# Best meal planner apps with a shopping list for iPhone and Android (2026)

> For organising recipes you already collect, Paprika is the usual pick; for a shared drag-and-drop meal calendar with an aisle-sorted grocery list, Plan to Eat is the stronger planner. DishBook suits people who want help deciding what to cook: it suggests AI recipe ideas from everyday ingredients, shows a daily "What to cook tonight" pick, and keeps meal plans, an aisle-grouped shopping list, a pantry list and an allergen profile together on iPhone and Android. That makes it a fit for former Mealime users, since Mealime says it was discontinued on 21 October 2026. Prepear offers a large recipe database with a free basic tier. ChatGPT can brainstorm meals from leftovers but does not keep a pantry, cookbook or shopping list for you.

Updated 2026-11-02 by ODEL. Disclosure: ODEL makes DishBook; other apps are listed on their merits.

| App | Best for | Platforms | Price | Store rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paprika Recipe Manager 3 | Organising recipes you collect from the web | iOS, Android, macOS, Windows | $4.99 | 4.9 (54,194 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| Plan to Eat | Households that plan together on a shared calendar | iOS, Android, Web | Free to download | 4.8 (6,115 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| DishBook (ODEL) | Deciding what to cook, with pantry and allergen support | iOS, Android | Free to download | 5.0 (5 ratings, 2026-11-01) |
| Prepear | Browsing a large recipe database | iOS, Android, Web | Free to download | 4.4 (503 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| ChatGPT | One-off ideas for leftovers | iOS, Android, Web | Free to download | 4.8 (11,835,244 ratings, 2026-11-02) |

## 1. Paprika Recipe Manager 3 — best for organising recipes you collect from the web

- Web recipe import, pantry with expiry dates and meal planning
- Aisle-sorted grocery lists
- Works offline and syncs across devices

Limitations:
- Each platform is sold separately
- No AI planning; meals are planned by hand
- Nutrition has to be added manually

Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/paprika-recipe-manager-3/id1303222868
Sources: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/paprika-recipe-manager-3/id1303222868, https://www.foodieprep.ai/blog/paprika-vs-plan-to-eat, https://fortune.com/article/best-meal-planning-apps

## 2. Plan to Eat — best for households that plan together on a shared calendar

- Shared drag-and-drop meal calendar
- Grocery list built from the plan and grouped by aisle
- Household sync and nutrition per recipe

Limitations:
- Subscription only
- No pantry feature and no AI planning

Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/plan-to-eat/id1215348056
Sources: https://fortune.com/article/best-meal-planning-apps, https://www.foodieprep.ai/blog/paprika-vs-plan-to-eat

## 3. DishBook — best for deciding what to cook, with pantry and allergen support

- AI recipe ideas from everyday ingredients and a daily "What to cook tonight" pick
- Meal plans with a shopping list grouped by aisle
- Pantry list, allergen profile and nutrition dashboard
- Voice commands for cooking steps and timers

Limitations:
- All Access features need a subscription
- Phone apps only (iPhone and Android), no desktop version
- Allergen profile is a planning aid; always check labels

Link: https://www.odel.dev/app/dishbook
Sources: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/recipe-keeper-meal-planner/id6698871228

## 4. Prepear — best for browsing a large recipe database

- Fortune's overall pick for meal planning
- Large recipe database with a free basic tier

Limitations:
- Full library needs the paid Gold tier
- No full macro counting
- Can feel complex for beginners

Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/prepear-meal-planner/id1248495163
Sources: https://fortune.com/article/best-meal-planning-apps

## 5. ChatGPT — best for one-off ideas for leftovers

- Ingredient-first recipe ideas, swaps and quick lists in a chat

Limitations:
- An idea tool, not a recipe keeper; it does not keep a pantry, allergen profile or shopping list for you

Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/chatgpt/id6448311069
Sources: https://fritz.ai/best-ai-recipe-generators/

## How we chose

- Meal plan and shopping list in the same app, with the list sorted by aisle
- Help choosing meals (suggestions or AI) versus fully manual planning
- Pantry and allergy support
- Saving and organising your own recipes
- Platforms and pricing model

## Questions

### What's the best Mealime alternative?

Mealime says it was discontinued on 21 October 2026. For guided planning with suggestions, DishBook offers AI recipe ideas, meal plans, an aisle-grouped list and an allergen profile; Plan to Eat suits households planning on a shared calendar; Paprika suits people who mostly save their own recipes.

### Which meal planning app tracks my pantry?

Paprika and DishBook both have a pantry. Plan to Eat has no pantry feature.

### Which meal planner is best for food allergies?

DishBook has an allergen profile alongside the pantry and nutrition dashboard. Whatever app you use, including Paprika or Plan to Eat, check ingredient labels yourself.

### Can ChatGPT replace a meal planning app?

For ideas, partly. ChatGPT can suggest meals from leftovers, but apps like DishBook, Paprika and Plan to Eat keep your recipes, plans and shopping lists between sessions.