Best Apps for Grocery Shopping

Whether you love it or hate it, grocery shopping is a task we all must complete. If you don’t accurately prepare yourself, you could end up spending way more money than you budgeted for. You could also end up forgetting to buy something, or end up buying the wrong amount of something else.

Luckily, the onslaught of smartphones and tablets has made grocery shopping much easier. There are apps that can do just about anything, and the following is our top three favorites.

1. Locavore

Sometimes the produce found at big name grocery stores cannot be trusted. Instead of choosing products that have been sitting on a truck and laced with preservatives to keep it fresh, a better option is to choose in-season local food products. Locavore uses GPS devices to track your location and alert you to farmer’s markets in the area nearest you. You can search based on closest destination, or you can find a farmer’s market that has the specific item you want.

Along with finding local produce, Locavore also provides you with recipes to use with the items you purchase. You will also receive information about where the food is grown and who exactly is producing it. The app also works with Facebook, so you can share your findings and your new recipes with your friends.

2. Grocery Gadget

GroceryGadget brings the convenience of your shopping list directly to your phone. Once you create a grocery list, Grocery Gadget will save it so you can use it at a later date. Rather than typing in all of your groceries, you can simply scan the barcode, and the item will be automatically added to your list.

You can arrange the list to appear by aisle at the grocery store. This way, you maximize your time and conveniently grab what you need when you’re in each aisle. You can also sync shopping lists with other users, such as your spouse, so you can easily let them know what to pick up if they’re running to the store.

If you are having a hard time finding an item, Grocery Gadget will show you a picture so that you can find it more easily. It also allows you to import data from other apps, so you can add ingredients from recipes directly to your shopping list. You can create more than one shopping list, and you can create a shopping list for different stores.

The eCoupon feature allows you to match coupons to items currently on your shopping list, giving you an added discount without clipping coupons. And the color pricing feature allows you to compare prices among multiple stores.

3. Coupon Sherpa

Put an end to clipping coupons with CouponSherpa. This app gives you access to in-store Internet coupons as well as coupons exclusively available to Coupon Sherpa users. You can search for coupons based on store or product, and if a coupon is available, you can have the cashier scan your phone so you can receive the discount. If you prefer to go the old-school route, you can always print the coupons and bring them into the store.

Coupons are added to the database every day, and you also have the ability to email coupons to a friend to help share the savings.

If you are the grocery shopper in your household, these three apps are essential to making your shopping experience much easier. Save money with coupons, save time by getting organized and eat healthier with local produce.

Jade Cook is a writer.  She enjoys giving tips on fashion, relationships, cooking, and shopping.  Jade recently wrote about her favorite recipe for salsbury steak.