Prep & Pantry is designed to track food storage and preparedness supplies. With the goal of reducing food waste, the app records stored item locations, quantities and expiration dates.
Pros
Simple, uncluttered, easy-to-navigate design.
Scanner quickly and accurately identifies food items.
Enter foods with and without a barcode.
Ability to add foods not in the database, which contributes to crowdsourced items in the database.
List and categorize foods alphabetically, by expiration date, location or tags for easy review and discovery.
Conveniently add items with low inventory to the “cart” for a running shopping list.
Create reports that can be exported and shared.
Sync inventory between multiple devices easily over Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Includes options to manage coupons and retail stores.
Can disable expiration date entry to reduce time required for data entry.
Cons
Limits saved pantry items to 10 (the upgraded $7.99 version allows unlimited entry, syncing and database management).
Automation takes a backseat after scanning the item as the app requires manual entry for expiration dates, quantity on hand and location.
Though nominal in cost, Prep & Pantry requires a significant upfront time investment.
Bottom Line
Prep & Pantry provides a simple, uncluttered method to organize and create a snapshot of your pantry. Unfortunately the time required for data entry alone may more than the average consumer is willing to invest.
Marisa Moore, MBA, RDN, LD, is based in Atlanta and specializes in culinary nutrition, communications and consulting. She blogs at marisamoore.com. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter.
