you can share lists. I think your lists can have prices too like a price book.
Those apps look interesting! Cute bags too!
cute bags!
I don’t own anything i related either, but I have been a cloth grocery bag fan for years. I love having different bags (for different purposes of course) and I always look for opportunities to add to my collection. Great give-away!!!
Such pretty bags…thank you!
Great post AND I got me a nice grocery list download. Bags look great.
blearyblueyedjack at yahoo dot com
Thanks for the great giveaway and the great suggestions!
Thank you for hosting a great giveaway. Hope to win!!
I LOVE reusable grocery bags! Those would come in handy where I shope b/c you have to bring your own bags with you! :) Good luck to all! :)
I am going to love Ziplist!
I’m starting to build up a reusable grocery bag collection … these would help! And they’re cool :)
I so want an iPhone and those great bags!! Now going to check out Ziplist!
This would be handy.
lkish77123 at gmail dot com
Can’t wait to check out the apps!
I hate learning new phones, but I may be looking into an iphone with all those great apps. I lik the bags, choose me. lolol
The Dinner Spinner is just what we need to get out of rut. Thanks.
I don’t have an i-phone or touch but these apps really make me want one. Guess I’ll have to start saving.
I will definitely be checking our Chef Subs. Sound perfect for me. About to have my second so going to the grocery store last minute will be a huge hassle. Thanks for sharing!
Wish I had a iPhone. So many cool apps! :) Thanks for the giveaway!
I use cloth bags when I shop mostly but for produce I don’t. I would love to get away from the plastic. Thanks for the giveaway
Love these!
Those are awesome app suggestions! And I’m always looking for good reusable shopping bags, especially for produce as I have yet to find any!
Awesome apps, and I’d love to win the bags!
I love ZipList!
No iphone here, but love the bags. I like having many differnt ones. iphone maybe some day???? Thanks for the give away SK
I currently got an iPod touch, as well, so this post was VERY helpful. I am glad that there are actually apps out there that can do exactly what I want, like ZipList! Thanks for sharing!
KENDRA
How funny, but I was just looking at some Blue Avo. reusable bags last night. =)
I used to think I’d never want a phone that could do more than make a simple call. That has changed! If I ever get an iphone I’ll be checking out these apps!
Thanks so much for the I-phone app suggestions. I love reusable bags too
These bags are adorable!! I would love to have a set!
those bags are so cute!!
Just stumbled upon your blog this week and subscribed; glad I did–great post and giveaway! Looking forward to reading more on the substitutions site recommended. Have a great day!
Really enjoyed this post, although I have no I’s either, but used the menu planning template – forgot about those wonderful templates!
Thanks! I need all the organizing help I can get!
Aloha,
Tenney
cute bags… this website is so great for organizing tips :)
I guess I know what I’m asking my husband for next! : ) I’ll tell him that it will keep me “organized!”
I use Grocery Gadget, Intuition Mom to help me with scheduling and shopping.
everything I hear about the iphone makes me want one, but I don’t have one. Might have to change that! ;o)
I’ve got an iTouch, and am looking forward to looking into the apps listed. Esp. going to dig deeper into ZipList! I’ve been looking for cute shopping bags, and I love these! *Fingers crossed! ;)
Thanks for an easy giveaway without a bunch of rules, and hoops to jump though!
I use Shopare to compare prices. A great app for only a couple of bucks. I’m sure I’ve saved that much already by being able to compare prices between products, and even between stores.
A great giveaway too!
Cute bags! Would love to win them!
Your site is so inspirational! I am already using your templates and checking out your tips and suggested sites. I have always been spinning my wheels. I need some serious help!
I like the AllRecipes app quite a bit.
I love reusable bags! Right now I use all Chico bags and Flip n Tumble bags but I’d love to try a different bag.
Yeah!
I can use these!
OOOooo, would love to win these! I’ve been thinking about getting some reusable produce bags anyway, and the other bags in that pack are really pretty!
I refuse to buy any more groceries until I have one of those fabulous bags! :)
I need a produce bag! Great idea!
I’ve had a crush on these bags for a while.
