Feeling overwhelmed by all the bits and pieces that go into making sure there's food on the table? Paprika is an app for managing everything in the cooking realm, such as organizing recipes, making meal plans, and creating grocery lists.
For me, the Paprika App has completely changed the way I approach cooking.
Rather than having to remember recipes and getting stuck with analysis paralysis or cooking the same meals over and over again, the helpful design and concept of Paprika make cooking and decision-making easier and more efficient.
In this Paprika App review, we'll look at:
The functionalities and features of the Paprika Recipe Manager
How Paprika can simplify cooking
What I like and dislike about the Paprika app.
Let’s get started!
How Does Paprika Recipe Manager Work?
Here is the step-by-step walkthrough:
Downloading the app
Paprika is completely free-to-install and is available on iOS, Mac, Android, and Windows under the name Paprika Recipe Manager.
Getting started
Paprika is a freemium app. This means that even without paying, you’ll be able to access some of the main features!
With the freemium version of the app, you can do everything except have offline access and being able to access unlimited recipes.
Browsing and Downloading Recipes
Clicking the blue “BROWSE FOR RECIPES” button takes you to the built-in browser feature in Paprika.
This feature allows you to search the internet for recipes to download through Google. The browser page also gives you a step-by-step process on how to download a recipe.
Additionally, it gives you the option to browse through Recommended Sites, with options such as AllRecipes and BBC Food.
If you type in your desired recipe, it will show the options that are displayed on Google. Click on the one you want, and at the bottom right-hand corner there will be a blue button that says DOWNLOAD.
The recipe downloads quickly and then pops up with the information as downloaded on the app. You can then edit it however you want, after which there is a SAVE option in the top right-hand corner.
From there, the recipe will pop up in your All Recipes tab! Going forward, using the Browser function in the toolbar will be the way to find and add recipes.
Planning Meals
Once you have all your favorite recipes in your recipe section, you can open up the Meals tab in the toolbar. Here, you have the option to view entries as Day, Week, and Month.
Once you add these, it gives you the option to add entries to the date and the mealtime of your choice. Now, all your meals are easily accessible through the calendar!
Unlocking Premium
If you’re wondering how to get Premium access, the button Unlock Full Version in the toolbar will allow you to purchase the Premium version of Paprika through the App Store.
Dietary Requirements
There aren’t any obvious features where you can enter specific dietary requirements. Going forward, this may be something that Paprika could look into developing further.
However, you can try to filter for recipes that meet your dietary requirements by simply adding “GF” or “VG” in the search bar.
Features of Paprika App
The feature of the Paprika app sets it apart from competitors. Here is a list of all the features of the Paprika app:
Seamless Cloud Sync
Different devices are optimal to use during different parts of the preparation and cooking process. You might wanna cook with your tablet in the kitchen, handle recipe management on your computer, and take your phone with you to the grocery store for grocery list access.
Thanks to the automatic cloud sync, Paprika makes sure you'll find your recipes, grocery lists, and meal plans across all of your devices.
Recipe Management Made Easy
Browse for recipes anywhere on the web with Paprika's built-in browser. Saving your favorites to the Paprika app couldn't be easier – when you find a recipe you fancy, simply tap a button to download the recipe and save it into Paprika.
Interactive Recipes
One popular feature that sets the Paprika app apart from cookbooks and online recipes is the interactive feature.
As you go through the recipe, cross off ingredients that have been used.
Tap to highlight the current directions step.
Paprika keeps your screen lit when you open a recipe.
No need to worry about having your hands full and the screen turning off mid-cooking!
You can customize the recipe by adding bold, italic, links, and photos to the recipe text.
This recipe manager also lets you add high-resolution images to recipes – which will be stored in your free cloud sync account.
Link to Other Recipes
You can link to a recipe within a recipe using a special syntax – see the Paprika website for detailed instructions.
Smart Recipe Filter
The filter lets you search recipes based on ingoing ingredients or recipe sources. Perfect if you have a huge collection of recipes and don't remember the full name of that pecan pie, or remember that you found an amazing stew from a particular site.
Easy Recipe Sharing
Paprika has made it easy to use sharing features inside of their recipe app. That way, you can send the recipe to your friends who were over for dinner. There are even multiple ways of sharing the recipes – for example, via AirDrop.
