Apps for scanning grocery barcodes

Gigglepig

I am about to go through the cupboards to see what we have, and would like to start meal planning. And then I was thinking, are there any nice apps that can make it a bit faster or more fun?

Does anyone know an app that lets you scan barcodes, to easily compile a list of all food in the cupboards?

And a recipe tool that generates shopping lists based on cooking for so and so many people?

Skint_Catt

God, both would be great. The recipe app could suggest meal ideas where you only have to buy one or two ingredients to add to what you already have!
C xx

Sequeena

I hope there is such an app!

Alton_Towers

Just had a quick google and there a few, they do seem to be more american than UK though. Try searching for my pantry, kitchen store cupboard app. Also depends on if you are using Android or Apple devices.

Kitchenbunny

There is a MySupermarket app - I've just found it on the Apple App Store and it is free. The reviews on it aren't brilliant though. I'm still searching for other alternatives.

One such app would be amazing though - I'll be searching eagerly!

KB xx

Downsizing__for_sanity

Wouldn't it be great if there were a version of the "Red Laser" one for groceries? You scan things like TVs for example in John Lewis or somewhere and it tells you where you can get the best price. Great for bargaining with!

alltrustgone

I looked for a barcode scanning store cupboard app a while ago without much luck, although there were lots about, some of them offering quite detailed stock management, but they were very US based, and only recognised products from the big multinationals, and not our UK brands or s/pmarket own labels.

This thread prompted another quick search, and I came across "Out of Milk Shopping list". Just tried out the free Android version on a few random cupboard items, and its best so far I've tried. Instantly recognised some but not all varieties of B*xters soups, B*tchelors soups, Napolina toms. All big brands, but it also instantly from barcodes identified obscure brand of tinned haricot beans, t*sco own brand sardines. T*sco coffee creamer barcode scanned but it couldn't identify the product, so you have the option to enter details manually. Did that then scanned a few other things. Nothing I tried from A*da own brand was automatically recognised, couldn't find anything at hand from S**insbury to check.

Promisingly, then tried re-scanning the T*sco creamer barcode, and this time it was recognised instantly, so it seems it "learns" as it works. I wonder if that's in my local database on my device or whether my entering the product details manually has entered it into the apps universal database. That would be brilliant cos the barcode database would just grow as users added products.

Sadly the app won't even register that there are barcodes on Aldi/Lidl items, but they seem to have their own system anyway. You can email the result of the scanning session, so presumably could build up a spreadsheet. Oh wouldn't it be nice to be that organised. I'm going try it out some more, looks a bit more promising for stocktaking records. It also has shopping list and to do list functions within app.