The Best Grocery Shopping Apps for a Frugal and Healthy New Year

If eating healthy or losing weight is on your list of New Year’s resolutions (along with saving money, naturally), your smartphone may help you achieve that goal.

Shoppers have access to plenty of apps these days that help them, at the very least, make a simple shopping list of needed items.

More advanced versions streamline the process, letting you sync lists with other family members (so one can be at home scanning the fridge while the other picks up whatever’s lacking).

Plenty use your phone’s camera to scan barcodes and pull up specific items, eliminating confusion over which brand of Greek yogurt you wanted.

Others assess food choices, ensuring that you find the ingredients for a healthy recipe and avoid unhealthy picks.

Plus, there are some that work in local sales and coupons to cut your bill.

Here are seven worth testing out for your next shopping trip:

Grocery Pal

Cost: Free, iTunes, Google Play* and Microsoft App Marketplace

Browse sales circulars for local drugstores and supermarkets. Add specials and coupons to your virtual shopping list so you know which to pick up.

Spouses or families can sign up under the same email to create a joint account with shared lists that update automatically.

Locavore

Cost: Free, iTunes and Google Play

In-season produce is cheaper, and this app tells you what’s fresh in your area. Compare against supermarket selections, or check offerings at local farmers markets and farm shares.

Grocery iQ

Cost: Free, iTunes and Google Play

Create a grocery list three ways: By typing in an item, speaking its name or scanning its barcode with your phone.

The app automatically categorizes items so ones that are likely to be in the same aisle are listed together.

Parent company, Coupons.com, loops in printable and mobile coupons to claim.

Green Egg Shopper

Cost: $3.99, iTunes

Track all the items you purchase, noting use by or expiration dates, as well as the purchase price.

On future shopping trips, the app will tell you which items from a previous list need replacing and how a current sale stacks up.

Fooducate

Cost: Free, iTunes and Google Play

Scan the barcode of an item and the app grades its nutrition on a scale from A to F, with notes on contributing factors (high in sugar, etc.).

It also tells you where competing products fall on the scale, so you know if there’s a better choice.

Apple2Oranges

Cost: Free, iTunes

Cut through quantity confusion. This app compares unit sizes per price, calories per serving size and other data to help you figure out which product is the best value for your dollar (or waistline).

ZipList

Cost: Free, iTunes and Google Play

Pull ingredients for a grocery list directly from online recipes you want to make. Browse deals and coupons from local supermarkets and drugstores and add them to your list.

Spouses or families can sign up under the same email to create a joint account with shared lists that update automatically.

Frugal Foodie is a journalist based in New York City who spends her days writing about personal finance and obsessing about what she’ll have for dinner. Chat with her on Twitter through @MintFoodie.

*Google Play is a trademark of Google Inc.