Food apps are increasingly more and more useful for finding restaurant reviews, grocery store coupons, ordering delivery and other fun foodie things. They can also help consumers be more ethical eaters through a few taps and slides. Here are 8 free apps that can help you make more ethical food choices.
1. Certified Humane
Shoppers might come across the “Certified Humane” label on animal food products. This stamp signifies that it has been certified by the Humane Farm Animal Care. The app can either work locally or to help find products online. Enter a location, then a nearby grocery store will pop and list the products that it carries that are certified.
2. Chocolate List
With growing information about the labor abuses in chocolate production, chocophiles are looking to make more educated choices. Those who are concerned with learning more about the creation of their delicious chocolate bars can download this app by the Food Empowerment Project to see which vegan chocolate bars they do and don’t recommend based on labor practices.
3. Greenease 
While it’s easier to make ethical food choices when cooking at home, knowing where ingredients come from at restaurants can be a bit more veiled. Greenease simplifies that information, giving restaurant stickers for categories like “Free Range,” “Local,” “Grass Fed,” and the like.
4. Riverford Organic Farmers
Bought a bunch of veggies but don’t know what to cook? Want to cook in season, but you’re not sure where to start? The Riverford Organic Farmers App streamlines your vegetable recipe dreams. The app is formatted like a slot machine, with beautifully illustrated vegetables, that clicking into it is (almost) like playing a game.
5. iRecycle
If you’ve ever wondered, “where can I recycle ______,” this app from earth911 has you covered. Just put in your zip code and object, and it will guide you where to drop it off.
6. Love Food Hate Waste
Forty percent of perfectly edible food in the U.S. ends up in the trash, and American households lose money spent on food. With a food waste-conscious recipe planner, this app helps users not only plan and portion meals, but save food and money from ending up in a landfill.
7. Good. To. Go.
Speaking of food waste, much of food is wasted in restaurants and grocery stores. This app helps connect consumers to restaurants to sell discounted foods that would otherwise end up in the can instead of bellies. For the moment, it’s just in the UK, but will hopefully extend its reach to more cities.
8. Waste No Food
For food businesses looking to donate food rather than toss it, check out this app to connect to charities. The app also facilitates volunteers looking to end a helping hand for a first helping.
Madina Papadopoulos is a New York-based freelance writer, author, and regular contributor to Paste. You can follow her adventures on Instagram and Twitter.