Navigating the abundance of online meal planner tools can be overwhelming. There seem to be so many different options available. How do you know what will best suit your needs? Well, thankfully, we are here to help. Whether you have a family or you are just a busy individual, meal planning can be a game changer. It can help you save time, reduce waste, and stick to your budget. Which online meal-planning tools are the best? Here is a look at six of the best meal planner apps available in the App Store today.
1. Mealime
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Mealime is a meal-planning app that streamlines the cooking process for busy individuals. It allows users to personalize meal plans according to their dietary needs and desired servings. The app automatically generates a grocery list and integrates with online grocery delivery services for added convenience. Mealime’s recipes are designed to be quick, healthy, and ideal for weeknight meals.
That said, you’ll likely have to pay to get the most out of Mealime. The Mealime Meal Planner Pro runs $2.99 to $5.99 per month. Also, some reviewers have said that it isn’t the most user-friendly app for people with significant dietary restrictions. One person wrote, “So… I really like the concept of the app and its intent, but it couldn’t work for someone with my kinds of health issues, which is why I need something like this. You can sadly only choose one dietary restriction, and it doesn’t include anything like renal, diabetic, gastroparesis, etc. diets. Also, for people with ARFID like me, the options for choosing dislikes are pretty limited, and it’d be awesome if there were texture options, too.”
2. Plan to Eat
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Plan to Eat simplifies meal planning with its drag-and-drop calendar feature. With one click, you can save your favorite recipes, organize them into a meal plan, and generate a shopping list. Unlike other platforms, Plan to Eat focuses on flexibility by letting you customize plans to fit your lifestyle.
You can start a 14-day free trial of Plan to Eat. If you like it, subscriptions for the app cost $5.95 per month or $49 a year. Overall, the app has great reviews with an overall 4.9-star rating in the Google Play Store. “Easily one of my most used apps and has been for years,” one person gushed over Plan to Eat. “I used to meticulously plan a month of meals, comb the recipes scattered all over the internet and the physical domain, and hand generate my shopping list for the month–it took hours, if not half a day. Now my collection lives in one place (with tags!), menu planning is a breeze (custom or from a saved template), AND the app makes my shopping list for me. I cannot praise this service enough!”
3. eMeals
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eMeals streamlines meal planning and grocery shopping by offering curated meal plans. Believe it or not, it is powered by AI and can help you get your meal plan game together. It’s a great service for those with specialty diets and various dietary needs, including keto, vegetarian, and family-friendly options. The app integrates with major grocery retailers like Walmart and Instacart, allowing users to shop directly for their chosen meal plan’s ingredients through the app.
One thing we’ll say about eMeals is that the pricing is a little complicated. You can sign up for a 14-day free trial. After that, your choices are very… specific. They have a 12-month subscription that starts at $4.99 per month, but some features will still be behind a paywall and you will have to commit to that 12 months. A 3-month subscription costs $35.99, which is more pricey but you don’t have to commit as long. Also, if you want to plan for more than just dinner, that will cost you too. To add breakfast, you’ll pay an additional $8.99 for three months. Lunch planning will cost you $9.99 for three months. You can also choose an all-day plan, which includes your three square meals every day, which costs $39.98 for three months or $99.98 for 12 months.
4. Paprika Recipe Manager
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Paprika is a versatile app for managing recipes and planning meals. It allows users to save recipes from any website, create meal schedules, and generate grocery lists. The app’s offline functionality ensures access to your plans and lists even without an internet connection, making it a valuable tool for anyone who enjoys cooking and following recipes.
One thing that sets the Paprika Recipe Manager apart from the others is its no-frills approach to meal planning. There isn’t any complicated app. You pay a flat one-time fee for the app. However, when updates are made, you will have to pay for a new application altogether. Depending on where you download it, the price changes. On iOS devices (phones), you’ll pay $4.99 for the app. For Android users, it says there are in-app purchases, which is likely to include the $4.99 iOS users pay. If you want the app for your desktop, it is available on Apple and Windows for $29.99. There are some complaints about the user interface, but overall, many people have hailed it as the “best app” ever.
5. MyFitnessPal
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MyFitnessPal is a great option for those focused on health and fitness. It offers robust meal planner features in addition to fitness and nutrition tracking. With MyFitnessPal, you can plan meals, track calories, and create shopping lists tailored to your nutritional goals. I found the app incredibly helpful during my two-year fitness journey, where it helped me track calories and lose 86 pounds. It was a lifesaver that I still use occasionally.
There is a free version, but it really only provides food tracking. The Premium membership costs $19.99 per month or $79.99 per year. Some users have griped about the fact that the barcode scanner, used to scan foods and import macros, has been moved to the Premium version, which they feel is expensive.
6. Cozi Family Organizer
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For families juggling multiple schedules, Cozi’s meal planner is the best app out there. It combines meal planning with family calendar management. This combo helps to ensure that everyone stays on the same page. The app also generates grocery lists that can be shared with family members, making collaborative shopping a breeze.
There is a free version of Cozi, but they also offer a paid version called Cozi Gold. It costs $29.99 per year. Overall, it has a 4.7-star rating in the Play Store. One reviewer said that it “literally changed my life.”
Online Meal Planners are a Game-Changer
Using an online grocery meal planner has revolutionized the way we approach cooking and shopping. Whether you need a platform that integrates with delivery services or a tool to keep your family organized, there’s an option for everyone. With these 7 top picks, meal planning becomes effortless, saving you time, money, and stress. Choose one that suits your lifestyle, and enjoy the benefits of streamlined meal prep and grocery shopping.
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