Apps and tools for a calm, enjoyable life

BigOven

Free with premium options

BigOven helps you plan meals, organize recipes, and manage grocery lists. With over 500,000 recipes, it offers inspiration and support for home cooks looking to simplify their meal planning process.

Our take

BigOven is a treasure trove of recipes for meal planners!

Okay, so BigOven is this app that’s supposed to make cooking easier by giving you access to a ton of recipes. The first thing you notice is that it’s packed with features. It’s got recipes for days, meal planning tools, and even a grocery list function. That sounds great, right? But here’s the thing: sometimes having too many choices can be overwhelming. **You might find yourself scrolling through endless recipes, getting more distracted than inspired.** It’s like being in a crowded restaurant where everything looks good, but you just can’t decide.

Now, let’s talk about the meal planning feature. It’s a solid idea — you can plan your meals for the week, and it’ll help you organize your cooking. When it works, it’s pretty slick. But I’ve noticed it can be glitchy at times. **It sometimes doesn’t sync correctly with the grocery list, which can be a hassle if you’re relying on it to be your kitchen assistant.** The user interface is decent, but not the most intuitive I've seen. It takes a bit of time to get the hang of it, especially if you want to customize your meal plans.

The grocery list feature is probably one of the more useful parts of BigOven. You can add ingredients from recipes directly to your list, which is super handy when you’re in a hurry. But, here’s a kicker: **if you’re someone who likes to shop based on what’s on sale or in season, the list can feel a little rigid.** You can edit it, sure, but it doesn’t automatically adjust for substitutions or alternatives, which means more manual work on your end.

One thing that stands out about BigOven is the community aspect. You can see reviews and ratings from other users, which is cool because it gives a sense of what actually works in a home kitchen. However, **not all reviews are created equal, and some are just plain unhelpful.** Like, when someone gives a recipe one star because they burnt it — is that really the recipe’s fault? It’s hit or miss, so take those reviews with a grain of salt.

Overall, BigOven is a solid tool for anyone who enjoys cooking and wants to try new things. But it’s not foolproof. **If you’re someone who’s easily overwhelmed by too many choices or needs everything to work perfectly right out of the box, you might find it a little frustrating.** But if you’re willing to give it a bit of time to learn its quirks, it can definitely add some variety and organization to your cooking routine. It’s a bit like having a really knowledgeable but sometimes scatterbrained friend in the kitchen with you.

$12/month

Free with premium options

Free and Premium options