Love the bags! Hope to win :)
I love those bags.
I love those bags!!!
I’ve been wanting to buy some reusable bags but can’t find any that I like. But these are adorable!
These apps sound like a great excuse to get an iPhone!
Love the bags!
Love the post, good idea’s for apps…..and I would adore the prize, so cute and earth friendly:)
LOVE the bags!
Love the bags! So cute!!!
Those bags are so cute – Love’em. Where I live you have to bring your own bags or you have to pay for them!
Great giveaway. Thanks for the opportunity.
What a great giveaway. I could definitely use some reusable grocery bags!
That starter kit looks great!
Thanks for a great giveaway!
Those look great! Thanks for the info!
I would love to try those bags!
Ooh, reusable bags! Yes, please!
Those reusable bags are super cute!!!
Sure are alot of phone apps out there! I haven’t tried any myself, yet!
Cute bags! Wondering if there are comparable apps for my Blackberry!?
Funny how timing works out like that because I was actually just looking at apps like this LAST NIGHT! My hubby surprised me with an iPod touch for our anniversary so I’m totally into looking at apps right now.
super cute bags. I am not a purse fan, but I am a grocery bag junkie.
I love the bags! I also really love this site!
ZipList sounds great! Now if my iPod touch had a camera!
The others look great, too. I’ll check ‘em out!
I seriously need those cute bags!! I am so surprised there are no menu planning apps…I guess reading blogs has made me think EVERYONE menu plans…well I guess all the cool people do! Ha ha!
I use Allrecipes but am thrilled to check out the other sites. I am so excited for this give away and am hoping i win
Thanks for the great apps!
I don’t have an iPhone, but I have a droid. Love the grocery list app by lemenyou. I can have a grocery list for a bunch of different stores… then cross off the items as I put them in my cart. I’m going to see icing have access to the same apps that you mentioned.
Thanks for the app hints! With so many out there it is sometimes hard to find the good ones.
I love reusable bags, and use a ton with my family. Hope to win one!
No i-anything here either..but those apps lists sound really cool.
I’m going to have to try these I’m new to menu planning and need all the help I can. Those bags are so cute.
Great post! The bags are really cute too- much cuter than my assortment of various stores and companies. I’d love to win!
I LOVE the app. Big Oven. It has many recipes with reviews.
Those bags are so cute. One can NEVER have too many bags with four kids around.
Ooo, those bags are so cute! Thanks for the review on the apps, I have an iphone but am not very savvy with the apps, so this will be helpful.
I so gotta get me one of those I thingy’s. So much fun.
Thanks for the info on these apps–I’ll be trying them out!
Those reusable bags are so cute! Thanks for the info and give away!
Love those cute reusable bags! Thanks for the give-away Ziplist.
I love these bags, what a great & cute idea!!
Downloading Ziplist now – sounds fabulous.
Love the bags. Will have to check into those apps. Thanks!
Thanks for the great suggestions. And I could use some really sturdy eco-friendly bags.
Please enter me! Sounds great.
Those are great ideas! Love the bags as well!
I just got an new iphone so this was a very timely post for me! I’ll be sure to look into some of these. Thanks for sharing Laura and Erin!
WOW! how cool are those:)
Thanks for all the ideas. I am going to be looking into those. I could defiantly use some new bags! Thank you ladies.
sigh…no i anything for me either but I like the grocery bags!
I don’t have an iphone either, but there are great apps available if you have a blackberry too. OurGroceries lets the entire family access the grocery list from different phones or computers, so you don’t have to keep a physical list around for other shoppers in the family. :)
I’m ready for an app that’ll do the shopping FOR me! :D
I don’t have a phone that I can have apps for but those sure do look like some useful ones!
I wish I had an iphone so I could get these cool apps!!
What about droid apps?
I love those bags! Would love to win… :)
Love the bags. Pick me, pick me!
I am going to look into those for my iPhone – as long as it’s with me all the time anyway, it might as well be helping with dinner! :)
I love those bags! I am always looking for new, cute bags to carry to the store!