To share your recipes with non-Paprika users, you can export them in PDF-format and email or print them.
Integrated Timers
Whenever you're at a step where you need a timer, it's integrated into the text. Simply tap on it to start the timer!
Multiple Recipes
Paprika had the foresight to see that people may need to cook multiple recipes at once. As such, you can pin active recipes to easily switch between them when cooking.
Scaling
Do you have friends over and want to cook for more people than a recipe is designed for?
With the automatic scale feature, simply input your desired number of servings and ingredients will scale accordingly!
Unit Conversion
Convert ingredients between the metric/imperial systems and temperatures between Celsius/Fahrenheit effortlessly.
Monthly Meal Planner
You can save time and money using Paprika's meal planner!
In Paprika, you can create meal plans for the week or month to avoid impulsive takeout orders or grabbing unhealthy snacks on the way to the checkout.
You’ll also be able to design reusable menus with your favorite meals for those weeks when you're just too busy to think about meal planning.
Export Recipes
To share your recipes with non-Paprika users, you can export them in PDF format and either email them or print them out.
Groceries & Pantry
The app allows you to input your pantry items and then sort them by food time (for example, “Breads and Cereals”_.
If you press on the item, you can also add the date you bought it and when it might expire. This helps you to keep track of what you already have at home and what recipes you might be able to make.
The Grocery function allows you to write a grocery list that will sort your entries by aisle – a huge timesaver!
How Much Does The Paprika App Cost?
As I’ve mentioned above, Paprika is a freemium app. With a free account, you can save up to 50 recipes and have access to all of the information with an internet connection.
As long as you’re connected to the internet, you’ll be able to access your meal plans, groceries, and recipes.
However, upgrading to the premium version does grant you a lot more freedom:
The cloud syncing function means you can seamlessly use the app across your tablet, phone, and PC – making it a great option for busy families who still want to get together for mealtimes
The Premium app also makes it easier to only buy what you need and use what you have, so you quickly can make your money back on the premium price
Finally, there are unlimited recipes for you to try with the Premium version!
My recommendation is to give the freemium option a go first. If it’s something that you find to be helpful in your life, it’s definitely worth investing in Premium – even if it’s just for the sake of supporting a business that’s provided value to you!
Now, Let’s Talk About What I Like and Dislike About It
Paprika, as a whole, has been a really useful tool in my meal planning. However, like with anything else, there are some downfalls to the app as well:
The Likes
- Easy management of meal planning, shopping list, and recipe storage
- Ability to share recipes with other users
- Smart functionalities like built-in timers and internal linking
- Shopping lists that are sorted by aisle. Additionally, similar products are combined (for instance, if you enter 1 milk, then 2 milks, it will combine it into three so you aren’t doubling back on yourself)
- Interactive recipes that allow you to confirm what step you’re currently at!
The Dislikes
- You need to buy a version for each different platform that you us
- The design of the app, while easy to use, could be more focused on the aesthetic aspect
- A feature for dietary requirements would be a great addition
- Their website itself is not as user-friendly as it could be
Food for Thought
Many users consider Paprika to be the best recipe manager app currently available, thanks to its user-friendly interface design and clever features. They’ve got a strong case!
With Paprika, you can easily create a weekly or monthly meal plan, get automated shopping lists, and have access to endless recipes.
Additionally, the cookbook's many integrated features and the ability to easily share recipes with your friends make this app a welcome assistant in your cooking and meal-planning endeavors.
Investing in the one-time purchase of Premium will mean that your recipe possibilities are endless and accessible anytime, anywhere.
Bear in mind, however, that you will need to purchase a separate app per platform in case you want to use it on both your desktop and your phone.
All in all, Paprika is the perfect match for those who want a kitchen assistant on a budget!
FAQs on Paprika Recipe Manager
No, you don’t have to pay for Paprika on every device! Instead, you can purchase a license key that will allow you to sync your account across some devices. However, the PC app version costs $29.99, so you do have to make a different purchase if you decide to use it on both your computer and phone.
Absolutely! For food lovers, people who hate cooking, vegetarians, big families, or even a shared household, Paprika is a great way to streamline meals and take the hassle out of grocery shopping and cooking.
Yes! A Paprika purchase involves only a one-time fee and not a membership/subscription payment plan of any kind.
Paprika App