Preparing a wholesome meal in today’s fast-paced world feels like an uphill battle. Many of the best meal planning apps are slowly replacing the traditional methods because of their convenient service.
A meal planning app is a practical way to eat well while saving time and money.
From generating creative own recipes to organizing shopping lists and tracking nutrition, these apps have got it all. Yet, with countless options, finding the perfect one can be overwhelming.
We curated this list with the help of industry experts to bring you the best meal planning apps available in the market. Let’s get started!
Our Top 5 Best Meal Planning Apps of 2023
Nutrisystem
Overall Best Meal Planning App, Editor’s Choice
Nutrisystem is a comprehensive weight loss app and meal delivery service designed to kickstart your weight loss journey and foster healthier eating habits.
With access to the meal-planning app, users can effortlessly complete their meal orders and access resources to achieve their goals. The app simplifies healthy eating by delivering ready-to-heat meals directly to your doorstep.
Unlike other meal planning apps, Nutrisystem tailors meal plans to ensure you receive the necessary nutrients and provides articles, tips, and healthy recipes aligned with your weight loss journey. The app offers a recipe database, grocery lists, and dining-out tips. Users can easily track Nutrisystem foods and log other items with the barcode scanner.
It encourages incorporating fruits, vegetables, and lean protein alongside selected Nutrisystem meals. Additionally, users can save their favorite meals and snacks for future orders. The app motivates users with challenges and milestone badges, tracks water intake, and seamlessly syncs with FitBit for activity logging.
Features
- Recipe Database: Nutrisystem offers a comprehensive recipe database, giving users access to various healthy meal options. This feature allows users to explore and experiment with different dishes, promoting a diverse and enjoyable eating experience while staying within the prescribed guidelines.
- One-Touch Tracking and Barcode Scanning: Users can easily log the Nutrisystem meals they consume and other food items by scanning the barcodes or selecting from a predefined list, saving time and ensuring accurate calorie and nutrient tracking.
- Meal Delivery Service: One of the core features of Nutrisystem is its meal delivery service. Users can conveniently choose from a selection of ready-to-heat-and-eat meals through the app. This service eliminates the need for extensive meal preparation and ensures portion control, making adhering to the weight loss program easier.
- Challenges for Motivation: To keep users motivated and engaged in their weight loss journey, Nutrisystem offers challenges within the app. These challenges may include specific dietary or fitness goals, providing users with a sense of accomplishment as they progress towards their targets.
- Compatibility with iOS and Android: This cross-platform availability ensures that users can access and utilize the app regardless of their preferred device, enhancing its user base and convenience.
- Customized meals based on your fitness goals.
- Easy to plan and track.
- Guaranteed money-back
- Affordable
- No live chat support
Mealime
Best Free Meal Planning App
Mealime is a time-saving meal-planning app that caters to busy individuals who crave delicious meals and want to control their appetite without spending hours in the kitchen. With all recipes designed to be cooked in 30 minutes or less, it’s the perfect solution for those who don’t have the time or inclination to channel their inner gourmet chef.
The app’s personalized approach allows users to input their dietary preferences and restrictions, receiving curated recipes tailored to their unique needs, all at no cost. Once the weekly meal selections are made, users can effortlessly generate a grocery list and conveniently upload it to Amazon Fresh or Instacart for easy shopping.
For added benefits like nutrition information and ingredient substitution options, users can opt for the pro version, priced at an affordable $3/month, which also unlocks the ability to upload custom recipes and enjoy other premium features.
This website simplifies the meal-planning process, making it an irresistible choice for anyone seeking quick, delicious, and personalized dishes without the hassle.
Features
- Recipe Database: All recipes are designed to be prepared in 30 minutes or less, catering to busy individuals seeking convenient yet satisfying meals.
- Grocery List Creation: One of Mealime’s standout features is its ability to generate personalized grocery lists based on the selected recipes. This streamlines the shopping process, saving users time and ensuring they have all the necessary ingredients, reducing food waste and unnecessary trips to the store.
- Personalized Meal Plans: By tailoring meal plans to individual needs, Mealime ensures that users enjoy dishes that align with their unique tastes and health goals.