Love the food planner. It makes planning dinner so much easier being able to see it all at a glance. You can even make changes if needed :)
Great ideas ladies keep them coming!!!!
Thnx,
Rachel
Love it!!!
I’ll be getting an iphone in a couple of weeks and can’t wait to try these apps! Thanks for sharing and for hosting such a great giveaway!
This sounds great! Can’t wait to try it!
I had four reusable bags earlier this summer. There are none left. My parents and my sisters have somehow taken them. These would be great for my husband and myself for our use.
And now I want an i-something. :) I love your site..I’ve gotten so many recipes and ideas from it!
Reuseable grocery bags are nice. Most of the ones I have are black and have now thrown one away because the seam was breaking. I’d love to win this set! Thanks for sharing all this information to get organized!
Great tips!
I recently learned about Blue Avocado and I think their products are wonderful!
I am the only one I know without a smartphone, but I still like hearing about the apps!
Thanks for all the info on the apps! I’d love to win the bags. :)
Love those bags, what a great idea.
Claudia F.
Awesome!! Thanks!
Great post!
I jsut got an iPad and I’m checking out the ZipList as I type :-) Thanks for the great tips!
I’ll have to check out Ziplist! Those bags are a great prize!
Thanks for the great info! Love the bags!
Don’t have an iPhone, but the reusable bags look great!
this has been great for me, can’t afford an Iphone…anyway, I don’t print the menus, but has been fun playing with this safe free application, especially since it can pick the meals.
[code]
http://www.rlvision.com/dinnerwiz/about.asp
DinnerWiz
Figuring out what to eat to dinner each night is not an easy thing to do 365 days a year. That's why I created Dinner Wizard. This free program will assist you by suggesting a weekly menu based on your preferences. It's very easy to use and the result is a nice looking menu that you can use for inspiration (or follow strictly if you want to).
Features
* Create new menus with a single click
* Dishes are randomly chosen
* Setup the food to suit your taste
* Use for inspiration and ideas
* Print your personal menu
* Freeware!
[/code]
I don’t have an iPhone (or iAnything!) If you click on my name, you will see my blog post: Menu Planning in 3 Easy Steps.
I actually included a link to your blank menu planner and blank grocery list template (because they were a perfect fit!) since I love all your organizing stuff.
Thanks for making our lives better!
Robin
I could sooo use these!
i love the bags – and i love my iphone. I have most of those apps and will look into the ones I don’t. I use the allrecipes spinner a lot. Helps in a pinch. ;)
*crossing my fingers for the bag giveaway*
Love love love the bags!
I LOVE reuseable bags! Sometimes if I find a fancier one, I use it as a gift bag for a birthday party or housewarming party!
I like the All recipes app, but I like the paid version even better. If you have a profile on the website, you can access your recipe box from the app too. What makes it even better is that when you’re online, you can save recipes into your recipe box from other sites or type in your own recipe to save to your box. Then when you’re on your ipod or iphone you can access ALL your recipes from one place!
I also LOVE grocery IQ. You can make grocery lists for several different stores. If there are items that you buy frequently you can put them in your favorites folder. You can enter in lots of information about the item, the barcode, the item size (ie. 1 lb or 8 oz), quantity you need, price, etc. When you make a list, if you put prices for any of your products it will then tell you what your total price will be. Once you’ve purchased your items and checked them off your list, you can “checkout” and it will put all of the items in a list marked history to use later. You can email it out to your hubby to pick stuff up on his way home. I just love it!
Erin – You may also like that you can update your weekly shopping list from the web too with ZipList, and then sync it with your iPhone or share it with your husband. I don’t know of any other free grocery list apps that also let you update from the web, and let you enter multiple items at once too.
Erin
ZipList
I love these bags! So stylish!
I am looking into your apps, especially the AllRecipes app…it seems like we have the same thing everynight and would like some fresh recipes! Thanks!
Those bags are great & really needed!!!
I’d love to enter. Thank you for the wonderful giveaway contest. What a great bunch of bags! I’m a dedicated user of reusable bags, but these are darling and I’d give them a workout.
I would love to have this!!
Great apps. It will be great to start using them and the blue bags too!
