Digital Helpers for a Smarter Everyday Life – 6 Useful Apps for making life easier

Kira Zabe
October 15, 2024
In a world full of tasks, deadlines, and goals, finding ways to streamline everyday routines is key to staying organized and stress-free. The right apps can help you manage everything from fitness and mental health to financial planning and household organization. Whether you're working on building better habits or trying to manage your budget, these six apps will empower you to live smarter and more efficiently.
1.MyFitnessPal – Your Personal Nutrition and Fitness Tracker
If you're aiming to stay on top of your health,MyFitnessPalis a must-have. This app helps you track your calories, macronutrients, and even your workouts. With a massive food database and the ability to log meals and exercises, it offers a comprehensive way to keep tabs on your fitness journey. You can even sync it with wearables like Fitbit or Apple Watch to have a complete picture of your health.
Features: Calorie counting, nutrition tracking, and workout logsWho it's for: Anyone looking to maintain a healthy lifestyle, track fitness progress, or manage weight.

2.YNAB (You Need A Budget) – Take Control of Your Finances
Managing money can feel overwhelming, but withYNAB, you can create a budget that works for your lifestyle. This app helps you give every dollar a job, ensuring you're ready for any expense that comes your way. With tools to set savings goals, manage debt, and plan for the future, YNAB transforms how you handle your finances, encouraging better money habits and helping you reach financial security.
Features: Budgeting, financial planning, and goal settingWho it's for: Anyone who wants to take charge of their finances, save more effectively, or manage debt.
3.Habitica – Turn Your Life Into a Game
Want to turn everyday tasks into a fun, motivating experience?Habiticaturns your to-do list and habit tracking into a game, where you earn points and rewards for completing tasks. Whether it’s daily habits, long-term goals, or project milestones, Habitica helps you stay focused and productive by making work feel like play. Plus, you can join group challenges for even more motivation.
Features: Gamified task management and habit trackingWho it's for: Those who struggle with procrastination or want a more engaging way to stay productive.

4.Forest – Boost Focus and Stay Productive
If distractions keep getting in the way of your productivity,Forestis here to help. The app encourages you to stay focused by planting a virtual tree that grows as long as you don't leave the app to check notifications or browse the web. If you get distracted, your tree withers away. For extra motivation, Forest partners with tree-planting organizations, so staying focused also contributes to real-world reforestation efforts.
Features: Focus and productivity tracker with environmental impactWho it's for: Anyone who wants to cut down on distractions and improve concentration while contributing to a greener planet.
5.Headspace – Mental Wellbeing and Mindfulness
Taking care of your mental health is crucial, andHeadspaceoffers the tools to help you cultivate a sense of calm and mindfulness in your day. With guided meditations, sleep programs, and breathing exercises, Headspace helps you reduce stress, improve focus, and even sleep better. It's an ideal app for both beginners and those with experience in mindfulness practices.
Features: Guided meditation, stress relief, and sleep programsWho it's for: People looking to improve mental wellbeing, manage stress, or build a meditation practice.
6.Smantry.App – Organize Your Pantry, Reduce Waste
If you’re tired of food going bad before you get a chance to use it, theSmantry.Appcan help. This app keeps track of your pantry, fridge, and freezer contents, making it easy to see what you have and what you need. It even suggests recipes based on what’s already in your kitchen, helping you plan meals more efficiently and cut down on food waste. By organizing your food supply, you’ll save money and reduce the stress of last-minute shopping trips.
Features: Pantry inventory, meal planning, and waste reduction
Who it's for: Anyone who wants to manage their food inventory, reduce food waste, and plan meals more efficiently.

With these six apps, you can take control of your daily routines, build better habits, and manage important areas of your life more effectively. Whether you're looking to boost your productivity, manage your finances, or simply reduce food waste, these tools offer simple, effective solutions to help you live smarter.

New laws on food waste in Spain
Spain has recently passed a groundbreaking law to combat food waste. This law requires all actors in the food chain, from producers to retailers, to implement specific plans to prevent food loss.
Key provisions of the law:
Obligation to donate surplus food: Supermarkets with a floor space of more than 1,300 square meters are now required to form partnerships with non-profit organizations to donate surplus food that is still fit for consumption. These donations are exempt from value-added tax.
Offer of packaging for leftover food: Restaurants and bars are required to provide their guests with free, reusable or recyclable packaging so that they can take home uneaten food. The aim is to raise consumer awareness of food waste and encourage them to take leftovers with them.
Promotion of the sale of products with approaching expiration dates: Retailers should offer products that are nearing their expiration date or have aesthetic defects at reduced prices to encourage their sale and reduce waste.
Hierarchy of priorities for dealing with surplus food: The law establishes an order for handling surplus food. Priority is given to human consumption through donations. If this is not possible, the food should be used for the production of processed products. The last options include using it as animal feed or for energy generation.
Sanctions for violations:
Companies that violate the provisions of the law can expect fines ranging from 2,000 to 500,000 euros.
Critique and Outlook:
While the law is considered an important step in the fight against food waste in Europe, there is also criticism. Some voices argue that the strict framework of sanctions could disproportionately burden companies and that the law does not sufficiently address the role of consumers, who are responsible for a significant portion of food waste.
Nevertheless, the law is seen as a significant advancement in reducing food waste and promoting a more sustainable awareness in society.
Join in and reduce food waste! 🌱📲
Spain's new law demonstrates: Sustainability starts in the pantry! With the Speisekammer App you can keep track of your groceries, plan meals efficiently, and avoid unnecessary waste.
👉 Download the app now and join the movement for less waste and more conscious consumption! 💚 Try it now!

