Customer Reviews (500)

RossanaUSA • 2025-03-10T05:56:53-07:00

I love the feature of working outline. The recipes are easy and clear. excellent app.

blah123442234 • 2025-03-09T08:33:44-07:00

This app is not for vegetarians. All of the recipes are vegan only so it's effectively useless for 90% of people following plant based diets

Hmiz34 • 2025-02-07T10:00:27-07:00

Lots of good recipes in a good-looking app but that's about it. There is no nutritional information for any of the recipes, which is just crazy. For the price, this app should have considerably more bells and whistles.

Summary of Key Insights

The Forks Plant-Based Recipes app is generally well-received, with a strong positive sentiment driven by its extensive recipe collection, user-friendly design, and helpful features like the shopping list. However, several recurring pain points exist, primarily relating to the lack of nutritional information, the absence of an optimized iPad version, and occasional app instability (crashing/freezing). Users frequently request more filtering and organization options, recipe reviews/ratings, and the ability to adjust serving sizes. While the app is praised for its convenience and inspiration for plant-based cooking, addressing these issues would significantly enhance the user experience and potentially attract a broader audience.

Key Strengths:

  • Large and growing recipe collection
  • Easy-to-use interface
  • Helpful shopping list feature
  • Inspiration for plant-based eating
  • Well-organized recipe presentation

Key Weaknesses:

  • Lack of nutritional information
  • No iPad-optimized version
  • Occasional app instability (crashing/freezing)
  • Limited filtering/organization options
  • Missing recipe reviews/ratings

Overall Sentiment: Positive

Quantitative Metrics:

  • Overall Rating (implied): High, based on the score distribution
  • 5-Star Reviews: 72.2% (361/500)
  • 4-Star Reviews: 10.4% (52/500)
  • 3-Star Reviews: 5.4% (27/500)
  • 2-Star Reviews: 5.4% (27/500)
  • 1-Star Reviews: 6.6% (33/500)

Data & Methodology Overview

  • Data Sample Size: 500 reviews
  • Time Frame: Not explicitly stated, but the reviews span several years, indicating a long-term perspective.
  • Analysis Methods: Primarily qualitative analysis, involving manual review and categorization of user feedback. Sentiment was inferred from star ratings and review text. Keyword extraction was used to identify frequently mentioned issues and requested features.

Key User Pain Points

  • Lack of Nutritional Information: Many users express frustration with the absence of calorie counts, macros (protein, carbs, fats), and other nutritional details. This is a significant drawback for users tracking their diet for health or weight management reasons.
  • App Instability (Crashing/Freezing): A notable number of users report that the app frequently crashes or freezes, sometimes requiring a phone restart. This severely impacts usability and can lead to frustration, especially when in the middle of cooking.
  • No iPad-Optimized Version: Many users want a dedicated iPad version that takes advantage of the larger screen, ideally allowing simultaneous viewing of ingredients and instructions. The current iPhone-sized app on iPad is considered suboptimal.
  • Limited Recipe Organization/Filtering: Users desire more advanced ways to organize and filter recipes, such as by cuisine, ingredient, dietary restrictions (beyond gluten/nuts), or preparation time. Difficulty organizing favorite recipes is a recurring complaint.
  • Missing Recipe Reviews/Ratings: The lack of user reviews and ratings makes it difficult to assess the quality and taste of recipes before trying them. Users want to see what others have experienced and learn from their modifications.
  • Inconsistent Recipe Quality: Several users reported recipes being bland, tasteless, or having unclear instructions. This leads to wasted ingredients and a negative cooking experience.
  • No Serving Size Adjustment: Many users wish they could easily adjust the serving size of recipes and have the ingredient quantities automatically updated. This is particularly important for single users or smaller households.

