Comparison

USDA FoodKeeper vs Primal Eats MD

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

USDA FoodKeeper

This app provides guidance on food storage to help consumers use food at its peak quality and minimize waste. It offers storage time guidelines for various food items, acknowledging that actual shelf life can vary based on numerous factors. By promoting proper storage and mindful purchasing, it aims to reduce household food waste and save consumers money.

Highlights
  • Food storage time guidelines
  • Reduce food waste
  • Maintain food quality
  • Storage temperature advice
  • Smart purchasing tips
Features
Read full description

The FoodKeeper can help consumers use food while at peak quality and reduce waste. The storage times listed are intended as useful guidelines and are not hard-and-fast rules. Some foods may deteriorate more quickly while others may last longer than the times suggested. The times will vary depending on the growing conditions, harvesting techniques, manufacturing processes, transportation and distribution conditions, nature of the food, and storage temperatures. Remember to buy foods in reasonable quantities and rotate the products in your pantry, refrigerator, and freezer. Every year, billions of pounds of good food go to waste in the U.S. because consumers are not sure of its quality or safety. Food waste from households represents about 44% of all food waste generated in the U.S. By reducing food waste through buying appropriate quantities, storing foods properly, cooking what is needed and composting, consumers can save money and reduce the amount of food going to landfills.

About

Primal Eats MD

Easily grade restaurant menus and grocery items based on the Primal eating framework. Get instant A-F ratings, macro breakdowns, and modification tips to make healthier choices on the go. Discover nearby Primal-friendly alternatives and connect with a community for shared insights.

Highlights
  • Restaurant menu grading (A-F)
  • Grocery item barcode scanning
  • Macro breakdowns (calories, protein, fat, net carbs)
  • Modification tips for dishes
  • Primal-friendly alternative suggestions
  • Community comment threads
  • Save favorite items and scans
Features
Read full description

Eat Primal anywhere! At any restaurant, and right in the grocery aisle. PrimalEats MD grades food through the lens of Dr. Al Sears' Primal eating framework, so you can make a clean choice in seconds... whether you're staring at a menu or a nutrition label. Grade any restaurant menu, A–F Search any restaurant and instantly see how Primal-friendly it is. We break the menu down item by item: which dishes to order, which to skip, and exactly why, with macros (calories, protein, fat, net carbs) and simple modification tips to make a good dish even better. Scan groceries on the spot — NEW Scan a barcode or snap the ingredients label and get an instant Primal grade for any packaged food. See the red flags (seed oils, added sugar, ultra-processing), the wins (grass-fed, wild-caught, whole-food ingredients), and a more Primal alternative to reach for instead. Eat clean when you're out. • A–F Primal grades for restaurants near you • Recommended vs. avoid items, with the reasoning • Macros and easy "order it this way" tips • Nearby Primal-friendly alternatives when a spot falls short A community that eats the way you do. • Comment threads on every restaurant — tips, swaps, and questions • Crowd-sourced intel: grass-fed beef? seed oils? wild-caught? house-made? • Member ratings so the best Primal spots rise to the top • Save your favorites and your scans for quick reference Built on Dr. Sears' Primal principles Prioritize real, whole foods. Choose grass-fed and wild-caught. Avoid seed oils, refined sugar, and ultra-processed junk. PrimalEats MD turns those principles into a grade you can act on in the moment. PrimalEats MD provides general nutrition guidance based on the Primal framework and is not medical advice. Always check labels for allergens and your own dietary needs.

Screenshots

USDA FoodKeeper4 screens
Primal Eats MD4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Primal Eats MD at 100% against USDA FoodKeeper's 14%. Primal Eats MD also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.3) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 6 months). USDA FoodKeeper's advantage is ratings volume (103 vs 4) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Primal Eats MD holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: USDA FoodKeeper has 103 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of USDA FoodKeeper's written reviews are positive against 100% of Primal Eats MD's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

USDA FoodKeeper ships an update every 6 months, Primal Eats MD every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
USDA FoodKeeper versus Primal Eats MD: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUSDA FoodKeeperPrimal Eats MD
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.3 (103 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews13.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings103 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size149 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUSDA Food Safety and Inspection ServiceGabe Rios

Customer experience

USDA FoodKeeper

All ratings103 ratings
Positive29.1%
Neutral8.7%
Negative62.1%
Written reviews101 reviews
Positive13.9%
Neutral13.9%
Negative72.3%

Primal Eats MD

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

USDA FoodKeeper

Reported bugs

18 issues
  • App freezes on notification preference screen
  • Search function completely non-functional
  • Categories section missing or blank
  • App crashes on startup
  • Database disconnection from USDA
Show 13 more
  • Text formatting broken on iPhone
  • App hangs on latest iOS versions
  • Incompatible with iOS 18.3.2
  • Cannot navigate past initial screens
  • Menu options are broken/blank
  • App unresponsive to user input
  • Crashes when switching between tabs
  • Display issues with text overlapping
  • Cooking times showing as zero
  • Language settings not working properly
  • Clear history button non-functional
  • Food recalls not updating
  • App performance degradation after recent updates

Requested features

16 requests
  • Dark mode support
  • Accessibility improvements for blind users
  • Proper tab labeling for screen readers
  • Temperature and humidity storage guidelines for vegetables
  • Raw vs. cooked meat storage differentiation
Show 11 more
  • Barcode scanning for cryptic expiration codes
  • Visual guides for identifying fresh produce
  • Farmers market information
  • Celsius temperature option
  • Internal inventory calendar feature
  • Food recall notification system improvements
  • Ability to delete viewed recall items
  • Ethylene gas information for produce storage
  • Danger level indicators for expired foods
  • Poison control hotline link
  • Better Facebook sharing functionality

Primal Eats MD

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

USDA FoodKeeper

No in-app purchases

None

Primal Eats MD

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is USDA FoodKeeper free?
USDA FoodKeeper is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Primal Eats MD free?
Primal Eats MD is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, USDA FoodKeeper or Primal Eats MD?
Primal Eats MD is rated higher. USDA FoodKeeper averages 2.3 out of 5 from 103 ratings, while Primal Eats MD averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do USDA FoodKeeper or Primal Eats MD have ads?
Neither USDA FoodKeeper nor Primal Eats MD shows ads.
Which is updated more often, USDA FoodKeeper or Primal Eats MD?
USDA FoodKeeper ships an update every 6 months, and Primal Eats MD every 5 days. Most recently, USDA FoodKeeper was updated on October 11, 2026 and Primal Eats MD on October 6, 2026.

Other comparisons