Going into the grocery store with a plan can help you make wise choices as you shop. Each of these awesome apps can help you stick to your health goals by offering info on the healthiest food options available.  With these handy helpers you’ll be able to navigate the aisles with confidence knowing that you are putting only the best foods into your body.

Fooducate

By scanning the barcode on packaged food items as you shop, Fooducate gives all the key nutritional details without having to decipher a single label. The app also gives every food item a letter grade for health, from A to D, based on an algorithm developed by nutritionists and dietitians, which takes into account the nutritional density of each food. The program even considers ingredients and other nutrition label components such as preservatives, additives, high fructose corn syrup, food colorings, added sugar and serving sizes.

ShopWell

ShopWell is a personalized nutrition app that recommends foods to you based on your dietary needs and helps you build healthy grocery lists. It’s like having a personal dietitian in the palm of your hands. Just scan a food’s barcode to get nutrition info and find out if the food is right for you.  As a bonus, ShopWell is a Community Partner of the USDA and certified by Registered Dietitians.

Locavore

If you want to get better acquainted with the healthy produce available in your area, Locavore will be your best bet. The app helps you search for local, in-season produce and find nearby farms and farmers markets that offer the best products available.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch

It’s not just the fruits, veggies and meats you eat that need to be hormone and pesticide free, you should be keeping a healthy eye on seafood as well.  The Seafood Watch app helps you choose ocean-friendly seafood at your favorite restaurants and stores by bringing you the most current recommendations for seafood and sushi along with complete information about how each item should be fished or farmed.  You can even contribute to the app, adding the names of restaurants and stores in the U.S. where you’ve found sustainable seafood and locating what other users have found at businesses near you.

Food Additives 2

Focusing on whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins is the beginning of a healthy diet, but there are times when it can be nearly impossible to never eat anything prepackaged.  That’s where Food Additives 2 comes in.  This app lets you take a closer look at exactly what's in your cereal, canned soups, whole wheat crackers, or ice cream by giving you access to a 450-strong glossary of additives.  It even allows users to see if the additive has been linked with health problems, fits in with your vegan diet, and if it is considered safe or risky.

Danielle Pointdujour is a native Brooklynite living and writing in the Big Apple. You can find Danielle sharing her personal outlook on love, life and travel on various publications across the web.