This way, you can send out the dinner party menu to all your friends ahead of time so they can get pumped. The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest ways of eating due to its emphasis on fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and fish. While it doesn’t recommend eating high amounts of processed foods or refined grains, it also doesn’t set strict guidelines, which makes it more of a lifestyle than a rigid eating plan.
Frequently asked questions about meal planning apps
Newer app editions include a recipe description search, allowing you to find recipes even if you can’t remember the name. You can also import recipes from other apps, share recipes through email, and even start a timer with a single tap. Once the meal plan is created, you can add ingredients to your grocery list through each individual recipe.
Best for Weight Loss: PlateJoy
It’s especially handy for storing bulk proteins, veggies, and pre-made meals. PlateJoy is a subscription service—you can choose to pay monthly or opt for a six- or 12-month recurring subscription. If you commit to the longer plan, the overall app cost goes down significantly. Finally, with this app, you can save time by watching video tutorials on how to prepare certain dishes or even see how-to videos by professional chefs. Recipe Ideas are seasonal picks, which are extremely helpful if you’re hosting a dinner or bringing a dish to an event.
Make adjustments as desired to fit your routine and taste preferences. Meal plans can help simplify your week, providing you with grocery lists, meal ideas and recipes. “AI can take some of the guesswork out of planning for the week and has the potential to provide new meal ideas,” Kolesa said.
Best app for recipes: BigOven
We love Yummly’s low price point and their extensive free trial; you’ll have 3 months to decide whether the service works for you. The layout is straightforward and lets you drag dishes to change the order around within https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-food-combos-weight-loss each day. You can search for recipes within your already saved favorites or look for new ones in their database. Learning how to properly leverage AI for meal planning, such as understanding what details to include in your prompts, can be challenging.
Day 12
This is good news for families who want to focus on tasty food and health. Their ProScore system highlights the nutritional content in each meal and offers scores to help you hit your nutritional goals, while saving time and money. The one drawback is that to use the meal planner function, you have to upgrade to Pro.
Fitbudd – Best for Coaches & Personalized Client Meal Plans
- This cross-device sync is a game-changer for busy families or anyone who likes to meal prep on the go.
- While these manual methods look great, they just can’t compete with the efficiency you get from more advanced, automated features.
- Some recipes can also be prepped ahead of time, so you can prep a week’s worth of meals in just 2-4 hours.
- So instead of just Beef or Chicken, you can have names like 30 Minutes or Less, Instant Pot, or Kids’ Favorites.
- Additionally, these apps often track macros and calories, as well as store your favorite recipes conveniently.
- Once you’ve made your grocery list, AnyList will even remind you when it’s time to buy items expiring soon.
While users can set weight loss goals, the app strives to help people feel like more than just numbers. Instead, you can track how food makes you feel and whether your meals allow you to show up as the best version of yourself. There’s no calorie counter here, which can be a pro for people who find tracking those numbers poor self-care. These healthy food apps should also make meal planning and eating easier and more fun. If logging into the app is a drag and not helping, or perhaps you prefer a paper food journal, don’t be afraid to pivot.
Batch Cooking Basics
Ditch the heavy-handed pour—an olive oil spray lets you lightly coat pans, veggies, and salads without excess oil. I prefer to have a small bottle ready for grabs at all times, especially if I am on the go and want to add some extra oil to my salads during my lunch break. The garlic twister quickly minces garlic without the mess of a traditional press, plus it’s super easy to clean.
Shopping list
While calorie and food apps can be helpful, individuals with a history of an eating disorder might find the constant look at nutrition facts and calorie counts triggering. Work with your healthcare team to ensure this route is correct for you. In meal prepping, roasting is your best friend, and so is foil.
Top Meal Planning Apps of 2025 – Reviewed by Certified Trainers
A team of Food Coaches is available seven days a week to support you on your journey to adopting a protein-rich yet plant-based diet. It offers instructions on making recipes using your Instant Pot, which is a huge time saver. Some recipes can also be prepped ahead of time, so you can prep a week’s worth of meals in just 2-4 hours. A new meal plan is designed by Forks Over Knives Meal Planner chefs and released each week. Customize the menu to the people in your household and their preferences, so meals are always a hit. Here are some of the best plant-based meal planners to help simplify shopping for groceries, choosing new recipes, and preparing meals.
BigOven makes it easy to gather all your favorite recipes in one central place and offers many ways to incorporate them into the app. It not only helps with mealtime inspiration, but it also assists in meal prep, grocery shopping, and incorporating leftovers into new meals. Clip recipes from your favorite sites or upload recipes by snapping a photo, or mark existing recipes as a favorite to save for later. Organize and filter recipes by category to find any recipe with seasonal collections or suggested dishes, or tap to save and share meal ideas. Add recipes to your planner, create a grocery list, and discover recipes with ingredients you already have to reduce food waste. The app sponsors a home-cooking community for additional ideas and feedback.
Best for easy meal planning
Take a look at our top 8 meal plan apps to discover which one is right for you. There reddit.com are breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and dessert options available. In the free version, you can filter by dish type and any dietary preferences or allergens.
For its simplicity of use and fairly low cost, this is a favorite of mine. The Plant-Based on a Budget meal plans don’t come with a nifty app and aren’t as customizable. However, founders Toni and Michelle will show you how to stick to a tight food budget without sacrificing taste or nutrition. The frequency of your meal planning really depends on your lifestyle and on what’s convenient for you.