Snapchat's New Food Scan Feature Will Change the Way You Cook: Here's How to Use It

Don’t know what to cook tonight? Snapchat’s got your back.

We've all been there—dinnertime is getting closer and you have absolutely no idea what to cook. Sure, you've got some vegetables and a few eggs in the fridge, and maybe even some ground turkey if you're lucky, but you're at a loss for how to throw all (or some) of those ingredients together to make a tasty meal, and the hungrier you get, the less patience you have.

Enter Snapchat's new Food Scan feature, which launches on November 16. As its name implies, this feature, which was created in partnership with Allrecipes, lets Snapchat users scan just about any ingredient so they can grocery shop, cook, and find meal inspiration more efficiently than ever before. As avid Snapchat fans may know, this feature has already been put to use in several ways and can help users identify everything from dog breeds to wine labels, but this is the first time the feature has been applied to food ingredients.

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Snapchat

For example, let's say that bunch of kale you purchased at the farmers market last weekend has just days left before it'll be too old to eat, and you want to use it up before it's destined for the trash. Simply open your Snapchat to the main camera screen, point it at the bunch of kale, and press the "Scan" button.

As soon as you push the button, Food Scan will share dozens of recipes you can make with the ingredient in question, as well as some relevant info on said ingredient directly from Wikipedia. What's more? Since the recipes have all been tried and tested by the Allrecipes team, you know they're bound to be pretty darn good. With more than 1,200 individual ingredients and thousands of recipes in the vast Food Scan library, you'll never have to waste time thinking about what to cook ever again.

Snapchat's newest feature is designed to inspire the next generation of home cooks, but it'll also be incredibly helpful for working parents, college students, and young professionals. While Food Scan is easy to use at home, (especially if you're cleaning out the fridge and want to reduce food waste) it also works well if you're wandering around the grocery store and have no idea what to buy.

Additionally, since Food Scan is launching just before the holiday season, it's the perfect resource for those who are looking for some holiday cooking inspiration. In fact, Allrecipes has shared some of its most popular seasonal recipes, which are now available directly on Snapchat's Food Scan. Some of the top contenders include Air Fryer One-Bite Roasted Potatoes, Chef John's Hot Sloppy Joe Dip, and Pumpkin Pancakes. To find the complete recipe for any one of these delectable dishes, just scan one of the main ingredients. Happy cooking!

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