Healthy Out App Review

By : Jodie Shield | 0 Comments | On : January 14, 2015 | Category : Apps & Websites

This easy-to-use app can make eating out a healthy dining adventure! 

Guest Post: Steven Humbrecht

 

If you love to eating out, but hate being tempted by all of the tantalizing menu options like coconut fried shrimp and cheesy lasagna, then Healthy Out is the app is for you. Simply enter your zip code and dietary desires (gluten-free, low cal) and a list of local restaurants and menu items that meet your search will appear. It’s that easy! One of my Benedictine University graduate students, Steven Humbrecht, reviewed this app for class. I thought it was such a great app, he agreed to let me post his review. Enjoy!

Healthy Out

Platform and Price:

Free to download on both Apple and Android phones

Steve’s Score: 5 out of 5 Stars

Synopsis of App

Healthy Out is a nutrition app that allows the user to quickly and accurately find dishes at local restaurants that meet specific nutritional requirements. The user first enters their zip code and selects whether they will be visiting a sit-down restaurant or a carryout-style eatery. Next, one or more nutritional requirements are selected such as “heart healthy”, “low fat”, or “low cal” or any combination of one or more requirements. Then, restaurants in the nearby area will show dishes that meet the nutritional requirements specified in the search.

Pros

• Saves the user time when deciding what to eat at a restaurant.
• Allows user to choose exact dishes rather than having to modify existing ones at restaurants.
• Easy to use and does not require personal information like names or email addresses.
• Provides macronutrient breakdown in the form of a colorful pie chart.
• Provides detailed nutrition facts and information about selected dishes.
• Searches quickly and accurately according to the search criteria provided.
• Gives recommendations to modify a dish to make it meet another nutrition requirement. Example: get this item on a lettuce wrap to also make the dish “low carb”
• Nutrient restrictions are similar to the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010.

Cons

• Will not produce many dish options if multiple nutrition restrictions are entered.
• Not all eateries and restaurants will provide nutritional information and macronutrient breakdown for their items.

Bottom Line

This app is an effective tool when deciding on dishes that meet nutrition criteria which is important when one is advised to limit a particular nutrient for their health. The app also has benefits for those that do not suffer from obesity or chronic disease because it allows them to see the nutritional information of restaurant food which often contains more fat and excess calories than Americans think. A visual layout with colorful charts can allow the user the ability to make better food choices without the need to spend time searching through the homepages of restaurants to see their nutritional information.