- Sharing Capabilities: Mealime enables users to share their meal plans and grocery lists with others, making it convenient for families, roommates, or friends to collaborate on cooking and shopping. This feature promotes a sense of community and simplifies the coordination of meals for multiple individuals.
- Cross-Platform Accessibility: Mealime is available for both iOS and Android platforms, ensuring accessibility to a broad user base regardless of their preferred mobile device. This compatibility makes it easier for individuals with different smartphones or tablets to access and utilize the app seamlessly.
- Availability of free version.
- Cook meals within 30 minutes.
- Generation of shopping lists
- User-friendly interface
- The updated version demands monthly payment.
Noom
Best Free Meal Planning App
By addressing behavioral patterns and obstacles, Noom offers a holistic approach to reaching fat burning goals effectively. Upon signing up, users complete a quick survey, enabling a personalized program set up with a dedicated Noom coach.
The app’s recipe database allows users to plan their entire day with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options, while the flexibility to save favorites and add custom recipes enhances convenience.
Daily lessons, interactive challenges, and support groups foster continuous motivation and community engagement. With exercise, weight, and step-tracking tools included, Noom ensures a comprehensive wellness experience. Subscription plans offer flexibility and cater to individual preferences.
Features
- Goal-Oriented Approach: Through surveys and assessments, the app creates a program to address individual needs and challenges.
- Personal Coach: Users are assigned a Noom coach that provides support, guidance, and accountability throughout their journey. This one-on-one coaching helps users stay motivated and on track to reach their goals effectively.
- Meal Planning Tools: Noom offers a recipe database with various breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options. Users can easily build their daily meals and save their favorite recipes for quick access in the future.
- Customizable Logging: Noom provides nutrition information for each meal, making it easy for users to track their food intake.
- Daily Lessons: Daily health, nutrition, and behavior change lessons are available. These lessons are interactive and educational, helping users develop a deeper understanding of their habits and learn healthier choices.
- Interactive Challenges and Support Groups: The app offers interactive challenges to keep users engaged and motivated. Additionally, users can join support groups, fostering a sense of community and providing a platform to share experiences and seek support.
- Exercise, Weight, and Step Tracking: Noom includes tools for tracking exercise, weight, and daily step count, offering a comprehensive approach to overall wellness.
- Flexible Subscription Options: Noom offers various subscription plans, including monthly and auto-renewing options with different lengths.
- Help individuals meet their health goals.
- Personalized coaching
- Comprehensive meal planning
- Interactive learning
- Quite expensive for some people
PlateJoy
Best Meal Planning App for Weight Loss
PlateJoy is a game-changer for personalized meal planning, especially for those with specific dietary needs.
By taking a lifestyle survey, the app creates a unique meal plan based on 50 data points, considering food preferences, fitness goals, allergies, and schedules. Nutritionist-designed recipes cover breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, ensuring balanced and delicious meals.
The app even caters to diabetics and those on a low FODMAP plan. Simplifying grocery shopping, PlateJoy generates shopping lists compatible with Instacart and other delivery services.
Users can add recipes and sync the app with FitBit to track nutrition info effortlessly. Excitingly, some health insurance providers offer a free subscription through PlateJoy’s health division.
Features
- Specific Diet Meal Plans: PlateJoy offers highly personalized meal plans tailored to individual dietary needs and preferences. Through a comprehensive lifestyle survey, users provide information on food choices, fitness goals, allergies, and schedules. Leveraging 50 data points, PlateJoy crafts unique meal plans, making them ideal for those following specific diets like low FODMAP or diabetic plans.
- Automatic Grocery Lists: PlateJoy automatically generates grocery lists based on the selected meal plans by simplifying the shopping process. Users save time and effort by streamlining the shopping experience, ensuring they have all the necessary ingredients for their meals.
- Digital Pantry: PlateJoy features a digital pantry function, enabling users to effectively track and manage their kitchen inventory. With a digital record of pantry items, users can avoid redundant purchases, minimize food waste, and stay organized during meal planning and preparation.
- Available on iOS and Android: PlateJoy’s availability on both iOS and Android platforms ensures easy access for a wide range of users, regardless of their preferred mobile device. This cross-platform compatibility enhances the app’s usability and convenience.
