I love technology, but I also love simplicity. As a compulsive list-maker, I've found the best of both in OurGroceries, a streamlined and sync-able list-making app. Just a few quick taps and I can move on to more delicious tasks — like cooking up all those groceries I just bought.
OurGroceries has a clean and straightforward interface. You make a list simply by typing in the name of your item. This item is automatically saved in the app for future list-making. You can create multiple shopping lists (for example, a separate list each for Groceries, Hardware, etc.) and multiple categories (which can correspond with aisles you frequently shop). You can move things around by dragging and dropping. When you've picked up an item, you just tap it off the list.
You can share your lists with a partner by linking your accounts together. This way, whenever one of you makes a grocery run, the other can add (or remove) items in real-time. This comes in very handy when you're tag-teaming a store, or when my fiance is at home but I'm on the road — I can add fun little projects to our "Honey Dew" list to keep him busy!
OurGroceries also has a "Recipes" feature that lets you list the ingredients in your favorite recipes and store them in the app. When you get that sudden craving for, say, Pork Ragu with Semolina Gnocchi, you won't have to rack your brain trying to remember everything that went in it.
Oh, and if your phone decides to go on the fritz, you can still add to that important "Honey Dew" list by logging in to your account on the app's website.
Download It: OurGroceries for iPhone, Android and Blackberry
Related: Smarter, More Organized Shopping Lists: Grocery iQ App
(Image: Linda Ly)
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Seems to me that in the amount of time it takes me tap around the screen to make a list, I can keep a list posted to the side of my fridge and jot things down as I need them and scratch them off when not, which I already do.
However, if my husband learned of this application, he will think it's the next best thing in the world of apps that make one's life a lot more easy and exciting. As if a talking phone didn't take care of that already.
I like hearing about a good grocery app - for most of us, phones are the way to go to remember "oh, I need that" while we're busy with something else. Thanks for the recommendation.
I make those post-it lists, but typically lose them. Hope to not lose my phone. I already use the "notes" on my iphone for shopping lists - is this really better?
Lazy_Lurker – it sounds very much like Shopper, the app I use. I used to use Notes, but these apps are better because you don't have to type the whole item to add it to the list (it auto-fills after the first time you add it), and you don't have to delete it to take it off—just a click gets it off the list until you need it again. I don't use any of the organizational stuff (different lists for different stores, etc.), but just the ease of making and changing the list makes these apps worthwhile.
I love Grocery IQ. My husband each have the app on our phone. Using the same account, we can each edit the same grocery list. It keeps us in sync, which is awesome.
I'm happy with my general purpose note taking app: evernote. It syncs across all my devices, is available over the web. I also use it as a recipe book for recipes I find online.
I second using GroceryIQ. Being able to edit the order of aisle in each store means that whichever store I'm in, my list is presented in order with no effort on my part.
I use OurGroceries, and love it. I used to use paper lists, but would lose or forget it. I always have my phone. I like to make my list while I'm on the bus home from work, and it's much easier to tap on the phone than scribble on a scrap of paper. My favorite part is being able to maintain separate lists. If I'm at store #1 and decide the apples don't look good, I just bump apples down to the list for store #2.
Love OurGroceries. The best part is being able to share lists -- works great if hubby gets a chance to go to the store before me, or if he needs me to pick up stuff for dinner on my way home. It also remembers items you've entered in the past so you don't need to retype everything.
I've also got a 'next time' list for items that aren't quite ready for replenishing but are getting close. Great for catching sales!
Third for Grocery IQ. Only feature it's lacking is the "recipes" one.
I've been using Our Groceries for over a year and I love it. My favorite thing is that I have it synced with my husband so either of us can add to the list whenever something comes up.
Love this app! My partner and I have used it for about 6 months. We love that it keeps us from actually having to discuss groceries or having to be responsible for remembering what the other person wants. We use a shopping list for each store (grocery, Costco, hardware), and a couple lists to manage family to-do items. After you have most of your groceries in the app memory and have assigned categories to them, making and using the list is super fast.
My husband and I use Evernote. I love that I can update his list from my computer (I don't have a smart phone) so he can go shopping while I'm at work. Very convenient!
Clear - best list app hands down!
Please enlighten me ... how does OurGroceries differ from Evernote? Would an Evernote notebook of grocery list notes & recipe ingredient notes be just as useful as OurGroceries? OurGroceries is free & has rave reviews on the Android Market. Meanwhile, I love Evernote which seems to have the same features as OurGroceries. I want to avoid redundant-app-clutter on my cell. Would someone please compare/contrast features of OurGroceries & Evernote?
My husband and I use Orchestra which is a collaborative list app with voice recognition. The voice recognition makes adding tasks to one list or groceries to another so fast. We can also claim different items and check them off while dividing and conquering the grocery store. And it's free!
@lifabundant: Using evernote would require that you type out your list every time. You can't check things off the list, you would have to erase it. You can't organize lists by store, or aisle without basically creating a spreadsheet. It would be just like a paper list, whereas grocery apps are so much more.
I love Grocery IQ and Our Groceries looks good, too, love the recipe feature!