Welcome back to our weekly spotlight on helpful apps. We focus on a variety of products that are useful for work, personal use, or both, providing our own thoughts on the apps and what you can do with them. This week we eat healthier with Zipongo.
An intro to Zipongo
When youโre busy at work and your personal life, itโs easy to slip into the habit of eating whateverโs quick and filling โ that could mean getting a poor diet. Eating unhealthy foods can have long-term effects that lead to chronic illness. This is why Zipongo was developed โ to help employees plan their meals and shopping lists for a better diet.
Zipongo offers corporate schemes so workers can log on using the app or website, with which they can check out thousands of recipes pulled from multiple sites, create shopping lists of ingredients directly from the meals they choose, plan their meals for the whole week and even find out what healthy choices are available at nearby restaurants or in the staff canteen.
Our review
Iโve been on a mission to establish a clean-eating diet over the last year, and while keeping track of my meals on apps like MyFitnessPal has helped, I find myself eating the same food every week. Zipongo has a huge range of recipes, which you can search by category; thatโs a big bonus for me because it means I can find chicken dishes if I want some protein or quick fixes if Iโm stretched for time.
The meal planner is especially helpful; it allows me to map out my week and automatically sets up a shopping list to ensure I get all the right ingredients. Each recipe tells you how long it will take to make and how many calories it includes. The only downside for UK users is most of the recipes are given in American measurements since the team behind Zipongo is US-based โ occasionally Iโve run into situations where I have to substitute ingredients that arenโt available in the UK too, but it still saves me having to think of what to make for dinner each night.
Another great thing about Zipongo versus other recipe apps Iโve used is the ability to personalise your preferences. I have a gluten intolerance, so when I started using the app I entered gluten-free as a dietary restriction. Now any recipes it recommends are suitable for my needs โ that stops me from getting frustrated when I see a meal I really want to try only to find out it has some form of gluten in it. The more recipes you save to your favourites, the more personalised the recommendations get.
The verdict
If you want to get your diet under control for any reason, whether itโs weight loss or just to be healthy, I highly suggest giving Zipongo a try. You can use a slightly restricted version for free that only includes recipes if your company doesnโt have an account. Once you give it a go, show your HR manager and suggest using the app as a benefit for employees to help reduce sickness in the office.
Find out more and download the free app for iPhone and Android devices at zipongo.com ย
