Seasonings Greetings!

The holidays are right around the corner and we all know what that means — food, and lots of it! Whether you’re an experienced host/hostess or a total rookie in the kitchen, we all dread the planning, preparation, and time spent in front of the oven. So to make your life a little easier this holiday season, instead of sifting (no pun intended) through all of your cookbooks, why not have your mobile phone as your Sous Chef?

That’s right. Phones aren’t just used for just calling, texting, emailing and snap-chatting. With an abundance of recipe and cooking apps out there, we have narrowed the list down to 5 of the best to use this holiday season. While we’re aware using these apps may not transform you into Martha Stewart overnight, we think these ones will help you shop, plan, and cook a little more like a pro during the holidays!

‍Food Network — In the Kitchen (Android and iOS)

Have you ever wished to be as talented in the kitchen as Rachel Ray or Bobby Flay? Wish no more! In The Kitchen brings ALL of your favourite Food Network stars to one place. This app contains over 70,000 recipes to choose from, and is broken down into a variety of meal types, chefs, and TV shows featured on the Food Network. Each recipe includes step-by-step video tutorials and levels of difficulty to fit the needs of the range of different chefs out there. An in-app timer and measuring unit converter is also included.

‍Yummly (Android and iOS)

Aside from the hundreds of recipes to be found, Yummly has the options to customize searches based on season, personal needs, and lifestyles. When you first open the app, it shows different options to “Yumm” (aka “Like”). After choosing 5 and entering any dietary restrictions, Yummly uses this data to curate a list of recipes you would enjoy.Maybe this holiday season you’re stuck catering to your vegan cousin. Lucky for you, Yummly can tailor most recipes to fit any diet or allergy. The best part of this app is the in-app shopping list —with Instacart built in. You can then use your list to order the items on Instacart, and, depending on where you live, have them delivered within the hour.

‍SideChef (Android and iOS)

SideChef makes learning to cook easy, accessible and fun for all experience levels. This app features over 4,000 recipes that include step-by-step instructions, accompanied by photos, videos, timers, and even voice commands to allow hands-free cooking. You can also search for recipes based on ingredients you have on hand, so if you forget a few items on your grocery list this holiday season, no problem! SideChef allows changes to be made for serving sizes on the fly, which could really come in handy when your guests decide to bring dates without telling you. Sharing your own recipes and mouth-watering pictures of your culinary creations are other options within this app.

‍Tasty (Android and iOS)

You may have come across a Tasty video or twelve on Facebook. It’s now available in an app — directly through iOS or through Buzzfeed for Android Phones. Tasty provides short but informational videos for all recipes as well as a list of ingredients and instructions. In the app you can find a ‘trending this week’ section, along with videos containing recipes ‘one pot wonders’, recipes to try this holiday season, recipes under thirty minutes, etc. The list goes on! Tasty is a fun way to mix up some new recipes this holiday season!

‍Epicurious (iOS)

Over 30,000 recipes have been tested and rated by Epicurious members. These recipes have been conveniently sorted into different categories — we recommend checking out ‘The Great Holiday Bake-Off’ section! The app also allows recipes and shopping lists to be managed across platforms. You might be thinking “what happens if my phone goes to sleep, and I have to touch my screen with dirty hands?” Epicurious has you covered with voice activated commands to ensure hands-free cooking. It also features a smart timer, and Apple Watch support.

With these apps, even a newbie in the kitchen will impress this holiday Season!