SecretSpice User Guide

1. Getting Started

Welcome to SecretSpice

SecretSpice is your comprehensive kitchen companion, designed to help busy families organize recipes, plan meals, and manage their pantry efficiently. Whether you're importing recipes from your favorite websites or organizing family secret recipes, SecretSpice makes cooking more enjoyable and less stressful.

First Launch Setup

1Download and Install: Get SecretSpice from the App Store and launch it on your iOS device.

2Initial Setup: On first launch, you'll be guided through a quick setup process:

• Choose your preferred measurement units (Imperial/Metric)
• Set dietary preferences and restrictions
• Configure notification preferences
• Enable iCloud sync for backup across devices

3Explore the Interface: Familiarize yourself with the main tabs:

• Recipes: Browse, search, and manage your recipe collection
• Pantry: Track ingredients, shopping lists, and recipe matching
• Meal Plans: Plan weekly meals and generate shopping lists
• Collections: Organize recipes into custom categories
• Settings: Customize app preferences and features

2. Recipe Importing

Import from Websites

SecretSpice's intelligent parsing engine can import recipes from most cooking websites with a single tap.

Using the Share Extension

1Find a Recipe: Browse to any recipe on a cooking website using Safari or your preferred browser.

2Share to SecretSpice:

• Tap the Share button in your browser
• Scroll down and select "SecretSpice"
• The app will automatically parse the recipe content

3Review and Edit: SecretSpice will present the parsed recipe for review:

• Verify the recipe title and description
• Check ingredients list for accuracy
• Review cooking instructions
• Add personal notes or modifications
• Assign tags and categories

4Save: Tap "Save Recipe" to add it to your collection.

Manual Recipe Entry

For handwritten recipes or sources that don't parse automatically:

1Create New Recipe: Tap the "+" button in the Recipes tab.

2Enter Basic Information:

• Recipe title
• Description or source
• Prep and cook times
• Number of servings
• Difficulty level

3Add Ingredients:

• Tap "Add Ingredient"
• Enter quantity, unit, and ingredient name
• Add preparation notes (diced, chopped, etc.)
• Repeat for all ingredients

4Enter Instructions:

• Add step-by-step cooking instructions
• Use the built-in timer suggestions
• Include temperature and technique notes

Photo Capture Import

Import recipes from cookbooks or handwritten cards using OCR:

1Camera Import: Tap "Import from Photo" in the new recipe screen.

2Capture or Select: Take a photo of the recipe or select from your photo library.

3OCR Processing: SecretSpice will analyze the image and extract text.

4Review and Edit: Verify the extracted content and make corrections as needed.

3. Recipe Management

Organizing Your Collection

Collections and Categories

Keep your recipes organized with SecretSpice's flexible collection system:

1Create Collections:

• Go to the Collections tab
• Tap "+" to create a new collection
• Choose a name, icon, and color
• Add description and tags

2Add Recipes to Collections:

• Open any recipe
• Tap "Add to Collection"
• Select one or more collections
• Recipes can belong to multiple collections

Tagging System

Use tags for flexible recipe organization:

• Cuisine Types: Italian, Mexican, Asian, etc.
• Dietary Needs: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Keto, etc.
• Meal Types: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snacks
• Cooking Methods: Slow Cooker, Instant Pot, Grilling
• Occasions: Holiday, Party, Quick Weeknight

Recipe Rating and Notes

1Rate Recipes: Use the 5-star rating system to track your favorites.

2Add Personal Notes:

• Cooking tips and modifications
• Family preferences and substitutions
• Cooking time adjustments
• Serving suggestions

3Attach Photos: Add photos of your finished dishes to remember presentation and plating ideas.

Advanced Recipe Features

Recipe Scaling

Automatically adjust ingredient quantities for different serving sizes:

• Open any recipe
• Tap the servings number
• Adjust to your desired serving size
• All ingredient quantities update automatically

Nutritional Information

SecretSpice automatically calculates nutritional information when possible:

• Calories per serving
• Macronutrients (protein, carbs, fat)
• Key vitamins and minerals
• Dietary restriction compliance

Cost Tracking

Track recipe costs to help with meal planning budgets:

• Add ingredient costs in the pantry section
• SecretSpice calculates estimated recipe costs
• Compare costs across similar recipes
• Track spending trends over time

4. Pantry Management

Stock Management

Keep track of what you have on hand to reduce waste and plan better meals.