Get the most out of your Smantry App: Activate these premium features!
🖼️ Private photos for your articles
Make your inventory management visual! With the feature "Upload Your Own Images" you can add a photo to each item – for example, of the packaging, the jar, or the portion in the freezer. This is especially helpful if you share with others in a community or if you want to visually remember your supplies better.
Activation: Open app → Account (last tab in the mobile app) → Settings → "Activate Personal Pictures"
🔍 Target nutritional information
The app automatically displays calorie and nutritional information – super convenient when you're shopping or eating mindfully. Don't need this info right now or want a cleaner view? You can also simply hide the display!
Control:Profile → Account Settings → Enable “Hide Nutritional Information”, to hide it.
💶 Prices & Expenses at a Glance
If you want to know how much you spend on which item or how much money is lying dormant in your pantry, the Price Entry feature can help you. With it, you can plan your shopping even better and even track your budget.
Activation: Open app → Account (last tab in the mobile app) → Settings → “Enable price input”
💡 Prepper Mode: Even More Control
The Prepper Mode has been introduced for those who really want to keep track of everything – including minimum quantities, emergency supplies, and individual notes for serious situations. It's also useful if you just want to make sure you never run out of anything important.
Activation: Open app → Account (last tab in the mobile app) → Settings → “Show Prepper Information”
Here's how you can find your account settings
In the mobile app you can find the settings easily in the last tab on the far right (Account). In the web app click on Account → "Settings".
All mentioned features are part of the Premium-Version. If you don't have a premium license yet, feel free to check in the app or on app.speisekammer.app/upgrade – there's also a family license available!
✨ Conclusion: You have more options than you think. Activate the hidden premium features now and get the most out of your Smantry app. Because smart inventory management starts with the right tools.
If you have any questions about activation, feel free to contact support or check out our Help Center. And if you have feature requests – we always welcome your feedback!

Never forget leftovers again: Soon you'll be able to mark opened products 🧃✨
💡 The new feature: Mark products as "opened"
With the upcoming update, you will soon be able to specify in the Pantry App when a product was opened. This way, you always keep track:
- What is already open
- Since when it has been open
This is particularly useful for fresh or perishable food items, but also for sauces, canned goods, spreads, or snacks.
🔔 Reminders included
Of course, if you wish, you will also be automatically reminded, when an opened product should soon be consumed – all in keeping with the motto: Use rather than waste.
🎯 Why this is important
Food waste often doesn't occur while shopping – but at home, in everyday life. If we know better what is open and should be consumed, it becomes easier to make the right decisions. And that's exactly what the Pantry App wants to support you with even better with the new feature.
🛠 When will it be time?
We are currently working hard on the implementation – the feature is expected to be rolled out in the next update. So you will be able to test it very soon yourself.
If you want to participate in the testing or have feedback, feel free to write to us in support. We look forward to your ideas!
With the Pantry App, stockpiling becomes not only more sustainable, but also easier – step by step.
Stay tuned – it's getting exciting! 💚

🌍 Small ideas – big impact: These companies help you save food in everyday life
🍏 Foodsi (Poland)
This mobile app connects users with restaurants, bakeries and cafés offering surplus food at reduced prices—especially valuable in Polish cities like Warsaw or Kraków.
🛍️ OLIO – Share Surplus Food with Neighbors
OLIO connects neighbors and local businesses to share surplus food instead of throwing it away. Users can offer or request free food via the app — reducing waste and building community.
🍌 Imperfect Foods – Selling "Ugly" but Edible Food
This U.S.-based grocery delivery service rescues "imperfect" produce and surplus goods that major supermarkets reject due to appearance or overstocking — and delivers them directly to your door.
🔗 https://www.imperfectfoods.com
📦 Dispatch Goods – Reusable Packaging for Takeout
Dispatch Goods partners with restaurants to replace single-use containers with reusable packaging. This reduces packaging waste — and their system tracks and collects the containers for reuse.
🔗 https://www.dispatchgoods.com
🥬 Fresh.Land – Farm-to-Consumer to Prevent Waste (DK)
Fresh.Land shortens the supply chain by connecting consumers directly with farmers. This means fresher produce, longer shelf life, and fewer losses due to long storage or transport.
🧊 ColdHubs – Solar-Powered Cold Storage in Nigeria
ColdHubs installs solar-powered cold rooms for small farmers and markets to store perishable foods. This innovation significantly extends shelf life and reduces spoilage in hot climates.
🧃 Winnow – AI to Track Food Waste in Commercial Kitchens
Winnow’s smart scales and AI help restaurants and hotels measure and reduce food waste. By showing how much food is wasted and why, kitchens can adapt their behavior.
🔗 https://www.winnowsolutions.com
Why this matters for you
When you use the Smantry app, you can track and manage rescued food items in your pantry – whether they came from Foodsi, Karma, or another initiative. We’re building integrations to log these products, set reminders, and reduce waste in your household.
Know any other businesses doing this well?
We’d love to hear about them! Email your favourites to kira@mantry.com or write us in the chat or social media. Your tip might inspire others and be featured next. 🌿