Zest: Meal Planner & Recipes

• Free to download
• In-app purchases

Last verified 31 Jul 2026

4.7 3704 ratings · App Store

1. 5/5Genuinely excited

   Having just cooked my first meal with this app, I feel I can say I’m very excited for where I’ll go with it! I’ve long been looking for something this accessible to help me learn and feel more comfortable with cooking. I think I can say that I’ve found that with Zest. The wealth of knowledge available in each recipe really makes you feel at ease with each recipe, with bite-sized tips and tricks through videos within the steps. I love the broad range of recipes even separated by your skill level, with more complex dishes and simple single-digit ingredient dishes all available even at my introductory skill level. This move was genius, I think, because having that rush of being able to make something delicious and quick but also learning as I go will definitely help keep me engaged! I honestly can’t wait to explore more recipes and learn more, I already have a dozen recipes saved! Addition to my previous review after using it for a while longer: I love this app for how it has helped me cook for my family a lot more than I used to in my pre-Zest days! One gripe and suggestion for a clarification to add for equipment: I have many times not used the right sized bowl or pan or pot. Saying “small” or “large” is not always specific enough. A suggested volume of size would be immensely helpful! In fact, I would love to see a View Details option for the Equipment section in the future.

   Joe Chase · 31 Jul 2026

2. 5/5Yay I can cook now (only took me 100 years)

   So far I like this app. I'm only using the free version and I've only made mac n cheese- but it managed to make some pretty good mac n cheese. My mom liked it too(and not in the fake mom way, she was grabbing herself seconds n thirds n everything) I love the teaching style, I love the little classes that teach about organics. If the second recipe comes out good as well I may even start paying for the service. However, I think it could use some improvements? Mostly in the search section, I often try to find things to no avail. I saw lemonade the other day so I search "Drinks" out of curiosity. Nothing pops up. The categories help but sometimes things that look like they should be in a category.... aren't. It's not a huge thing and I'm only level 2. Maybe adding a way to sort by levels would help? All the level one foods disappeared when I leveled up and now I have to use the search system to find them :/ Also maybe if I level up level one foods shouldn't give as many points? Or just recipes I've done before maybe? On duoling if you repeat a lesson you only get five points. The point isn't to shame anyone but I can't really see how cooking mac n cheese 100 times would make me level five worthy. I mean it could? I could be a mac n cheese master or something. But!!! If someone reading this is thinking about downloading the app you should def give it a try. I've always had problems with cooking anything at all and I've learnt more here than I have from my mother, grandma, cooking teachers, cook books, podcasts, youtubers, or anyone else. It's nice to be able to learn at my own pace.

   🎈🤡 · 31 Jul 2026

3. 5/5I have a gf now

   Look - I’m not proud of it but I talked a big game on the first date. I said I can cook (I wasn’t lying - I write dank software & make sick beats) but in the kitchen an omelet was about as far as I could take it. Date no2 was approaching quickly - panic. That’s when I remembered this app. First off I love that it literally, with the click of a button, gets all my ingredients in Instacart. I am used to living in my little coding cave - don’t make me search for a thing I’ve never heard off in the wrong isle. This feature alone would be worth the monthly sub. BUT THEN - IT ACTUALLY TEACHES YOU USEFUL LITTLE TRICKS I CAN USE FOREVER. I’m not just mindlessly following a recipe - although you could do that bc it’s so easy - but for example the trick that my grandma would’ve thought me if she had the patience - of checking if your chicken is ready by holding the knife against your lip??? I love that you are giving me this life skill that 1:1 has helped me back up my big game talk and I now have a lovely gf thanks to it 🥰 if this turns into marriage you all are invited for sure

   TomHusson · 31 Jul 2026

4. 5/5Life changing

   I was STRUGGLING. I wasnt taught autonomy as a child and after years of fight or flight, I’ve finally got the ability to sit and think about my food intake. I struggled with ed’s and many other things that made me DREAD eating nevermind cooking. I tried all the meal kits (ALL of them, even started giving the workers at my leasing office advice) and non of them stuck. I still HATED to eat and cook. Then I tried zest. From the first recipe, I knew I would never look back. I immediately made my fiance download it. I cook every day now and I look forward to it. I made a pot roast guys! Like to be able to say that is…life changing. I feel like I’m prepared to be a mom. When I got sick, I STILL got up and followed these recipes. Something I could never do before. Now I know that when I get sick, I can still feed my babies. My confidence has been 100% boosted. Thank you for everything Zest.

   dannysvain · 31 Jul 2026

5. 4/5Love this app BUT…

   I’ve written a review for this app before, was in touch with the app developers before, etc. I love how the creators really listen to the criticism/suggestions from their customers. The app has grown a lot from what it started from. Something I am very confused about and don’t like and that has consistently been the same is that with every new update, all the recipes I’ve saved/favorited get removed??? I’ve been paying for this app for a year and every update erases all the progress I’ve made in the learning module, it erases my cooking history, and it erases all the recipes I’ve saved. It frustrates me to NO END. Like now I have to go through and try to remember everything I’ve cooked so I can look them up and favorite/save them again?? Why is this an issue EVERY TIME?? At a certain point I have to wonder if other apps have this issue? I’m paying for my account, the LEAST I can expect is for the recipes I’ve favorited to save?? Otherwise I love this app. Also love that kosher is now available!!

   Nev1101 · 31 Jul 2026

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