Best Mealime alternatives for meal plans and shopping lists (2026)
What are the best Mealime alternatives for meal plans and shopping lists in 2026?
The best Mealime alternatives are DishBook for AI dinner ideas with meal plans, an aisle-grouped shopping list, a pantry and an allergen profile, Plan to Eat for planning your own web recipes on a shared calendar, Paprika for a paid-once recipe manager, Prepear for browsing a large recipe database, and Recipe Keeper for a cross-device recipe organiser with an aisle-sorted list. Mealime announced it would be discontinued on October 21, 2026: personal data is deleted at shutdown, and its recipes move to Albertsons' Meals Hub, where you set up preferences again. Mealime had no built-in recipe exporter, so most people are rebuilding their favourites. DishBook covers the main Mealime jobs on iPhone and Android: recipe suggestions, meal plans and a grouped shopping list, plus a pantry list, an allergen profile and saving your own recipes. All Access is a subscription; Favorites and My Recipes are free for everyone.
Disclosure: ODEL makes DishBook. We list other apps on their merits, say where they are the better choice, and link our sources. Store ratings and prices are from the public App Store listing on the date shown.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Platforms | Price | Store rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DishBook (ours) | Former Mealime users who want suggestions, a list and allergy support | iOS, Android | Free to download | 5.0 (5 ratings, 2026-11-01) |
| Plan to Eat | Households planning their own web recipes together | iOS, Android, Web | Free to download | 4.8 (6,115 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| Paprika Recipe Manager 3 | A paid-once recipe manager for recipes you collect | iOS, Android, macOS, Windows | $4.99 | 4.9 (54,197 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| Prepear | Browsing a large recipe database | iOS, Android, Web | Free to download | 4.4 (503 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
| Recipe Keeper | Organising recipes across phone, tablet and computer | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS | Free to download | 4.8 (31,156 ratings, 2026-11-02) |
1. DishBook: best for Former Mealime users who want suggestions, a list and allergy support
DishBook (by ODEL) is best for Former Mealime users who want suggestions, a list and allergy 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. Favorites and My Recipes free for everyone; iPhone and Android. The main limitations: All Access features need a subscription (monthly, six months or yearly); Phone apps only, no desktop version; Allergen profile is a planning aid; always check labels.
Why we picked it
- 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
- Favorites and My Recipes free for everyone; iPhone and Android
Limitations
- All Access features need a subscription (monthly, six months or yearly)
- Phone apps only, no desktop version
- Allergen profile is a planning aid; always check labels
Sources: apps.apple.com
2. Plan to Eat: best for households planning their own web recipes together
Plan to Eat (by Plan to Eat, LLC) is best for households planning their own web recipes together. Recipe Clipper saves recipes from websites. Calendar planning with an ingredient list built from the plan. One account for the whole family; 14-day trial without payment details. The main limitations: Subscription only after the trial; No pantry feature and no AI planning.
Why we picked it
- Recipe Clipper saves recipes from websites
- Calendar planning with an ingredient list built from the plan
- One account for the whole family; 14-day trial without payment details
Limitations
- Subscription only after the trial
- No pantry feature and no AI planning
Sources: plantoeat.com, fortune.com, foodieprep.ai
3. Paprika Recipe Manager 3: best for A paid-once recipe manager for recipes you collect
Paprika Recipe Manager 3 (by Hindsight Labs LLC) is best for A paid-once recipe manager for recipes you collect. Web recipe import, meal planning and a pantry with expiry dates. Aisle-sorted grocery lists; works offline and syncs. The main limitations: Each platform is sold separately; No AI planning; you choose every meal yourself.
Why we picked it
- Web recipe import, meal planning and a pantry with expiry dates
- Aisle-sorted grocery lists; works offline and syncs
Limitations
- Each platform is sold separately
- No AI planning; you choose every meal yourself
Sources: apps.apple.com, foodieprep.ai
4. Prepear: best for browsing a large recipe database
Prepear (by Prepear, Inc.) is best for browsing a large recipe database. Fortune's overall pick for meal planning. Large recipe database with a free basic tier. The main limitations: Full library needs the paid Gold tier; Can feel complex for beginners.
Why we picked it
- Fortune's overall pick for meal planning
- Large recipe database with a free basic tier
Limitations
- Full library needs the paid Gold tier
- Can feel complex for beginners
Sources: fortune.com
5. Recipe Keeper: best for organising recipes across phone, tablet and computer
Recipe Keeper (by Tudorspan Limited) is best for organising recipes across phone, tablet and computer. Add recipes from hundreds of recipe websites. Weekly and monthly meal planner with a shopping list grouped by aisle. Serving-size scaling and nutrition search; works offline. The main limitations: Mac and PC versions are separate purchases; Built for organising your own recipes rather than suggesting meals.
Why we picked it
- Add recipes from hundreds of recipe websites
- Weekly and monthly meal planner with a shopping list grouped by aisle
- Serving-size scaling and nutrition search; works offline
Limitations
- Mac and PC versions are separate purchases
- Built for organising your own recipes rather than suggesting meals
Sources: apps.apple.com
How we chose
- Meal plans that turn into a grocery list
- Help choosing meals, not only storing recipes
- Dietary and allergy support
- A way to save the recipes you liked in Mealime
- Pricing model and platforms
Questions
Is Mealime shutting down?
Yes. Mealime said the app would be discontinued on October 21, 2026, that personal data would be deleted at shutdown, and that its recipes would continue on Albertsons' Meals Hub. DishBook, Plan to Eat and Paprika are app alternatives.
Can I export my recipes from Mealime?
Mealime had no built-in recipe exporter. Its recipes are available on Meals Hub; for an app you control, re-save favourites by hand in DishBook's My Recipes, Paprika or Recipe Keeper.
Which Mealime alternative is best for food allergies?
DishBook has an allergen profile alongside its pantry list and nutrition dashboard. It is a planning aid, not a guarantee: always read ingredient labels.
Is there a free Mealime alternative?
Meals Hub is where Mealime's recipes moved. Among apps, Prepear has a free basic tier, and DishBook's Favorites and My Recipes are free for everyone, with All Access as a subscription.