I just added ziplist, but it’s still not quite what I wanted. I can’t wait to look through the rest of the comments to see what I’m missing!
April – Is ZipList missing anything in particular that you were looking for in a shopping list app?
Erin
ZipList
Hello,
I’m VERY new to your website, and so far I love what I see. I love to read about organization, but putting it into practice is always a challenge for me!
Any chance that those “apps” are available to your regular laptop or PC? I’m not cool enough for the apple products…yet :)
Cathy
Cathy – You can use ZipList on the web at http://www.ziplist.com. You don’t need an iPhone to use it, but it’s an added bonus if you do have one!
Erin :)
ZipList
Great apps! The bags are really cute too. =)
Love the look of those reusable bags. Thanks for the tips on the very cool apps as well!
Those apps look very helpful. The reusable bags are too cute; some of the ones I have are a bit boring.
Great suggestions! I’ll have to check them out. Super cute bags, would love to be seen carrying them.
Those bags look awesome! I haven’t tried ziplist, but I don’t have an iPhone (sadly enough). Maybe one day…
Rachel – You don’t need an iPhone to use ZipList. We do have an iPhone app, but you can also use it only on the web if you like at http://www.ziplist.com.
Erin
ZipList
Count me in! I could definitely use this prize!
Beautiful bags! Come to me!! :)
I use GroceryIQ for my grocery list, but I just do menu planning on the calendar on my iPhone. It’s synced to my Google calendar, which is synced with my husband’s Google calendar, which is synced to his iPhone calendar… and over the river and through the woods, our schedules are linked! This way, he knows what’s for dinner (and/or lunch) each day and can plan his calories accordingly. I just make it as an appointment from 5 p.m.-5:30 p.m. everyday and list what we’ll be eating.
It gets even harder to menu plan when there is only 2 of you. As we get older we eat lighter, yet want some leftovers for lunches, etc. Summer-time seems to be especially bad for us on the Farm. It’s too hot to eat.
The bags are so neat. I have been thinking about making produce bags. I love my bring-back-bags.
I love reusable grocery bags! I started using them back in the early 80′s when my kids were young, just to set an example! Still using them today, but would like a few new bags! These ones say “pick me, pick me”!
i love my reusuable bags but dont have any for produce. very cute!
Oh, these bags look beautiful. Love the pink and brown colors…those are completely my colors :)
jennifer @ beautifulcalling.ca
so beautiful…….
GORGEOUS bags. :)
This was great. I JUST purchased my iPhone 4 and I plan on downloading these right away!
Wow! These apps look terrific! I may have to borrow my daughter’s itouch for awhile. Also the bags would be great to have. Thanks for the chance to win.
these bags look wonderful!
These are cute bags. I have no fancy phone, but do grocery shop!
ooooh, I never even considered *pretty* reusable bags!
Great! I love the bags!
I love using reusable shopping bags and these look great and I would love to have one especially the produce bag. Thanks for the great giveaway.
Would love to win the bags – they are so pretty I may just remember to bring them into the store with me this time!
Good luck with your move, Laura. Best wishes to your family as you enter the next chapter :)
Marie-Claire Moreau
I love the bags!!
I love you site it has wonderful information. Thanks for all the wonderful posts.
I LOVE these bag sets, so stylish!!! Thanks for entering me. :D
I have just found your blog and am so happy I did!
I can’t wait to read all your ideas and get myself organized!
Thanks.
Trish
I definitely have to save this post for later! I’ll be buying an iPod Touch later this year (after I buy my new Kindle) so I can downgrade my phone. These are exactly the type of apps I’ll be looking for!
These bags are super cute! I don’t have a iphone but the apps look really useful. Thanks for all the great ideas.
Thanks for the awesome iPhone apps
Love the great ideas
love to win the bags
My bags are not so cute, I sure could use these.
Love them
Thanks for a great article! I have been searching for just such tools and this was a wonderful resource!
I love Grocery Gadget to help with planning because it remembers your last list of products. It works well with Ipod Touch. Some of the gadgets need to have constant wifi so I love the apps that have a built in database that doesn’t require wifi all the time.