Adding Ingredients to Your Pantry

1Manual Entry:

• Go to Pantry tab → Stock
• Tap "+" to add new ingredient
• Enter ingredient name, quantity, and unit
• Set storage location (pantry, fridge, freezer)
• Add expiration date if applicable
• Set low stock alerts

2Barcode Scanning:

• Tap the barcode icon when adding ingredients
• Scan packaged goods for automatic entry
• Verify and adjust quantities as needed

Storage Locations

Organize ingredients by where they're stored:

• Pantry: Dry goods, canned items, spices
• Refrigerator: Fresh produce, dairy, leftovers
• Freezer: Frozen vegetables, meats, prepared meals
• Spice Rack: Herbs and spices
• Other: Custom locations

Expiration Tracking

Never waste food again with smart expiration monitoring:

• Set expiration dates for perishable items
• Receive notifications before items expire
• View "expiring soon" alerts in the pantry dashboard
• Get recipe suggestions to use expiring ingredients

Shopping Lists

Creating Shopping Lists

1Manual Addition:

• Go to Pantry tab → Shopping List
• Tap "+" to add items
• Enter item name, quantity, and estimated cost
• Set priority level (high, medium, low)

2From Recipe Matching:

• View recipes you can "almost make"
• Tap "Add Missing to Shopping List"
• Missing ingredients are automatically added

3From Meal Plans:

• Create weekly meal plans
• Generate shopping lists automatically
• Consolidate duplicate ingredients

Smart Shopping Features

• Store Layout: Organize lists by grocery store sections
• Price Tracking: Track costs and compare prices
• Seasonal Suggestions: Get recommendations for seasonal ingredients
• Bulk Buying: Calculate cost savings for bulk purchases

Recipe Matching

Discover what you can cook with ingredients you already have:

Match Categories

• Can Make: Recipes you have all ingredients for
• Almost Can Make: Missing 1-2 ingredients
• Need Few Items: Missing 3-5 ingredients
• All Recipes: Complete collection with match percentages

Using Recipe Matching

1View Matches: Go to Pantry tab → Recipes to see what you can make.

2Filter Results: Use the filter buttons to focus on specific match types.

3Take Action:

• Cook recipes you can make immediately
• Add missing ingredients to shopping list
• Save "almost ready" recipes for next shopping trip

5. Meal Planning

Weekly Meal Planning

Plan your meals in advance to save time, reduce stress, and eat healthier.

Creating Meal Plans

1Access Meal Planner: Go to the Meal Plans tab.

2Select Week: Choose the week you want to plan (current or future weeks).

3Add Meals:

• Tap any meal slot (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
• Search and select recipes from your collection
• Add notes for meal prep or special instructions
• Set serving sizes for each meal

Smart Planning Features

• Recipe Suggestions: Get recommendations based on your preferences and pantry
• Nutritional Balance: View weekly nutrition summaries
• Prep Time Planning: See total cooking time for each day
• Leftover Management: Plan meals that use previous day's leftovers

Automatic Shopping Lists

Generate comprehensive shopping lists from your meal plans:

1Generate List: Tap "Create Shopping List" from your meal plan.

2Smart Consolidation:

• Duplicate ingredients are automatically combined
• Quantities are calculated based on all planned meals
• Pantry items are checked against current stock

3Customize List:

• Remove items you already have
• Add household essentials
• Adjust quantities as needed
• Set store sections for efficient shopping

Meal Prep Planning

Optimize your meal prep with advanced planning tools:

Prep Day Organization

• Batch Cooking: Identify recipes that can be prepared in batches
• Prep Tasks: Generate lists of prep tasks (chopping, marinating, etc.)
• Storage Planning: Plan container needs and storage space
• Timing Optimization: Organize tasks by cooking time and method

6. Cooking Features

Cook Mode

Transform your device into the perfect kitchen companion while cooking.

Activating Cook Mode

1Start Cooking: Open any recipe and tap "Start Cooking."

2Cook Mode Interface:

• Large, easy-to-read text
• Step-by-step navigation
• Built-in timers for each step
• Voice control for hands-free operation
• Screen stays awake during cooking

Voice Control

Control the app hands-free while cooking:

• "Next Step": Move to the next instruction
• "Previous Step": Go back to previous instruction
• "Set Timer 10 Minutes": Start a timer
• "Repeat": Read current step again
• "Pause": Pause cooking mode

Smart Timers

• Automatic timer suggestions based on recipe steps
• Multiple simultaneous timers
• Custom timer labels and alerts
• Background timer notifications

Unit Conversion

Built-in conversion tools for seamless cooking:

Measurement Conversions

• Volume: Cups, tablespoons, milliliters, liters
• Weight: Ounces, pounds, grams, kilograms
• Temperature: Fahrenheit, Celsius, gas marks
• Length: Inches, centimeters for baking

Quick Conversion Access

1In-Recipe Conversion: Tap any measurement in a recipe to see conversion options.