- An easy approach to a nutritionist
- It can be free with dedicated health insurance providers
- Seamless sync to the cloud
- Generation of shopping lists
- Can’t craft meal plans from scratch.
Paprika
Best Meal Planning App for Recipes
Paprika’s free version offers remarkable flexibility akin to its paid counterpart. The user-friendly features enable users to organize saved recipes efficiently.
Customizable categories like “30 Minutes or Less,” “Instant Pot,” or “Kids’ Favorites” enhance recipe organization. Users can edit recipes, add notes, and retain source links.
The app displays nutrition data for included recipes, automatically scaling ingredients and converting measurements. A noteworthy advantage is the browser extension feature, enabling users to save recipes directly from beloved websites like The New York Times or Serious Eats.
This user-friendly functionality makes Paprika a fantastic recipe organization and management choice without an upfront cost.
Features
- Recipe Import: Paprika simplifies recipe organization by allowing users to import recipes from various sources. With a user-friendly interface, users can easily save recipes from websites or manually input their favorite recipes into the app.
- Weekly and Monthly Calendars: Paprika provides users the convenience of planning meals with weekly and monthly calendar views. This feature helps users stay organized and create well-rounded meal plans that align with their schedules.
- Interactive Recipes: Paprika takes recipe management to the next level with interactive features. Users can scale ingredients, make notes, and mark recipe steps as complete, streamlining the cooking process and ensuring a seamless cooking experience.
- Cross-Platform Accessibility: Paprika offers its services across multiple platforms, including iOS and Android devices and Mac and Windows computers. This cross-platform compatibility ensures that users can access and utilize Paprika’s features regardless of their preferred device.
- Free version available
- Curates grocery lists
- Saves recipes
- Seamless sync to the cloud
- Limited free version features.
What Is A Meal Planning App?
A meal planning app is like your digital mealtime BFF. It’s all about making your life easier when deciding what to eat.
Instead of going through recipe books or scribbling on sticky notes, you can use the app to create a personalized meal plan that suits your lifestyle. It’s like having your chef in your pocket!
These nifty apps consider your activity level, food preferences, and dietary goals to whip up meal plans that are just right for you. You can scan recipes, use search functions, and get access to various handy tools to make the whole procedure of planning meals a breeze. So, say goodbye to mealtime dilemmas, and let the meal planning app do the heavy lifting for you!
How To Choose The Best Meal Planner App For You?
Choosing the best app for weekly meal plans can significantly impact your cooking and eating routines. With many options available, it’s essential to consider various factors to find the perfect fit for your needs.
Recipe Database
Look for an app with a diverse and extensive recipe database. Access to various existing recipes allows you to jump-start your meal planning journey and easily build your weekly menus.
Automatic Meal Planning
Consider whether you prefer manual or automatic meal planning. If you’re new to meal planning or want a hassle-free experience, choose an app that offers automatic meal planning. These apps generate meal plans based on your preferences, saving time and effort.
Customizability
Check if the app allows you to customize the generated meal plans. A flexible app should enable you to swap out recipes you don’t like or adjust portion sizes to suit your needs.
Grocery Planner
Opt for an app that automates grocery list creation based on your meal plan. Some apps even track ingredients you already have, preventing over-purchasing and reducing food waste.
Dietary Preferences
Consider your dietary requirements and look for apps that cater to specific diets, such as vegetarian, vegan, keto, or gluten-free. Apps that offer filtering options based on dietary preferences will save you time searching for suitable recipes.
Nutrition Information
Check if the app provides detailed nutrition information for recipes, especially if you have specific health or dietary goals. Easy access to nutritional data helps you make informed choices about your meals.
Ease Of Use
Choose an app with a user-friendly interface and intuitive navigation. A straightforward and well-designed app ensures a smooth planning experience.
Meal Categories
Consider whether the app provides breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack options. A diverse range of meal categories allows you to plan for all your daily food needs.
Integration With Other Apps
Check if the app integrates with other platforms, such as grocery delivery services or fitness tracking apps. Seamless integration enhances your overall meal-planning experience.
