apps

Seven Great Vegan Apps

Pamelyn Ferdin Essays by Pamelyn , , , , , , ,

Last weekend I posted about three great smartphone apps for cruelty-free shopping. This week I’ll tell you about some great apps for hungry vegans. Whether you’re a longtime vegan or just starting out, from restaurant finders to delicious recipes, these apps are hard to beat.

21-Day Vegan Kickstart

Aspiring and new vegans, this one is for you. Created by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, of which I was a longtime member, 21-Day Vegan Kickstart guides you through the transition into vegan eating. The tool not only includes an easy-to-follow menu, but tips and recipes from nutrition experts, too. For iPhone and Android; cost: free.

ShopWell

If you’re transitioning to a vegan or vegetarian diet, you likely spend a lot of time reading ingredient labels at the grocery store. However, with the ShopWell app, you can easily determine what’s in your food. First, you make a “Food Profile” with your dietary restrictions, allergies, and dislikes — then scan barcodes on products. The app will tell you how well the product suits your needs, along with potential alternatives. For iPhone and Android; cost: free.

Oh She Glows

Oh She Glows, created by bestselling cookbook author Angela Liddon, is known for its beautiful photos and delicious recipes. It’s no surprise, then, that Angela’s app is just as pleasant to look at as it is to use. It features a library of 160+ vegan recipes, allows you to filter recipes by dietary needs and create a favorites list. For iPhone and Android; cost: $1.99+.

Happy Cow

There’s nothing worse than finally getting to a restaurant you’ve been eager to try, only to find no vegan or vegetarian dishes on the menu. Instead of endlessly scrolling through online menus, use the Happy Cow app to find a vegan restaurant near you. With more than 7,300 listings in 100+ countries, this handy tool is especially perfect for road trips and vacations. For iPhone and Android; cost: $3.99.

BevVeg

Surprise – Alcohol isn’t always vegan- or vegetarian-friendly. Some wines are made with gelatin or animal proteins such as egg, while some brands of beers are filtered with fish bladders. Blecch! Use the BevVeg app to make sure your favorite libation is 100% cruelty-free. For iPhone and Android; cost: free.

Veggie Alternatives

With Veggie Alternatives, you can find vegan store-bought alternatives to practically any food. It’s especially useful if you’re new to plant-based eating, as it can help you discover new brands and products. The app also offers recipes to please your inner chef. For iPhone and Android; cost: free.

Food Monster

Food Monster was created by One Green Planet, and features more than 15,000 plant-based, gluten-free, vegan, and meatless recipes. There’s a monthly subscription fee, but if cooking is your thing, this app will pay for itself In culinary pleasure. For iPhone only; cost: free trial, $1.99/month subscription.

There will be more cruelty-free and vegan app recommendations to come, but these seven are available right now and well worth checking out. Start downloading!

Peace to ALL the animals with whom we share this planet!

Mobile Apps That Can Help You Shop Cruelty-Free

Pamelyn Ferdin Essays by Pamelyn , , ,

When I was growing up, all you could do with a telephone was make and receive calls. Today you can send text messages, check your email, surf the internet, and get where you’re going with GPS. And, of course, all those apps!

I’ve posted before about logos to look for when shopping for cruelty-free products. Now there are a variety of mobile apps that can assist you in shopping cruelty-free. I’m no techno-wiz, so you can believe me when I say that these three apps are easy to use and worth checking out.

 

 

CRUELTY-FREE

Since 1996, the Leaping Bunny Program, operated by the Coalition for Consumer Information on Cosmetics in the US and Canada, has been connecting compassionate consumers to cruelty-free companies under its Corporate Standard of Compassion for Animals. They have introduced the Cruelty-Free app, which is available for FREE for both Android and iPhone. The app lists over 200 U.S. and Canadian companies that are certified under the Leaping Bunny Program. You can also use the search bar at the top and type in a brand name. Another list on the app tells you where you can find cruelty-free brands within a product’s category like soap, eye makeup, tanning products, and more. Users can also scan a product’s barcode to instantly know whether the brand is certified by Leaping Bunny.

 

 

 

BUNNY FREE

The Bunny Free app uses data from PETA’s cruelty-free shopping guide and allows users to check to see if a company is cruelty-free by typing the company’s name in the search box, scanning a product’s barcode, or browsing an alphabetically ordered brand list. Bunny Free will also tell you which brands are NOT cruelty-free and should be avoided. There’s also a filter option to only show companies that are vegan! The app is FREE and available for both Android and iPhone. One drawback: The app doesn’t let you browse by product category. I’m hoping they add that very convenient feature soon.

 

CRUELTY-CUTTER

The Cruelty-Cutter app was developed by the Beagle Freedom Project, a non-profit organization engaged in rescuing animals used in experimental research.  Users can scan a product, search by a company’s name, and search by product category. As a bonus, each company’s information is provided along with direct links to their website, Facebook, and Twitter accounts. This app will keep a log of all the products you’ve scanned in your personal “History” section and allows the user to create a list of “Favorites.” Cruelty-Cutter is not free, however, but can be downloaded for a donation of $2.99 to the Beagle Freedom Project. The app is available for both iPhone and Android users.

So, here you have three convenient tools to help you shop cruelty-free. Remember that what you buy does make a difference.

Peace for ALL the animals with whom we share this planet!