Love it!
Love my reusable shopping totes – the cuter the better! Now I just need to get an iPhone :)!
I am so going to download the dinner spinner — love that idea! The shopping totes are beautiful too — love them!
What a terrific giveaway! I too would LOVE a menu planner app but for now my favorite kitchen helper apps are Grocery IQ, Dirty Dozen, & AllRecipes dinner spinner.
I just found your blog this week and love it! Great giveaway. Hope I’m lucky. :-)
Thanks so much for the ideas! Can’t wait to check them out!
Wishing I had an iPhone to utilize these apps! They sound GREAT!
I’ve been using ziplist for a few months, and like how easy it is to copy recipes no matter where I find them.
I love ZipList I’ve been using it for a couple months now. About the same time I found it I also found the All Recipe App and Epi (Epicurious) one.
Denise – Glad to hear that you’re already a ZipList user! Feel free to drop me a note if you have any feedback or suggestions.
Erin :)
ZipList
I still need someone to sell me on why I need an iPod or iPhone to begin with. I am mildly interested in an iPad, but I just can’t see why I would need one when I have a laptop.
I was looking to organize my kids toys when I found your blog! So many great ideas. Love the giveaway. Hope I’m lucky!
Those are really cute bags. I love your site. :)
I would love to be randomly chosen!
Thanks for the giveaway!
Love my ziplist app! This is so cool!
I LOVE these re-useable grocery bags! Do you have any ideas of how to keep your re-useable grocery bags organized?
Those bags look SO MUCH BETTER than the green ones our supermarkets here in Australia sell. Would love to win a set. They look so cool!
My husband and I were talking about developing an all-in-one menu planning app. It would have a pantry inventory, grocery list and menu/recipe list. I have more, but I don’t know if I want to share my entire idea! I’ve tried out a few apps, and just haven’t found the one I *need* to make my job a little easier.
Dont have an ‘i-anything’ either but all these apps sure look like they would be fun to have!
VERY cute! I would love to win this! :o)
Thanks so much for the tips I enjoy your blog and have used many of the tips. Oh yeah love recycling bags
Thanks so much for sharing the tips! The bag is beautiful!
I would love to win this!
I love those bags!
Those bags are so cute! Definitely need to get me some
i use Big oven for dinner inspiration and finding recipes
I can’t wait to check out these apps. I have currently purchased “Yummy Soup” recipe software for the mac. It is relatively new software and is a work in progress- but I love the direction it is heading. There is promise of an app in near future and to me it will be worth waiting for.
I also have “How to cook everything”, I got it when it was on sale for $1.99! I also use “ShopShop” grocery list app. It’s not fancy but it gets the job done. I love storing the different grocery stores I got to on there.
Love the ideas and the bags!
COMMENT! I love reusable bags!
I need an iPhone! Wow that would be so great to have apps like those! What a great time saver! Thanks for the tips!
I’m a blogger beginner … love the ideas … love the MPM’s :-) Thanks for posting helpful tips and printables! Love the bags too!
I’m so in the dark regarding iphone apps – me n’ my ‘ol fuddy duddy barely a ‘PDA’ Blackberry (It’s really about simplicity, tho, right??) … I’m missing so much!! These aps are bookmarked for the day I complete my metamorphosis … ;-)
My favorite iPhone app is my grocery list – I use Grocery IQ and have for a while. I just recently got a Mac and also started using MacGourmet… next up for me is to purchase the iPhone app portion of it, so I can have all my recipes on it at the store. Thanks for the tips on these others, I’ll have to check them out :)
Would LOVE to win the bags, they are so cute!
I use ZipList and like it alot – but scanning barcodes? Is this something the iphone version does (I use an iTouch, not an iPhone)?
Jenny – Yes, the iPhone will scan barcodes (3GS or higher), but you can still key in barcodes on the iPod Touch in order to add grocery items. Feel free to drop me a note if you have any more questions at erin.gifford@ziplist.com.
