Meal planning has been an integral part of the weight loss journey from the start. The biggest challenge is always deciding what to eat each day. I’m creating this blog to outline my best tips and tricks for finding recipes that are easy to follow, healthy, and most importantly, delicious.
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Meal Planning For Weight Loss
Mealime offers user-friendly, customizable meal plans that you can tailor to your diet while excluding specific foods you don’t like.
It’s available on both iOS and Android platforms and the basic version is free.
After you’ve entered your preferences, you’re presented with a variety of recipe choices, complete with full-color photos, simple instructions and an organized grocery list. An additional bonus is that the recipes all take under 45 minutes to prepare.
However, one of the major drawbacks is that you’re limited to the recipes available on the app as there is no way to import your own.
What’s more, you cannot save previously used meal plans, customize calorie preferences or view nutrition information unless you upgrade to the pro version, which will set you back $5.99/month or $49.99/year.
Download for iPhone | Download for Android
Paprika
Paprika is marketed primarily as a recipe manager, but it also includes menu planning features. It’s available on both Android and iOS platforms for a one-time fee of $5.99.
With Paprika, you’re in charge of saving and entering recipes to build meal plans. It does not have its own preset recipes and menus. Therefore, it’s probably best for people who can structure a meal plan with minimal support.
This app provides customized grocery lists and allows you to save recipes directly from the web. Additionally, Paprika detects when more than one recipe needs the same ingredient and consolidates the relevant grocery lists for you.
The app will keep your screen turned on while you’re working from a recipe. It can also detect timer directions within a recipe so that you can set cooking timers directly from the app.
One drawback to this app is that it won’t detect if you’ve entered a recipe from the same URL more than once. If you accidentally enter the same recipe, you’ll end up with duplicates.
Additionally, Paprika doesn’t always include nutrition information. It will only draw nutrition data from the original recipe webpage or information you enter manually.
If you know what types of food meet your calorie goals, this deficiency may not be problematic. However, if you need the extra support, a different app may be more appropriate.
Download for iPhone | Download for Android
PlateJoy
PlateJoy creates customized meal plans for you and your household according to your dietary preferences and weight loss goals. It’s available on both Android and iOS platforms.
PlateJoy is a user-friendly app with beautiful, full-color photos and a high level of customization. Full nutrition information is available for each recipe, and you can sync it with your Fitbit or Jawbone to better track your health goals.
It creates customized grocery lists and helps prevent food waste by allowing you to log the food already in your fridge or pantry. That way, you don’t repurchase items you already have.
Another feature lets you send your grocery list to Instacart for grocery delivery depending on where you live.
The biggest drawbacks to Platejoy are that you cannot enter your own recipes and that it’s somewhat costly compared to other meal planning apps. It’ll set you back $69 for six months or $99 for a 12-month subscription.
Download for iPhone | Download for Android
Plan to Eat
Plan to Eat lets you organize all of your favorite recipes and create meal plans in one easy-to-use app. It’s available on both iOS and Android platforms.
You can enter recipes manually or input a URL from any recipe online. Full nutrition information is provided for each recipe, and you can edit or add notes as you please.
Adding recipes to the weekly calendar-style planner will automatically create an organized grocery list.
A unique feature of this app is that you can share your recipes or meal plans with friends and family, making it easier to stay on top of your health goals as a team.
Because it doesn’t come with a preset recipe database, this app is definitely a better choice for those who have a good recipe collection already or who enjoy searching the web for new recipes.
Though Plan to Eat requires a $4.95/month or $39/year fee, you can try it out for free for 30 days.
Download for iPhone | Download for Android
Yummly
Yummly is both an app and a website, in which you can browse and save recipes tailored to your personal tastes from all over the web.
It’s available on both iOS and Android platforms and free of charge.
Yummly can filter recipes based on dietary preferences, allergies and skill level. You can even filter for recipes that have videos, which is handy for those looking to develop their cooking skills or learn new techniques.
Full nutrition information is available for each recipe.
When you save recipes, you can organize them into separate meal categories, such as breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. You can also enter and save your own recipes manually.
One of the major drawbacks of Yummly is its overall usability. While it’s visually appealing, it’s complicated and more difficult to use compared to similar apps. If you’re not technologically savvy, it may not be the best choice.
