We are increasingly relying on technology to make our lives easier and the food industry is no exception. There are thousands of food related apps available now so here is a selection of some of our favourites for food and drink lovers.

Jamie Oliver’s Recipes
We love this app from Jamie Oliver. Get new recipes every week, plus seasonal collections and how-to videos to keep you inspired and help you learn some essential kitchen skills. In app purchases allow you to buy bundles of recipes giving you access to loads more delicious meals. (Free Trial with in app purchases – iOS)

 

Great British Chefs
Recipes vary from simple to challenging and it provides a great range of recipes of all types from chefs all over the UK and Ireland. Bringing Michelin stars to your kitchen, this is one for fine dining cooks who want to impress. (Free – iOS)

 

Yummly
Yummly is clever because it allows for hassle free recipe saving. Once you have the app you can save all your online recipes to a digital recipe box quickly and easily by pinning them with a button like Pinterest. It creates a user friendly shopping list, it has great search functions and it provides surprisingly accurate recipe recommendations for you. (Free – iOS and Android)

 

Epicurious
From foodie site Epicurious.com, this app is a compilation of over 30,000 recipes from well-known foodie websites and magazines. Filled with great tips, reminders and user reviews, the app can be voice controlled to save you getting dirty hands all over your device. (Free – iOS and Android)

 

All Recipes Dinner Spinner
The recipes in this app have all been reviewed by their community of over 10 million home cooks so you can trust them! You can also add your own. It is a handy one for those catering to dietary requirements as you can filter your searches depending on your diners’ needs. (Free, with in-app purchases – iOS and Android)

 

The Joy of Cooking
The digital, pocket sized version of the iconic cookbook contains all their recipes, in-recipe timers and convertors, pop ups with tips and a handy user guide so you can get the most out of it. It is also voice controlled to save you getting dirty hands all over your device. (€7.99 – iOS)

 

Timer+
A simple app for those who want to keep track of all the different timings for a meal. It saves you setting multiple alarms on your phone and oven, and you can name all your different setting so you know which beep belongs to which part of the dish. (Free – iOS)

 

Amount
With greater access to recipes from all over the world, converting measurements has never been more prevalent. Amount is a quick, user friendly app that easily converts whatever you need and is not just good in the kitchen with conversions for speed, clothing and much more included. (€0.99 – iOS)

 

Escoffier Cook’s Companion
Like four apps in one, the Cook’s Companion has it all: a timer, a convertor, a compendium of ingredients and a glossary of terms and techniques. It’s like having your own chef on hand to answer all your questions and offer up suggestions. (Free – iOS)

 

DropKitchen & DropScale
This scale and app combo gives you a range of recipes with step by step instructions and single bowl options for less washing up. The best part is that it gives you substitutions when you are out of an ingredient and if you only have a bit of something left the scale will measure it exactly and the app will adjust your recipe accordingly. (App is Free – iOS, Scale costs $99.95)

 

Deliveroo
If you want a great meal but don’t feel like cooking or leaving the house then Deliveroo can help. A very successful company in the UK, you can now order meals from some of your favourite restaurants right to your home or office. You can even track the driver on a map. (Free – iOS)

 

Mixologist
This is a great app for cocktail fans and for those of you looking to get some use out of the random bottles of alcohol in the press. You can tell the app which ingredients you’ve got and it will create a list of drinks you can make with what you already have. It also gives you bartending tricks, tips and terminology. (Free or €0.99 ad free – iOS and Android)

 

Vivino
Highly recommended by our wine writers, Vivino uses camera technology to provide you with all the information you need about a certain wine. You can add a wish list of wines to try and create your own wine cellar list to keep track of what you already have. (Free with in app purchases, €4.99 Premium – iOS and Android)

 

Cheese and Wine
A considered cheese board is a wonderful thing and a firm favourite in TheTaste office. Create yours with confidence as you learn everything there is to know from this app. Here you will find articles, videos, a flavour matching wheel and a wealth of information from award winning writers making it a great tool for lovers of wine and cheese. (€1.99 – iOS for iPad)

 

Pocket Wine
This app is not about recommending particular wines but is a guide to different grape varietals. You can learn about what you like to drink and what food pairings will go well with your favourites. Understand the world of wine with a glossary of terminology and a wealth of experience. (€3.99 – iOS)

 

Craft Check
Craft beer has become so popular we knew it wasn’t long before large corporations were making their own. Distinguish between small, independent produce and beer that is masquerading under the name. Just scan the barcode and buy craft, not crafty. (€0.99 – iOS)

 

Untappd
Untappd has created a community of beer lovers so members can find nearby craft beers and bars, see what beers are popular and where their friends are drinking them. Make a wish list and share your knowledge with your friends as you rate and rank everything you try. (Free – iOS and Android)

 

BeoirFinder
Support independent Irish microbreweries with this location app. The choice is yours as the handy map tells you who is serving which Irish craft beers in your area. It also provides gold recommendations in case you need some inspiration. (Free – iOS and Android)

 

Zomato
Find the perfect restaurant for you with this user friendly app. Search through menus, pictures and reviews to find the cuisine you are looking for then give back to the community by providing your own. (Free – iOS and Android)

 

Tastemade
Tastemade is a great app for the food aficionado who also loves to travel. Through a global community of 20 million users and featured “Tastemakers” in 22 cities around the world, the app gives you short videos from the coolest places in the world for food lovers. You can also use the app to make your own videos and create lists of places you’ve been and want to see. (Free – iOS and Android)

 

Afterlight
Food photography has never been more popular and apps like Instagram are making it easy to add a filter and post immediately. For those taking their food pics a bit more seriously it is definitely worth investing in a decent editing app. Afterlight is an all-in-one app with countless functions. Besides the basic editing tools such as contrast/brightness settings or resizing, Afterlight lets you overlay different stencils and add effects quickly and easily. (€0.99 – iOS and Android)

 

Eat Your Books
Eat Your Books is a really effective way of cataloguing all the recipes in your cookbooks and food magazines. You simply tell the site which books you have and then it generates recipe inspiration from individual ingredients, cuisines or chefs. This is a great way to really make the most of your cookbook collection. While it’s not strictly speaking an app, it does come highly recommended by our very own Niamh Mannion. www.eatyourbooks.com

 

Alison has been writing since she could hold a pen, which came in handy for her degree in English, Media and Cultural Studies. She has been working in media since graduating and is the latest features writer for TheTaste.

Writing for TheTaste allows her to combine her passion for the written word with her love of food and drink. Find her on Twitter @AliDalyo