Mobile devices are really handy for a lot of things these days. You might use your phone to take quick notes, listen to music and podcasts, or as your alarm clock to wake up in the morning.

One of the most common reasons people head out to the Android Marketplace for a new app is because they need yet another convenience. So many apps make life easier by providing quick access to information and an immediate solution to problems that you face in your daily schedule. One of the problems many families have today is that no one really has time to make dinner. It's hard to plan out the meals - so when dinner comes, it's hard to cook when you don't even know what to cook.

Luckily, I've found four recipe apps for Android that completely eliminate the time required to think up good meals, and they are also there when it's time to cook - with easy step-by-step instructions and pictures to guide you on your way.

The 4 Best Android Recipe Apps

AllRecipes

In my quite biased opinion, the very best app out there comes from none other than AllRecipes. AllRecipes was actually the first website that I started using religiously to come up with new and interesting meals, whenever it was my turn to cook for the family.

I discovered AllRecipes years ago, created an account, and over the past 5 or 6 years it has been the primary source of recipes in our house. So, I was quite pleased to learn that they offer a cool, convenient Android app called DinnerSpinner.

recipe apps for android

In DinnerSpinner, you literally spin each wheel on the screen to decide the type of food you want to make (main dish, salad, drink, etc...), the ingredients that you want to use, and how long you're willing to devote to preparation.  I don't think I've ever selected anything beyond 20 minutes or less!

You'll see a wide variety of dishes to choose from, and you can sort by rating and popularity, which saves a lot of time in finding the best dishes.

android recipe app

The best thing about AllRecipes is that it probably has one of the largest recipe databases on the Internet, so you'll always find something new. The recipe displays are quick to read and well-formatted. Just prop your phone up on the counter and start cooking!

android recipe app

Mobile Rush-Hour Recipes

When I'm really strapped for time, I turn to Mobile Rush-Hour Recipes. I think this app is, by far, one of the most convenient and fast recipe search apps that I've ever found for Android.

From the main page, you have several different search options to choose from. Surprise Me! is the fastest - it just gives you a random recipe to make (great if you love surprises). Gallery is just a random list of the top available recipes. Courses is a slightly more structured search.

android recipe app

However, my favorite option is definitely PrestoFind. With PrestoFind, you can pluck recipes out of the database based on specific categories that are important to you. For example, Percentage of calories from fat will display recipes marked with what percentage of calories is from the fat. Sodium milligram count will show how much salt is in the recipe.

best android recipe app

All of these choices are perfect for someone that is on a strict diet and needs to carefully monitor their intake of certain types of food.

Digital Recipe Sidekick

One of the more innovative recipe apps for Android is definitely the Digital Recipe Sidekick.  Like Mobile Rush Hour, this app offers a quick, random selection of recipes to choose from if you're really short on time. Or you can use the search engine to sift through the recipe database.

best android recipe app

The feature that really sets this app apart from the rest is the fact that it is integrated with voice features. You no longer need to worry about splashing food or liquids on your phone as you're cooking - just set your phone on the counter on the other side of the kitchen, crank up the volume, and the Recipe Reader feature of this app will read the recipe steps to you out loud.

best android recipe app

You can even control the app (going forward or reverse in the recipes) using voice commands or by clapping. Very cool!

My CookBook

The final recipe app that I want to share is called My CookBook. This app is unique from the others in that it doesn't have its own central database of recipes. Basically, you start with an empty database, and then through your search queries, you build your own local recipe database.

You start out clicking on "Search and Import". The search screen lets you search other recipe sites on the Internet for recipes. When you find one you like, you can import it into My CookBook. If you already know the URL of a recipe, feed it into the URL field and My CookBook will try to import the recipe automatically.

You can also manually input your own recipes using the fast and simple "Add a New Recipe" form. There's even the option to take a photo of the dish when you're done making it.

recipe apps for android

For some people, cooking is a stress-relieving and enjoyable experience. For others, it's just an inconvenience and a waste of time. No matter which camp you fall into, these Android recipe apps will help you find the ideal recipe - either gourmet or fast and easy.

Have you tried any of these recipe apps for Android before? What do you think? Do you have a different Android recipe app that you like best? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Image credits: Konrad Mostert