Additionally, Yummly doesn’t have a calendar-style meal plan, which may or may not be an issue depending on the features you desire in a meal planning app.
Download for iPhone | Download for Android
Make My Plate
Make My Plate offers both free and paid customizable meal plans. It’s available on iOS and Android.
The free version offers 1,200-, 1,500- or 1,800-calorie meal plans and comes with templates for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. You can also filter based on allergies and food preferences.
After you select your meals for the week, an organized grocery list is automatically created.
One of the most unique features of this app is that each meal is represented in photographic form on a virtual plate. This plate is particularly useful if you’re working on portion control or learning what portions of certain foods look like.
The major drawbacks to this app are the food selections and recipes, which are extremely basic and don’t supply as many choices as competitor apps.
If you’re new to cooking and meal planning, Make My Plate’s simplicity may actually help you get started. But if you easily tire of eating similar entrees week after week, this app may not work for you.
Pepperplate
Pepperplate organizes recipes you know and love while simultaneously adding new recipes you want to try.
It’s available on both Android and iOS platforms and free of charge.
You start by importing recipes manually or copying recipe URLs from supported websites. You are then able to organize your recipes into customizable categories.
After you’ve added your recipes, you can incorporate personalized menus and meal plans into a calendar-style planner complete with grocery lists.
Pepperplate is ideal for the experienced cook who has a solid recipe collection and knows their nutritional needs — especially if that person is trying to lose weight.
Keep in mind that this app doesn’t have a calorie tracking component and doesn’t draw from its own database of foods. Another drawback is that you have to enter recipes and menus via the web, not directly through the app.
Download for iPhone | Download for Android
Prepear
Prepear offers the convenience of a pre-set recipe database alongside manual or online input options.
It’s free of charge for the basic version, but you can upgrade to the pro version to unlock additional features for $9.99/month. It’s available on both iOS and Android platforms.
This app is user-friendly and allows you to filter recipes based on taste preferences, allergies and global cuisine options. Each recipe has a full nutrition breakdown. Customizable shopping lists are available upon completion of your meal plan.
The social media component of this app allows you to post photos of your culinary successes (and failures) to friends and family.
Many of the available recipes in the app’s database are kid-friendly, which is ideal if you’re planning meals for your family.
The main drawback of Prepear is the monotony of meal choices within its recipe database — if you add more than one or two filters, you end up with very few menu options. However, this downside is offset if you add your own recipes.
Meal planning app for weight loss
- MyFitnessPal Premium
myfitnesspal app
Courtesy of MyFitnessPal
This easy-to-use app is a boon for sticking to your healthy meal planning goals, allowing you to create and store your own recipes, share your daily food log with others (like a nutritionist or personal trainer), and more. “This app is perfect for any diet and is especially wonderful for people who are busy and don’t have time to track their food all day,” says Crystal Malone, MS, CPT & NASM Weight Loss Specialist. She notes that the app’s barcode scanner makes tracking the nutrition information of each meal you eat a cinch. “And it’s even better for people who don’t know how to track their calories. MyFitness Pal is a user-friendly and perfect for those who are looking to lose weight.”
$9.99/month (a free version is also available): Apple App Store, Google Play
- My Food Diary
my food diary app
MyFoodDiary/Twitter
Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in the New York City area is a fan of this handy program. My Food Diary is one of the best meal planning apps for weight loss because it goes beyond tracking food choices. You can also track body measurements, blood pressure, cholesterol, and exercise—all important metrics if you’re on a health and weight loss journey. “You also get an expert-curated food database, which I love because you’ll avoid errors that often occur with user-generated databases,” notes Gorin. Another bonus? “The at-a-glance nutritional analysis of your choices helps you make smarter decisions.”
$9.00/month (a free version is also available): Online Only
- My Fitness by Jillian Michaels
jillian michaels fitness app
Courtesy of Jillian Michaels Fitness
Let Jillian Michaels step into the role of your personal trainer, keeping you on track with your nutrition and exercise. My Fitness provides you with tasty meal plans, whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, keto, gluten-free, or, gasp, an omnivore. Worth noting: All the meals plans are curated with the help of chefs and nutritionists. The app also features over 800 exercises and workout programs ranging from HIIT to 5K and 10K running with GPS tracking. There’s yoga, too, and even custom-tailored plans like Sexy Ab and Booty workouts.
