Below are my recommendations for 5 of the best free nutrition diet exercise apps. (Post may contain affiliate links).
My first 4 recommendations are for general diet, nutrition, exercise assistance.
The last one (1) is an app developed for kids with autism.
MyFitnessPal
Available on IOS and Android mobile apps; also desktop website address.
Of all the 5 best free nutrition diet exercise apps, MyFitnessPal is BY FAR my favorite, and I use it all the time.
One of the best things about this app is you can create and add your own recipes into the system. The app will then give you calories and basic nutrition facts per serving. The desktop version also shows you a Nutrition Facts label that you can copy and paste into your documents or wherever you want.
Another awesome thing about MyFitnessPal is that practically all foods are in the database, including many restaurant foods. For example, Soupplantation/Sweet Tomato, Red Robin, McDonald's, to name a few. Also, there is a bar code reader, so you can save time by just reading the bar code of the food you are eating.
The articles on MyFitnessPal are trustworthy and written by credentialed fitness pros. They contain tasty recipes, and sound nutrition and exercise advice.
I use the free version of MyFitnessPal, and there are ads showing. However, they are in the background, at least in the IOS mobile app. The desktop version also has ads, and they are a bit more noticeable. But, I don't find them troublesome.
If you are interested in a more extensive analysis of the foods you eat, you can pay for the premium version. But I have never found any use for it.
MyFitnessPal can be downloaded on Android and IOS, and can also be used on a desktop/laptop. There are several apps that can be connected to MyFitnessPal, including MapMyRun, MapMyWalk, FitBitTracker, and Pacer Pedometer.
SparkPeople Calorie Tracker
I discovered the desktop version of SparkPeople through Pinterest recently while looking for stability ball exercises, and I like it a lot. It reminds me of MyFitnessPal, except there are some really good exercise videos available on SparkPeople.com. There are a lot more ads that popup, however.
The Calorie Tracker app connects with the website, and offers different challenges including, “Eat 5+ Servings of Fruits & Veggies a Day for 7 Days,” and “Exercise 10+ Minutes a Day for 7 Days.”
These basic, concrete goals can be easily integrated into your homeschooling health and/or PE curriculum.
You can connect with friends and share via the feed.
There are also lots of recipes including “20 Incredible Ways to Make Chicken in Your Instant Pot.” Clicking on these recipes will take you to SparkRecipes.com.
I just got a brand new Instant Pot for my birthday in November, so I found this one interesting. By the way, I LOVE my Instant Pot!
SparkPeople also has several apps that complement the calorie tracker, including Nutrition Lookup and SparkRecipes.
Nutrition Lookup by SparkPeople
This is a very specific app for food lookup analysis. The free version of this app has more detailed nutritional information than the free version of MyFitnessPal.
For example, the free version of MyFitnessPal only includes calories, fat, carbs, protein, cholesterol, potassium, sodium, calcium, vitamin a, c, and iron. In contrast, Nutrition Lookup also has information on vitamin B12, B6, D, E, Copper, Folate, Magnesium, and more.
Vitamins B6, B12, Folate, D, E, and the minerals Copper and Magnesium are all important nutrients to have in your diet. So, if you are interested in detailed nutritional analysis without having to pay, Nutrition Lookup is a better choice than MyFitnessPal.
SparkRecipes
This app does what it says. It provides recipes. However, not just any kinds of recipes. Healthy recipes. For example, the recipe, “Raspberry-Lemon Scones,” includes nonfat milk and whole wheat flour. Also, the amounts of butter, salt and sugar are significantly lower than is typical for a Scone recipe.
And, of course, there are TONS of recipes that are kid-friendly, allergy friendly, quick and easy, and so much more!
For example, Mini Vegetable Frittatas are low carb, rich in veggies AND kid friendly; 55 Healthy Snacks under 200 Calories are low calorie and kid friendly; and Gluten Free Four Cheese Macaroni and Cheese is gluten free and kid friendly!
SparkRecipes allows you to add your own recipes as well, which is similar to MyFitnessPal. You can also create favorite ingredients, which is not an option that I have noticed in MyFitnessPal.
Calorie Tracker, Nutrition Lookup, and SparkRecipes can all be connected to the main website, and you can use the same username and password for all three.
Exercise Buddy (EB Pro)
EB Pro was designed specifically for autistic kiddos to encourage regular exercise. Despite this fact, EB Pro can also be used for any child who struggles with exercise.
One downside is that EB Pro works only on tablets.
Unfortunately, it also has a few bugs.
We have been using EB Pro since summer, and it is wonderful when it is working correctly. The developers have been having issues with PayPal and monthly subscriptions, so we have been canceled a couple of times. I have had to redo my programmed workout routines a couple of times, which has been frustrating. However, the developer is easy to work with and he does all he can to help get you functional on EB Pro.
The pluses of EB Pro:
Every exercise is categorized with most having a short video showing the exercise. Most of the exercises are basic and easy to learn. The developer works with autistic youth, and all of the videos are of autistic youth doing the exercises. You can make your own videos and download them as well.
Since the exercises have visual aides, mom and dad or older brother and sister can learn the exercises and teach them to younger or special needs siblings. Higher functioning special kids can become independent once they learn specific exercises. They can then use the Exercise Buddy on their own, which helps mom a lot!
My son is able to do this, and it helps ease my stress level tremendously!
Exercise Buddy is not actually free, but it hardly costs anything. It is only $4 per month (or $36 for a year). Plus, you can get a 14-day free trial before deciding if it works for you.
The developer is pretty easy to reach via phone if you have any questions or issues. His name is Dave Geslak, his company is Exercise Connection, and he is an Autism Exercise Specialist.
In addition to the EB Pro, Dave has written a book, titled, “The Autism Fitness Handbook, and created some other materials to help people who are working with special needs kids, particularly autistic kids, of all ages.
Don't forget to checkout my freebies page, including FREE Christmas Cards with Envelope Template! and the booklet, “Lactose Intolerance or Milk Allergy? How to Tell the Difference”
I've also recently written articles on Gluten Intolerance and 13 Benefits of Omega-3 Fats.
Why Exercise Beats the Winter Blues
How to Motivate Your Kid to Exercise
