Some people worry about a lack of diversity when committing to a vegetarian lifestyle. They don’t want to limit themselves to salads and rice when they eat out, or worry about hidden ingredients when they go grocery shopping. Fortunately, there are several smartphone apps that make living a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle easier. Whether you're a committed vegetarian or just trying to go meat-free now and again, check out these five apps for recipe ideas and information.

Vegan Recipes Free

Image via Flickr by Rain Rabbit

While there are plenty of apps for vegetarian diners, there aren’t as many vegan-friendly sites and apps that cater specifically to the vegan lifestyle. Vegan Recipes Free changes that. This app lets you break out recipes based on cravings (spicy asian stir-fry anyone?) and portion size. You can cook a full meal with multiple courses, or just whip up a snack with a few ingredients. You can also check boxes for the ingredients that you already have and those that you need.

Is It Vegan?

If you’re new to veganism or testing the waters with this lifestyle, download Is It Vegan? Then scan the barcode on the item you're interested in, or search through vegan and non-vegan ingredients, to see if you can eat certain foods. This app is useful when you’re buying health bars or picking up processed foods (we all do it) with a long list of complicated ingredients. Something that seems vegan might have non-vegan additives made with animal byproducts. This is a great way to see how your diet will be affected by changing your lifestyle from vegan to vegetarian, or just learning more about the foods you buy.

Forks Over Knives

New recipes are added weekly to the Forks Over Knives app, so you never have to worry about getting bored or running out of dinner ideas. Each recipe comes with clear step-by-step instructions that you can follow, whether you’re making a bowl of cereal or an ambitious dessert souffle. When you find a recipe you like, add the ingredients to your shopping list and head to the store. Some people have noted that this shopping list doesn’t sync with others, so you may have to juggle two lists if you’re also shopping for other items that aren't part of the meal you have planned. If you’re not sure what you want, browse inspiring recipe images on your smartphone such as the Samsung Galaxy S6 with a high-resolution screen to see hundreds of delicious opportunities. The S6's 5.1 inch screen with Quad HD Super AMOLED display will show you the most mouthwatering images to get you amped about cooking.

Vegan Diet Plan Food Recipes

It takes 30 days to form a habit, and this app will help you get close. Check it out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes that change things up and show you the diversity of the vegan diet. You'll also find also advice from experts on how to find the right foods, mimic non-vegan recipes with vegan ingredients, and jump on current eating trends. Follow this app to test-drive the vegan lifestyle and see if it’s really for you. The app also offers suggestions for bulk recipes — like making a salad that lasts three days or cooking enough for leftovers — so you don’t necessarily need to start fresh every day.

Healthy Recipes — By SparkRecipes

Just because something is vegetarian doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthy. This app offers one of the largest collections of recipes, with more than 500,000 healthy meals to choose from. These recipes help you build a healthy lifestyle regardless of what you eat. The Healthy Recipes app’s top function is its search bar, which helps you browse different cuisine types or choose from beginner, medium, and hard levels of cooking. Do you only have five ingredients in your pantry? Look for a recipe that uses them, so you don’t have to do a grocery run.

These apps prove that you don’t have to be stressed or intimidated by the terms vegetarian and vegan. Even if you’re just looking to cut out meat a few times a week, there are plenty of options at your disposal for delicious, healthy, and easy meals. Good flavors can be found in any lifestyle!