Erin
ZipList
I also have used Epicurious for recipes on my iPhone. They’re all really great! I’ve yet to find one I don’t like… :)
I have a Palm and one app I use is What’s for Dinner – you can search several recipe sites, create shopping lists, and import your own recipes into it – makes it great to have at the grocery store
I don’t have an iphone, but I love doing menu planning! Thanks for the tips!
I need to try these apps.
oh how cute!!!
would LOVE to win this giveaway :)
thanks for the chance!
I am addicted to bags! I would love to win.
I don’t have an iPhone but those apps do sound interesting. The bags are cute!
These apps look soo useful!! I love the re-usable bags as well, I am going to look into getting some of those. I have been looking for reusable produce bags for awhile now.
love all the info on this website…thank you
Cute reusable bag!!!
The bags are great!!
I wish I had more organizing talent but fear an I something would only occupy more time. I do however love the reusable bags and these are very stylish.
I am loving this site. Thank you for helping life a bit easier.
I don’t know of any apps to recommend b/c I’m not into the super advanced phones, but e-mealz.com has worked great for me. I highly recommend it. It’s cheap and easy.
Guess it is time for me to borrow my girls i pod touch.
thanks a bunch for the list off apps
Love the bags..enter me
Love ziplist! Thanks for all you gals do!!
Looking into Ziplist. Love reusable bags.
Thanks for everything!
Love the bags!
Would love to win!
the allrecipies dinner spinner is a wonderful App. I have been using it for about a year now. The one I didn’t see on the list is Grocery Gadget. It is one for the organizing junkie. You can rotate lists out for different stores, plus put the list on from the website and then it’s there on your iphone or itouch whenever you are at the store. We have Costco lists, Home Depot, weekly groceries etc.. I think you can have as many different ones as you want. There is a plan mode and shop mode so you can check things off as you are at the store. . best thing you can have various members of the household linked to it, so if I randomly remember we need stain remover, I can add it to the list, if someone other than me is at Target they can pull up the target list and there it is!
Wow! What a great giveaway! The bags are too cute!
FYI-love my iPhone, if you don’t have one you should get one :) it’s awesome.
GroceryPal is a great app. It will search stores in you zipcode and you can view sale ads and add items right from it. And it’s a free app! Best grocery list app I’ve tried.
I love these bags! Thanks for making this available. The whole blog is so helpful. I appreciate all the great information, and wonderful resources. beth http://anothersummeroffun.blogspot.com
I love reusable bags!
I love reusable grocery bags, but so far I’ve not tried reusable produce bags. I suppose that’s the next step.
I don’t have an iAnything either, but a friend was using an iPad the other day and let me give it a try. Now I really want one, but it won’t be happening anytime soon, unfortunately.
Guess I’ll be looking for new apps. :)
Love your blog and all your ideas! Thanks!
Cute bags!
I haven’t used an “i” anything for meal-planning either, but those are some great ideas! Those bags look wonderful!
Blessings,
Michele
I don’t have an i-anything yet, but I sent this page to my mother-in-law. She just got an iPhone, and will probably love these nifty tools. :)
What an awesome giveaway! Everyone can use reusable bags :)
Great ideas! I would love to win those bags!
rachel.beasley AT converse.edu
I just might have to get one of those I-thingys too!!! Thanks for the great article and thanks to ziplist!!! Please enter me in the giveaway!!!! Thanks carol myers carolcarolmyers@aol.com
Love Ziplist!! And would love the bag giveaway as well. Great site. :-)
Love these bags!
Oops, forgot my email….
kprice@dmcibb.net
Thanks for the guest writer article … super new site to watch and “Organizing Junkie” sounds so much better than “just being anal”. I’m trying to find a place for my iPad in the kitchen because it has become SO IMPORTANT and SO easy to use for checking email quickly, etc. but mostly for the shopping list app. And, OBTW – the bags would come in handy, too.
Those bags look awesome! Love the app ideas, too! Thanks!
LOVE THE BAGS. THANKS FOR GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO WIN THEM!!!
OOOOo they look so cute, much more stylish that the bags I have now !!!!
These bags would be fun to use.
These are awesome and we could sure use them – I’d love to win!!
Nice post. Thanks for the app suggestions!
