Recipe/database app needed - advice please!

[giradman]

My wife would like to have her recipes on the iPad - just ordered a removable acrylic under-the-cabinet holder for the device which should keep it away from the stove/pots/pans/etc.

Since we have an Apple keyboard, data entry should be easy w/ a stand alone iPad app - most of her commonly used recipes are now in various books and/or on note cards, so mainly interested in getting these into a dedicated recipe program or a database app w/ templates for recipes.

I've been looking at Bento as a general database and see that the program can use templates for a wide variety of purposes, including recipes. Would appreciate any comments on this program for that purpose or any other apps that might server her needs. Thanks all, as usual!

 

[SueInBoston]

Check out RecipeBook in the app store. A lot of my recipes are already online on allrecipes.com so RecipeBook works great for me. I looked into Bento, but coming from MS access, the app version just doesn't seem versatile enough for my database mind.

 

[robertlc]

I use EverNote to store my recipes, and I can access them through the Web on any computer, on my Android phone or on my iPad.

 

[giradman]

I use AccessReflex app to view MS Access database in ipad. try it

Thanks for the comment above - I have a number of databases in MS Access and despite having iWorks on the iPad, I was not aware of a program to view my Access files - I'm assuming that it is just a viewer or can the DBs be modified? I'll take a look shortly -

 

[JewelGarden]

You might take a look at Paprika. This app has a customized keyboard that makes it easy to transcribe recipes as it has "keys" for frequently used words like cup, teaspoon, etc. Also will download recipes from the web. I've been using it for a few months to record my family-favorite recipes and like it very much.

Never, never, never give up -- Winston Churchill

 

[giradman]

You might take a look at Paprika.....

Thanks for the recommendation above - A few months ago, I purchased Bento which has a recipe template and entered a dozen or so; however, the program saves only to the complementary program on a computer - cannot print or email recipes, so I stopped putting more into the program.

I bought Paprika (just $5) and have entered several of our previous recipes (had to take a screen shot from Bento and then print each out - what a pain!) - I support your advice; this is a great 'dedicated' recipe program; the presentation in the landscape view is excellent and allows plenty of information for ingredients and directions; also recipes can be printed, saved to iCloud (when I upgrade to iOS5), and a manual back up to a computer (sync) is also an option.

For those wanting a program that will manage your recipes and offers an excellent interface w/ multiple additional options - Paprika is worth consideration!

 

[JewelGarden]

My pleasure....Glad to help.

Never, never, never give up -- Winston Churchill

 

[info]

I'll second Paprika as an outstanding program... it's the talk of the town (and a universal app).

 

[susanmarie33]

I, too, have been looking for a recipe app. I think it helps to figure out what you really want out of a recipe app before making a choice. Here is my list:

1, I want one that I can put on both my IPad and my IPhone and it will sync between the two devices. I want to access my recipes from the grocery store and that means I need my recipes on my IPhone. From what I've been able to figure out neither Allrecipes app nor the My Recipe Book app has an IPhone version.

2. I want to be able to create a shopping list from my chosen recipes. Springpad is a free productivity app that has a recipe template that has this capability. Evernote is another free productivity app but doesn't have the create shopping list feature.

3. I want to be able to scale recipes , i.e. double the recipe or half the recipe. Springpad doesn't scale, neither does The Recipe Box .

4. I need to be able to enter my own recipes. From what I've read Epicurious only gives you access to their recipes.

5. Paprika seems to have everything I want except a PC-Windows version. I have soft copies of many of my recipes as Word Processor document on my PC. I don't want to retype these using a IPad Keypad. Some of my recipes are only on paper. I would rather type these recipes from my PC keyboard than an IPad keypad. There's a workaround: key into Google Docs using my PC and then from my IPad use the copy/paste tool to paste the recipe into Paprika. Mac users are in luck: there is a Mac version of Paprika. There's a separate fee for the Paprika IPhone version and the Paprika IPad version but I can live with that. I don't want to pay a subscription for a cloud but I've heard there is a way to back up using ITunes. That is what I would want to do. A feature in Paprika that I haven't seen in another recipe app is the ability to turn off the screen saver. If you plan to cook directly from your IPad that feature is very handy - who wants to touch-in their unlock password every few minutes while in the middle of cooking.

I'm really trying to make a careful choice here because once I take the time to put all my recipes into one app I don't want to change my mind. So far Paprika is winning out but Springpad is a close second.

 

[robertlc]

As I said before, I use EverNote and it works fine for me.

For scaling, I use another app for converting units.

 

[Sendbeer]

One other nice feature with paprika is you can import recipes from mastercook (and thus MANY other PC based recipe programs) through itunes. With wifi sync and splashtop I can lookup a recipe on my computer and export it onto my ipad from the couch. And recipes sync from ipad to iphone through its own sync software. It's a real awesome program!

 

[giradman]

Well, I started this thread in mid-year (and others exist on this topic) but after about 5 months, I believe that a solution for me has been found! WOW -

First, finally found the recipe program that fits our needs, i.e. Paprika - recommended on one or several other threads so not my discovery - for those interested, check HERE for further information - this is indeed an outstanding app for its intended purpose!

Second, I obtain a rack that installs underneath a cabinet w/ 3 easily installed holders that allow an acrylic plastic holder that accommodates the iPad nicely - just need to set your iPad not to turn off (easily done in the Settings menu); check HERE, if interested.

Attached is a picture in our kitchen of the rack w/ the iPad - my wife is using this for the first time in cooking up some food! Seems to be working fine for its purpose - will plan to start entering many more recipes - seems to solve our needs; plus, since I'm recently retired, she is expecting me to do some of the cooking - MY WORD! But, this will definitely help - :thumbs:

 

[isabellajacob]

A recipe scrapbook album would be a wonderful gift for family members. Imagine giving each one a collection of family recipes, each with its own bit of history, in a recipe scrapbook album.