We have an important announcement to make… it’s almost Pancake Day! So we’re marking the most delicious celebration of the year by sharing our tried-and-tested smartphone tips that’ll help you cook up a storm on Shrove Tuesday (and the rest of the year). After all, why work harder when you can work smarter? Read on to find out how to get the most of your smartphone in the kitchen. Now pass us the lemon and sugar.
Instant access to tasty recipes
You could spend hours trying to hunt down the perfect pancake recipe. Or you could let your smartphone do all the hard work so that you can spend more time enjoying the delicious results. With just a few clicks on your phone, you can access millions of recipes that suit whatever ingredients, budget and dietary requirements your household has. Join online cooking communities, stream cooking tutorials on your device, order groceries and follow professional chefs for creative twists on classic dishes (peppermint hot chocolate pancakes, anyone?).
Download cooking apps
Many apps have a whole host of functions to help coach you in the kitchen, from browsing tailor-made recipes to creating meal plans and digital cookbooks. Some mobile apps can also help you track food expiration dates, suggest ingredient substitutions or help you follow step-by-step instructions via photos, videos or voice commands. Plus, challenge your culinary skills by adjusting your in-app recipe search to include various levels of difficulty, and impress your friends with crowd-pleasers like fluffy Japanese soufflé pancakes or rainbow crêpe cakes!
Ready-made and real-time assistance
Your phone already has many built-in features that you can repurpose for the kitchen. You can set timers, convert units and record your own cooking tutorials – all handy and accessible ways to help you level up your culinary game. Got messy hands? No problem. Use built-in voice assistants like Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa to help with cooking commands and queries, and temporarily turn off your phone screen’s auto-lock settings so you can check your device without getting it dirty. Here’s how to do that:
iPhone: Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock and select Never.
Android: Go to Settings > Security > Screen lock and select None.
Operate smart kitchen tech
The power of your smartphone goes far beyond what’s inside that tiny screen. You can also use it to control smart technology in your kitchen that helps you cook more efficiently and precisely with minimal effort. Once your phone is synced up to this tech, you can track cooking temperatures on digital thermometers, remotely watch your food, and have a look at what’s inside your fridge and preheat your oven without getting up off the sofa. Swish! Now, if only there was a smart pan that could flip a pancake for us.
