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Nom by SALT is now available in the App Store.
It may not be Nomtober anymore, but we wanted to remind you that Nom by SALT™ still lets you dine on a dime. We asked blog contributor Michael J Cirino to sample our new meal-on-a-budget app so you could see what a “food professional” (his quotes, not ours) thinks of it.
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As I get older—and believe you me, I am not by any means an “old” man—I constantly question what technology can do for me better than I can do for myself. We’re witnessing an evolution, and it’s bringing all human knowledge into a handheld device (that should say “don’t panic” in large, friendly letters on the back).
Still, I approach the App Store with excitement, thinking of the latest pretty pictures and communication formats that will essentially filter and amplify how we interact with the world around us.
It is with that excitement that I write to you about Nom by SALT.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Nom is a step into the next generation of mobile apps that allow us to squeeze the most knowledge out of our environment as possible. Its core purpose is to enable “you to instantly find any food item you crave at a price you can afford—no matter where you are.” A clear extension of SALT’s goal to “provide financial savvy to as many people as possible.”
When first using the app, this goal becomes immediately apparent. To use the program, you have to create an account or log on with Facebook. It then asks you how much you would like to spend a week on a sliding scale. It then presents you with food options near your area based on whatever price you want.
Setting up the account is easy, and the local recommendations are surprisingly accurate. I benefit from living in a highly populated metropolitan area, but at every price point, I found suggestions for restaurants that I regularly eat at or ones that I had been meaning to try.
LONG-LASTING EFFECTS
From a technology point of view, what interests me most about apps like Nom is that they learn from your actions to improve their suggestions. “Nom tailors its results to each user’s food preferences and budget.” In the short amount of time that I have used the app (12 days), it has already started better filtering my results.
What is most interesting about this app is that it can help you track your spending patterns. As a “food professional,” I constantly battle the ability to watch what I eat and how I spend my money. Nom not only keeps you on budget, but as with calorie-counting apps, it can also help you “portion control” through better understanding of your habits.
With an easy-to-use set of reminders, as well as reports and history, you can quickly get a great picture on what you are eating and spending. Or you can use it while you are on vacation or just getting to a new job or internship to get a better idea of your affordable options the area.
Hopefully, this new tool will help keep dollars in your pocket for delicious and social meals instead of being burnt away casually without passion or memory.
Hungry for more Nom? Download it for free in the App Store today.
