We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.
Nutrition apps can help people live a healthier lifestyle by enabling them to track which products they are buying, or suggesting particular restaurants for their dietary needs.
Eating healthily is not always easy, especially when eating out, trying to cook new recipes, or managing the demands of a busy life.
This article will explain what nutrition apps are and how they differ. It will also discuss what people should look for in an app, depending on what they want to achieve — be it understanding which foods to eat while pregnant or tracking foods that may cause adverse reactions.
Quick links
- Best for meal planning: Forks over Knives
- Best for finding a diet-friendly restaurant: HappyCow
- Best for creating custom grocery lists: Allrecipes
- Best for pregnant people’s health: Ovia Pregnancy
- Best for meeting healthy eating goals: ShopWell
- Best for those with food intolerances: Food Intolerances
- Best for counting calories: MyPlate Calorie Counter
- Best for forming healthy eating habits: Noom
- Best for promoting a healthy body image: Rise Up + Recover
- Best for intuitive eating: Am I Hungry?
Please note that the writer has not tested these products. All information is research-based.
Nutrition apps can help make life easier for individuals who need to track their food intake for health reasons. These apps can also help people find restaurants that are suitable for their dietary needs.
Some apps offer graphs to show correlations between specific foods and how a person feels after eating them, should they want to track potential intolerances.
Other apps provide feedback on strategies for reaching a moderate weight, changing one’s relationship with food, or getting into better shape.
No nutrition app works for everyone, and some may trigger certain issues. For example, a weight loss app may not be appropriate for someone recovering from an eating disorder.
However, according to other
Therefore, before installing any app, a person should identify their specific goals and asses whether or not an app will help them reach those goals.
For more science-backed resources on nutrition, visit our dedicated hub.
Switching to a vegetarian diet may be difficult at times, especially if a person is used to eating meat. Menu options at restaurants may also prove troublesome, particularly if restaurants do not list ingredients clearly.
Below are two apps that may help a person who is following a vegetarian or vegan diet:
Forks over Knives
Best for meal planning
This app compiles recipes, suggests ingredients, and assembles favorite meals in one location, so a person has a greater variety of meals using healthy ingredients at their disposal.
The app is not free to download. At the time of publication, Forks over Knives costs $4.99 to download and use.
HappyCow
Best for finding a diet-friendly restaurant
HappyCow helps people find restaurants consistent with their dietary needs, no matter where they are. Other features include a community forum as well as tips for designing a healthy vegetarian or vegan meal plan.
This app is free to download and use. At the time of publication, the developers do not ask for a subscription payment or in-app purchases.
Choosing what to eat while pregnant can be difficult, especially if a person is trying to avoid certain foods or eat more nutrient-dense options.
Two apps that could help a person create meals and monitor their health are the following:
Allrecipes
Best for creating custom grocery lists
Allrecipes is not specific to pregnancy, but it is still a good option for getting recipe ideas. People can choose from a variety of recipes, read reviews, and make a custom grocery list to create specific meals for cooking at home.
This app is free to download and use. However, individuals can choose to invest in in-app purchases to expand the number of recipes they can access.
At the time of publication, a person can buy simple dinner recipes and paleo recipes for $0.99 each.
Ovia Pregnancy
Best for pregnant people’s health
While many apps focus on fetal development, Ovia takes a comprehensive approach to health of the person carrying the pregnancy. Individuals can use the app to check whether certain foods and medications are safe and to track their pregnancy symptoms.
This app is free to download and use. At the time of publication, the developers do not require a subscription or offer in-app purchases.
If a person’s family have different dietary needs or food intolerances, the person may find creating a grocery list time consuming — especially when buying ingredients for cooking healthy meals from scratch.
Two apps that may help an individual create and cook healthy meals are the following:
ShopWell
Best for meeting healthy eating goals
ShopWell helps people create custom food profiles, compile recipe lists, and shop for the foods that match their dietary needs. People can also scan nutritional labels to see whether or not a product meets their healthy eating goals.
This app is free to download and use. At the time of publication, the developers do not require a subscription or offer in-app purchases.
Food Intolerances
Best for those with food intolerances
Food Intolerances identifies common sources of sensitivity, which may help a person track their food-related symptoms over time. Once a person knows their intolerances, the app flags potentially problematic foods, which the person can choose to avoid.
Learn more about the differences between food intolerances and allergies here.
At the time of publication, this app costs $8.99 to download on iOS and $6.99 to download on Android.
Additionally, the developers offer in-app purchases that give people access to nutritional values and additional allergens. These in-app purchases cost $1.99 and $0.99, respectively.
If someone needs to lose weight for health reasons, they may initially struggle to manage their calorie intake and portion sizes. However, over time, these changes
Two apps that could help an individual be mindful of healthy food choices are the following:
MyPlate Calorie Counter
Best for counting calories
People can use MyPlate Calorie Counter to log fitness goals and daily exercise routines. Additionally, the app has tips for cooking healthy meals and printout recipes. A person can also create a custom 8-week meal plan tailored to their nutritional goals.
This app is free to download and use. However, individuals can choose to upgrade to a Gold Membership, which starts at $9.99 per year. This membership option gives people access to workouts, a clean-eating guide, and advanced statistics.
Noom
Best for forming healthy eating habits
Noom prioritizes the psychology of eating. The app helps people reenvision their eating habits, understand why they eat the way they do, and make healthy choices while still eating the foods they enjoy.
Learn more about the Noom app here.
This app is free to download. However, to access Noom programs, a person needs to incur the cost of an in-app purchase.
At the time of publication, in-app purchases start from $4.99 and give people access to all of Noom features.
People recovering from eating disorders may find using apps beneficial for staying healthy.
Two apps that may help people who are recovering from eating disorders are the following:
Rise Up + Recover
Best for promoting a healthy body image
Rise Up + Recover teaches people healthy eating strategies and cultivates mindfulness. It also steadily promotes a healthy body image while encouraging balanced food choices.
The app rewards individuals for logging the food they eat with an inspirational message. Additionally, the app offers more information and advice about the recovery process.
This app is free to download and use. At the time of publication, the developers do not require a subscription or offer in-app purchases.
Am I Hungry?
Best for intuitive eating
People with binge eating or restrictive eating disorders may struggle with food-related mindfulness. For example, they may not know when they are hungry or may use food to manage emotional problems. This app helps a person listen to their body and advises on intuitive eating and good health.
At the time of publication, this app costs $2.99 to download. However, the developers do not require any subscriptions and do not offer any in-app purchases.