By Alyssa Opdyke
OpenTable is just one food app that makes dining and making plans simpler. Courtesy of Twitter
Fortunately, there are a number of apps to put into context why there is a $1.31 balance on your TD Bank statement a week after you deposited your paycheck. The best part? They are all free!
Vivino
I will admit this is probably the app for which I am most excited, and one Fordham Ram culture editor editor, Nicole, has shown me. Vivino is an app for winos and wine newbies alike. The user experience is simple: take a picture of the label of the wine you are considering purchasing, and Vivino will present a list of customer reviews, the average price of the wine and the capability to save and review wines. However, the best part of the app is the newly released wine and candy match chart, pairing 14 popular candies with wine recommendations. (If you are curious, Reese’s peanut butter cups go best with a light or bold red, and candy corn is a perfect pair with a sweet white, rich white or sparkling wine.) The app is available for iOS, Android and Windows.
OpenTable
Your friends now have no excuses for not making brunch plans with you. OpenTable allows you to make reservations at most restaurants in the city. It also recommends restaurants near your current location. Simply choose a restaurant, select a desired date, time and the number of people with whom you are planning to go head first into mimosas and Bloody Marys. Sunday morning has been solved. The app is available for iOS, Android and Windows.
Foodgawker
Love looking at pictures of “food porn” on Pinterest or Facebook, but hate being interrupted by pictures of babies and wedding planning for an event that is years away? Look no further. Think of Foodgawker as Pinterest solely for food, where you can browse beautiful pictures as well as find, save and add notes to the recipes attached. Staring at food when you are supposed to be doing work has never been more simplified. The app is available for iOS only.
Fooducate
In an aisle at Compare or Modern and have no idea what food will or will not slowly kill you? Fear not! As a religious user of this app, I can attest that it is fully worth the storage space it takes up on your phone. Using Fooducate, you can scan nearly any product’s barcode, and you are shown a letter grade based on its nutritional value and ingredients. What is even better is that it recommends healthier alternatives to your selected product, and often includes coupons and other savings on food. The app is available for iOS and Android.
Amount
Are you like me and got a 67 percent on your basic measurements test in sixth grade? While I will never forget that grade, I will always forget measurements, and Amount makes that ok! Conveniently convert measurements with the tap of a finger, both in metric and imperial units. Sure, you could ask Siri to do the same, but you can avoid the embarrassment of verbally asking a software smarter than you know how to convert tablespoons to teaspoons. You will never have to hate your 12 year old self again. The app is available for iOS.
Mixologist
Admit it: you are sick of hard cider and all of Beer Cave’s finest selections by now and, yes, you secretly love playing bartender. All you need to do is tell Mixologist what ingredients you have on hand, and it will show a list of drink recipes with those selected ingredients. Plus, you will actually know how to order something at TriBar besides a Woo Woo or Jack and Coke! The app is available for iOS and Android.
Matchbook
I often find myself walking by a bunch of fun and trendy bars in the city during my lunch break, and I fantasize of day drinking and eating for the rest of the afternoon instead of logging news clips for four more hours. Fortunately, Matchbook helps me indulge in my daydreams and weekends by allowing me to save the names of bars and restaurants in which I am interested in. When I am out looking for a place to eat, drink and socialize, I can find all of my saved locations on a map of the city, and find which is closest to me. Daydreaming has never been more productive!
Eat, drink and download responsibly, my foodie friends.