Community and Support
Some apps offer community features, like forums or support groups, where you can connect with other users for inspiration and motivation. Consider if this is important to you in your meal planning journey.
Offline Access
If you frequently cook in areas with limited internet access, look for apps that offer offline access to your meal plans and recipes.
Cost
Consider whether the app offers a free version with essential features or requires a paid subscription. Evaluate if the paid features justify the cost based on your specific needs.
How We Ranked The Best Meal Planning Apps?
When selecting the best meal prep app, our research focused on various key factors to ensure a comprehensive and effective evaluation. We considered multiple elements contributing to a user-friendly, efficient, personalized meal planning experience.
Here’s how we chose the best meal planning apps:
User Interface and Ease of Use
The apps were evaluated based on their user interface, ease of navigation, and overall user experience. A simple, intuitive design that allows users to easily access and manage recipes, meal plans, and grocery lists was given priority.
Recipe Variety and Quality
We looked for apps with a diverse and high-quality recipe collection. A wide range of recipes catering to different dietary preferences, including vegetarian, vegan, keto, and gluten-free, was a significant factor in determining the app’s ranking.
Meal Plan Customization
Apps that allowed users to swap recipes, adjust serving sizes, and incorporate personal recipes were prioritized.
Automated Features
Apps that offered automatic meal planning and grocery list generation streamlined the process for users. Features like pantry tracking, ingredient auto-filling, and smart shopping suggestions were considered advantageous.
Nutrition Information
Including detailed nutrition information for recipes helped users make informed choices about their meals. Apps that provided comprehensive nutritional data were given higher ratings.
Offline Access
Apps that allowed users to access meal plans and recipes offline were deemed more practical for individuals with limited internet connectivity.
Cost and Value
We considered the app’s pricing structure and whether the features offered justified the cost. Apps that provided essential features for free or offered valuable premium features for a reasonable price were ranked higher.
Device Compatibility
The app’s availability on various platforms, such as iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows, ensured accessibility to a broader user base.
Customer Reviews and Ratings
User reviews and ratings were considered to gauge real-life experiences and overall app satisfaction.
FAQs on Meal Planning Apps
Is Meal Planning A Good Way To Lose Weight?
Yes, meal planning can be an effective strategy for weight loss. Preplanning meals and controlling portion sizes helps individuals make healthier food choices and avoid compulsive eating.
Planning balanced and nutritious meals can prevent overeating and support weight management goals. Consistency in meal planning fosters healthier eating habits, making it a beneficial approach for those seeking to lose weight sustainably.
How Do I Make A Realistic Meal Plan?
Consider your schedule, dietary preferences, and cooking abilities to create a realistic meal plan. Start by setting achievable goals and incorporating a variety of nutrient-dense foods.
Plan meals ahead of time, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Utilize a recipe database or meal planning app for ideas. Be flexible and allow room for occasional treats while ensuring overall balance and portion control.
Can You Save Money With A Meal Planning App?
Absolutely! Using a meal planning app can help you save money in various ways. By planning meals, you can reduce food waste and only buy what you need.
Apps may suggest budget-friendly recipes and help you make cost-effective grocery lists. A well-organized plan makes you less likely to dine out or order takeout, leading to significant savings over time.
Can Meal Planning Apps Give You A Customized Meal Plan?
Yes, meal planning apps can provide customized meal plans tailored to your needs and preferences. These apps typically consider dietary restrictions, food preferences, calorie goals, and activity levels to generate personalized meal plans.
With the ability to adjust serving sizes and swap customizable recipes, the plans can be customized to suit individual requirements.
Conclusion: Are Meal Planning Apps Worth It?
The benefits of meal planning apps range from organizing to managing our meals, promoting healthier eating habits and supporting various dietary goals.
These apps eliminate the guesswork and save time by providing customized meal plans, grocery lists, and recipe databases. Streamlining the meal planning functionality encourages better meal choices and reduces food waste, ultimately leading to cost savings.
Paprika and Mealime stand out as top contenders in this arena. However, it’s essential to note that the best app for each individual varies based on personal preferences and specific requirements. Users should explore different apps to find the one that best aligns with their unique needs and goals.
