Best Vegan Apps

I'm not the best with technology. Here are some examples: when cat-sitting for friends of mine, I could not figure out how to turn on the television.  They have a fancy big screen TV and all sorts of gadgets, and no matter which button I tried, I couldn't watch regular TV.  I guess I'm just used to my old-school set which only has one Power button.  Another time, our school was implementing a new technology program, and each teacher had to take a pre-test to measure his or her technology proficiency.  I was the only person who could not figure out how to take the survey.  My technology proficiency was apparently zero.  When computer problems arise in the classroom, a student usually fixes things, or I refer them to a colleague (the same person who has the fancy TV).  I obviously have some degree of proficiency with the computer, but I am no guru.  Other people seem to catch on far more quickly when it comes to these things, leaving me in the dust.

What does this have to do with my vegan blog, you ask?  I'm getting to that.  About a year ago, my phone went haywire, by which I mean that it was randomly texting and calling people without my permission.  How rude.  I went out and splurged on an iPhone, and was super excited to be so fancy.  The sole fact that I could get online with my phone was a huge upgrade.  Soon enough, though, friends began teasing me because I had never installed any apps.  Apparently I was way behind again.  Most recently I have embarked on a quest to install more apps on my phone and actually use them, improving my hypothetical technology proficiency score.  I had never even considered the fact that there might be vegan apps until I searched for them and was pleasantly surprised.  While I think that some of these apps are useful for any vegan, what I have found is that many of them are best suited for people just starting out.  They make it especially easy to do your vegan grocery shopping.  Here are my recommendations:

1.  Animal-Free
Have you ever read a food label and noticed a bunch of foreign ingredients?  For vegans, that's definitely an issue.  This app includes an alphabetical list of animal ingredients and what they are made from.  There is also a scanner for use at the grocery store to help you identify vegan products.  Of course, I couldn't figure out how to use the scanner, so it had to be demonstrated to me.  After that, I found out that it works pretty well. 

2.  Vegan Cakes
This is the app version of the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  The free version offers a lot of simple advice on how to bake cupcakes, including "Seven Rules for Righteous Cupcakes," which is hilarious.  If you pay for the full app, you can get access to the recipes, as well.

3.  VeganSteven
VeganSteven is a great app because it lets you know where you can buy vegan products in your area.  It's pretty reliable, as it listed all of my favorite places in Phoenix.  I noticed that it did list some questionable establishments, such as Red Robin Burgers and FastMed Urgent Care, but for the most part, it gets the job done. 

4.  Veg Kickstart
This is a good one if you're just starting out, because it offers recipes and meal plans for 21 days and gives you interesting facts about the foods you're eating.  I liked the recipes, but for me, I would need more than the amount of food the app recommends for a daily plan. 

5.  YumYum
Yummy vegan recipes.  I like it.


Those are my favorites - so far.  Check them out... if you're not already two steps ahead of me. 

Blogger's Soundtrack: Jason Mraz - "Sleeping to Dream"

love love love this song.