2Conversion Calculator: Access the full converter from Settings → Tools.

Substitution Guide

Never get stuck without an ingredient again:

Automatic Suggestions

• Tap any ingredient to see substitution options
• View conversion ratios for substitutions
• Get notes on how substitutions affect taste/texture

Common Substitutions

• Dairy: Milk alternatives, butter substitutes
• Eggs: Vegan egg replacements, binding agents
• Flour: Gluten-free alternatives, different flour types
• Spices: Fresh vs. dried, spice blend alternatives

7. Sharing & Export

Recipe Sharing

Share your favorite recipes with family and friends.

Share Individual Recipes

1Open Recipe: Navigate to the recipe you want to share.

2Share Options: Tap the share button to see options:

• Text/Email: Send formatted recipe text
• PDF: Generate a printable PDF version
• SecretSpice Link: Share with other SecretSpice users
• Social Media: Share to Instagram, Facebook, etc.

Collection Sharing

Share entire recipe collections:

• Export collections as SecretSpice files
• Generate shareable links for multiple recipes
• Create family recipe books
• Share holiday or themed collections

Import/Export Features

Export Your Data

1Full Export:

• Go to Settings → Data Management
• Tap "Export All Recipes"
• Choose format (SecretSpice, PDF, or text)
• Save to Files app or share directly

2Selective Export:

• Select specific recipes or collections
• Export only what you need
• Maintain organization and tags

Import from Other Apps

Bring recipes from other recipe apps or formats:

• Text Files: Import plain text recipes
• JSON/XML: Import from other recipe apps
• CSV: Import ingredient lists or meal plans
• SecretSpice Files: Import from other SecretSpice users

Printing Features

Create beautiful printed versions of your recipes:

Print Formatting Options

• Recipe Cards: Traditional 4x6 or 5x7 card format
• Full Page: Complete recipe with photos
• Ingredient Lists: Shopping list format
• Meal Plans: Weekly planning sheets

8. Advanced Features

Seasonal Ingredients

Cook with the seasons for better flavor and value:

Seasonal Suggestions

• Get notifications about seasonal ingredients
• View recipes that highlight seasonal produce
• Track seasonal availability in your region
• Plan meals around peak seasons

Analytics and Insights

Understand your cooking patterns and preferences:

Cooking Statistics

• Most Cooked Recipes: See your go-to favorites
• Cuisine Preferences: Track your cooking diversity
• Nutritional Trends: Monitor your dietary patterns
• Cost Analysis: Track spending on ingredients and meals

Recipe Recommendations

• Personalized suggestions based on your cooking history
• Seasonal recipe recommendations
• Recipes that use pantry ingredients
• New recipes similar to your favorites

Integration Features

Calendar Integration

• Sync meal plans with your calendar
• Set cooking reminders
• Plan meals around your schedule
• Share meal plans with family members

Health App Integration

• Track nutritional information in Health app
• Monitor calorie intake from planned meals
• Set dietary goals and track progress

9. Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Recipe Import Problems

Sync Issues

Performance Issues

Getting Help

In-App Support

• Go to Settings → Help & Support
• Browse frequently asked questions
• Submit bug reports or feature requests
• Access video tutorials

Contact Support

If you need additional help:

• Email: prodigalpigapps@gmail.com
• Website: prodigalpigapps.com
• App Store Reviews: Leave feedback on the App Store

Tips for Best Experience

Optimization Tips

• Regular Backups: Export your recipes periodically as backup
• Organize Early: Set up collections and tags from the beginning
• Use Voice Control: Take advantage of hands-free features while cooking
• Update Pantry: Keep your pantry inventory current for best recipe matching
• Plan Ahead: Use meal planning features to reduce daily decision fatigue

Privacy and Security

• Your recipes are stored locally and in your personal iCloud
• No data is shared with third parties without your consent
• Shared recipes only include what you explicitly choose to share
• You can delete all data at any time from Settings

Happy Cooking! SecretSpice is designed to make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable and efficient. Whether you're a beginner cook or a seasoned chef, these features will help you organize, plan, and create delicious meals for you and your family.