When it comes to preparing the evening meal, you want as few distractions as possible, but with the added benefit of a helping hand. There are thousands of apps available, containing a wide variety of recipes to assist you in unleashing the chef in you. However, preparing a meal has just become that much easier with a variety of recipe apps that are now available directly on your wrist with the added benefit of never being too far from your shopping list.

Epicurious Recipes & Shopping List

With a choice of 30,000 recipes, it is not surprising that the Epicurious app has been downloaded more than 10 million times. With the launch of the app for the Apple Watch, you can now get access to all these recipes, without the need to locate your phone.

The latest release of the app provided you with an intelligent kitchen timer directly on your wrist. Gone are the days of wondering whether the steak is cooked or your vegetables need a few more minutes. The Smart Timer will count down the minutes until you need to flip your steak, and then count down again until the meat is cooked to perfection. Timings can differ in different kitchens, so the app also comes with photos and instructions so you can assess when something is done.

Yummly Recipes & Grocery Shopping List

The Yummly app for the Apple Watch provides you with a personalized recipe recommendation feed directly to your wrist. Recipe recommendations are based on the day of the week, time of day, your location or the season.

The Apple Watch version will provide you access to your shopping list, as well as your most recent Yums (a collection of your favorite recipes in your digital recipe box). The recipe search is also voice-enabled with Siri, allowing you to have both hands focused on your dinner preparations.

Food Network: In the Kitchen

Food Network’s “In the Kitchen” app is a now available on Apple Watch, giving you “on-the-wrist” access to top chefs, including Alton Brown, Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay and Guy Fieri.

The Apple Watch version allows you to see what show is currently on Food Network and what will be up next. You can add recipes to your Recipe Box directly from your wrist, as well as access the recipes being prepared on TV (when available).

Photo credit: Jens karlsson via Flickr; screenshots: SiliconANGLE via iTunes