I love my reusable grocery bags but I am always forgetting to take them with me. lol
Great ideas all the time! Love the reusable bags–so chic.
I would love a reusable grocery bag! I have been wanting one… I just haven’t gotten on that wagon yet.
These bags look so fun! I think I would be the talk of the town toting these around!
You can never have too many reusable bags! :)
Thank you for the opportunity!
I love reusable bags!
Thanks or the great ideas using the apps. I already use allrecipes and am looking forward to trying the others. Please neter me in your giveaway!
Thanks for all the great ideas. Love the bags!!!!!!!!
Ooh! I would love these. My husband hasn’t yet seen the need of reusable bags, so I don’t have any. If I won them, though, he wouldn’t complain a bit!
Lovely shopping totes! Congrats on completing your move!!!
I sure could use these bags! Thanks!!
Thanks for the great app ideas!
So cute! Gotta have one
I’d love to use those. So cute.
love the bags! Apps are awesome too!
I NEVER leave home without my iPod Touch – thanks for the app info!
Just found this site – awesome!!
I love your website!I sure could use theses bags I grocery shop all the time! I always have to bring a big fat cooler even if Im only getting one cold item! I love the bags they would be very useful to me! Thanks!!
Thanks for the app info! Might have to try those out.
I love reusable bags!!
I am not a highly organised person, I have to confess, until it comes to the kitchen. Menu planning for the week is a necessity for me, but also something I love to do. I use a blackboard in the kitchen, and also on my iPhone two applications I find invaluable are Mise en Place and Grocery Zen (am definitely going to check out some of the ones that have been mentioned here). My system for how I connect all these things and make them work is a bit complicated to put in a comment, but you can find it here if its helpful http://couscous-consciousness.blogspot.com/2010_03_01_archive.html
Sue
Thank you for this post and all the great apps. The only problem I can see is that still none of them are menu planners :0( Wouldn’t it be so nice to just turn on the ipod and have a calendar with the days of the week and what’s for dinner with the groceries needed for it? One can only dream… someone should create that app. ALOT of moms would buy it! I like ziplist too and I ADORE the allrecipes menu spinner. It is soooo cool. Also, those bags are really really really cute!
Love the Apps! I am an organizing junkie too! Thank God I found others like me!!
I’m not yet cool enough to have an Iphone. However, I do have the LG3 and decided to see if there were any similar apps. Yes! I can get the Food Network Everyday Chef subscription for $3.99. Now, I just need to decide if I want to fit it in my budget. The reusable grocery bags are a lot of fun – especially the produce bags. They would be very handy for the farmers market or for schlepping things home on the bus.
would love to win the bags!
I don’t have an i anything either, but those apps sound awesome!
Love the bags! Thanks for your tips and the giveaway.
I love bags!!!
Great article! Now if you can help me find some apps for the droid. No i-phone here. This is my first visit and I’m hooked on your site already.
Thanks for the tips on the menu planning apps, I will definitely be checking these out!
I’m in!
I love knowing that when I use my reusable bags, I am helping to save the earth. Those bags are so darn cute!
I like real simple and moms intuition…. Both free aps… One has cleaning lists the other has tons of good stuff!
These bags are adorable!! I have been looking for a produce bag but haven’t picked one out yet. This would be perfect :)
Thanks for the app info! Neat bags, too.
So cute and I love the apps!
Love It!!!!
I love bags!!! I have several reusable but none as cute as these. What is wrong with me, I can’t get enough bags.
would love it!
I have a bunch of reusable grocery-bags, but those are state-of-the-art: a produce-bag? What a great thing to have! I would love to have this set!
Thank you for the giveaway!
Those look great! I’d love to have them!
Can anyone ever have too many cute shopping bags?
Thanks for the ideas on apps, I’m going to see if any of these are on my android phone too!
Giveaway looks awesome!
Thanks for the list of aps. I have an iPhone and I’ve been meaning to check out menu planning aps for a while, but never had the chance too. You made the task so much easier for me!
Can never have too many bags !
I rely heavily on my Notes app that cones standard w the iPhone. I make lots of different lists on it.