$14.99/month: Apple App Store, Google Play
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- PlateJoy
platejoy app
Courtesy of PlateJoy
In addition to being a meal planner in your pocket, this app includes a recipe database, smart grocery lists, grocery delivery, and more. All these assets make PlateJoy a go-to for dietitian Sofia Norton, RD and Ketogenic Diet Expert, working at Kiss My Keto. “The app offers a range of ketogenic meal plans, all of which are highly customizable,” Norton mentions. “For example, it can customize meals based on info about what’s in your pantry. The app keeps track of your food preferences and offers meals based on those… It is also true to the ketogenic diet unlike apps claiming to offer low-carb meals that aren’t truly low-carb.” In addition to keto meal plans, PlateJoy has excellent support for vegan, gluten-free, paleo, and pescatarian diets, among others.
$8.00: Apple App Store, Google Play
- LoseIt!
lose it app
Courtesy of Lose It App
Like the name implies, this app is all about helping you lose weight. “What’s nice is that this app has an extensive food database and it can track a person’s calorie burn and macronutrients. You can track calories consumed and calories burned via exercise. It can even connect to a fitness device to automatically track calorie burn,” shares Amanda A. Kostro Miller, RD, LDN, who serves on the advisory board for Smart Healthy Living. If you’re dining out instead of meal-prepping at home, the app contains recipes from popular restaurant chains (as well as products you can buy at the supermarket). Like MyFitnessPal, LoseIt! offers a barcode scanning feature.
Free version or premium available for 39.99/year: Apple App Store, Google Play
- 8Fit
8fit app
Courtesy of 8Fit
This winning combination of custom meal plans and fitness tips tailored for you uses a sleek user interface with plenty of visuals. “8Fit offers nutrition guidance, exercise plans, and recipes for a healthier meal planning and lifestyle,” comments Nicolle Harwood-Nash, a writer for The Workout Digest and a personal fitness coach. She recommends the app for fitness enthusiasts like herself, but those new to working out may also enjoy the 15-to-20-minute workouts that don’t need any fancy equipment.
$29.99: Apple App Store, Google Play
- 22 Days Meal Planner
22 days meal planner
Courtesy of 22 Days Meal Planner
Yes, we wouldn’t mind looking like Beyoncé. This meal planning app for weight loss is ideal for vegans or those looking to make the plant-based plunge. You simply share your cooking habits, goals, and a few other pieces of information to get custom-tailored recommendations for you. Once you’ve got your recipe inspiration for simple, tantalizing plant-based meals like creamy garlic cauliflower soup or a Thai-inspired salad, the app whips up grocery lists and can even arrange delivery for you.
$1.90/week: Online Only
- Cronometer
cronometer app
Courtesy of Cronometer
This comprehensive program allows you to track beyond calories and macros—diving into vitamin and mineral intakes to boot (which may be important if you just went vegan and want to track your B12 intake or trying to conceive, to name two common examples). “Cronometer tracks over 60 nutrients for over 300,000 foods and you can customize foods and recipes,” say Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT & Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, CDN, CFT, The Nutrition Twins, co-founders of the 21-Day Body Reboot. This makes it ideal for those trying to stick to specific guidelines of a new diet and maintain personal nutrition benchmarks.
Free; Premium versions from $5.99: Apple App Store, Google Play
- MOVE! Coach
move coach app
Courtesy of Move Coach
For veterans, Kostro Miller suggests this app from the Department of Veterans Affairs. “This app can help a veteran track their diet and exercise progress and relates to the concepts that are emphasized in the in-person MOVE! groups at your local VA,” she notes. Move! Coach also includes helpful videos, worksheets, and games, to help you reach your healthy living goals.
Free: Apple App Store, Google Play
- Noom
Noom app
Courtesy of Noom
The Noom program emphasizes incorporating lasting habits into your routine, helping you jumpstart success with personalized meal and workout plans. Nutritionists are big fans of this “in it for the long haul” ethos: “This app focuses on making long-lasting lifestyle shifts rather than encouraging extreme eating styles, like cutting out nutrients or food groups,” explain The Nutrition Twins. “It motivates with interactive articles and quizzes. Best of all it encourages whole foods and eating more real, nutrient-dense meals and snacks.”
Conclusion
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