Frequently Requested Features

  • Nutritional Information (Calories, Macros)
  • iPad-Optimized Version
  • Recipe Reviews and Ratings
  • Serving Size Adjustment
  • More Advanced Filtering and Sorting Options
  • Print Functionality
  • Search by Ingredient
  • Ingredient Substitutions
  • Ability to Add User Notes

Strengths and Positive Aspects

  • Extensive Recipe Collection: The app offers a large and diverse collection of plant-based recipes, providing users with plenty of options.
  • Easy to Use: The app is generally praised for its intuitive interface, clear instructions, and easy navigation.
  • Shopping List Feature: The built-in shopping list, which allows users to easily add ingredients from recipes, is a highly valued feature.
  • Step-by-Step Instructions: The format of presenting ingredients needed for each step of the recipe is well-liked.
  • New Recipes Added Regularly: Users appreciate the continuous addition of new recipes, keeping the app fresh and inspiring.
  • Affordable Price: The one-time purchase price is considered reasonable for the value provided.
  • Inspiration for Plant-Based Eating: The app inspires users to explore and adopt a plant-based lifestyle.
  • Helps with Health Goals: Users reported that using the app has helped them improve their health, manage weight, and control blood sugar.

Prioritized Action Recommendations

High Priority:

  • Address App Instability (Crashing/Freezing): This is the most critical issue and should be addressed immediately. Investigate the root cause of the crashes and freezes and implement a fix in the next update.
  • Implement Nutritional Information: Add calorie counts, macros, and other nutritional details to each recipe. This is a highly requested feature and would significantly enhance the app's value.

Medium Priority:

  • Develop an iPad-Optimized Version: Create a dedicated iPad version that takes advantage of the larger screen, allowing simultaneous viewing of ingredients and instructions.
  • Implement Recipe Reviews and Ratings: Allow users to rate and review recipes, providing valuable feedback and helping others make informed choices.
  • Improve Recipe Testing and Clarity: Implement a more rigorous recipe testing process to ensure accuracy, clarity, and consistent taste. Solicit feedback from recipe testers before publishing.
  • Add Serving Size Adjustment: Enable users to easily adjust the serving size of recipes and have the ingredient quantities automatically updated.

Low Priority:

  • Expand Filtering and Sorting Options: Add more advanced filtering and sorting options, such as by cuisine, ingredient, dietary restrictions, or preparation time.
  • Implement Print Functionality: Allow users to print recipes for easier reference in the kitchen.
  • Add Ingredient Substitution Suggestions: Provide suggestions for common ingredient substitutions to accommodate dietary restrictions or preferences.

Opportunities for Startup Ideas

  • Personalized Plant-Based Meal Planning Service: A subscription-based service that provides customized meal plans based on user preferences, dietary restrictions, and health goals, integrated with the Forks Over Knives recipe database.
  • Smart Kitchen Integration: An integration with smart kitchen appliances (e.g., Instant Pot, smart ovens) to automate cooking processes based on Forks Over Knives recipes.
  • Plant-Based Ingredient Marketplace: A curated online marketplace that offers hard-to-find ingredients used in Forks Over Knives recipes, delivered directly to users' homes.
  • Community Forum: A dedicated forum within the app for users to share their experiences, modifications, and tips for Forks Over Knives recipes.

Trends and Observations

  • Desire for Health-Focused Features: A strong emphasis on health and nutrition is evident, with many users tracking their diet for specific health goals.
  • Importance of Convenience: Users value features that save time and effort, such as the shopping list and easy-to-follow instructions.
  • Requests for Personalization: Users want more control over recipe selection and organization to fit their individual needs and preferences.
  • Value for Money: Users appreciate the one-time purchase model and consider the app a good value for the price.

Conclusion

The Forks Plant-Based Recipes app is a valuable resource for individuals seeking to adopt or maintain a plant-based lifestyle. While the app has many strengths, addressing the identified pain points, particularly app stability and the lack of nutritional information, is crucial for improving user satisfaction and attracting a wider audience. Prioritizing the action recommendations outlined above will enhance the app's usability, functionality, and overall value, solidifying its position as a leading resource for plant-based cooking. Overall, the app is highly recommended but with the caveat that users should be aware of its limitations and the potential for occasional instability.

Original App Link

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/forks-plant-based-recipes/id903911740?uo=2