Mealime alternative
Mealime is closing. Here is what to save, and where to plan dinner next.
Mealime says it will shut down on October 21, 2026. If you plan your family's dinners with it, this page covers what to do before then, in plain steps, and how It's Dinnertime! could fit in.
Facts about Mealime on this page come from Mealime's own closing page, as we read it on September 30, 2026. Dates and terms can change, so check it yourself.
What Mealime says
- Mealime will shut down on October 21, 2026.
- All personal data will be deleted when the app is shut down.
- Pro subscribers will not be charged any more subscription fees before Mealime is discontinued.
- Its recipes and features are moving to Meals Hub, inside the Albertsons Companies store apps. Meals Hub is free.
We did not find an export for your saved recipes, plans or grocery lists on that page, and we did not find a statement about refunds. Check Mealime's own page for both.
What to do before it closes
- Write down your top ten dinners. The ones your family asks for again. This is the list that matters most, and it takes ten minutes.
- Screenshot what you want to keep. Take a screenshot of each favourite recipe, your usual grocery list and any plan you reuse. Screenshots live in your photos, so they outlast the app.
- Note your family's settings. Write down allergies, foods nobody eats and how many people you cook for. Whatever you move to will ask again.
- Find each favourite on the web. If a recipe has its own web page, save that link. A link can be pasted into almost any recipe app.
- Move favourites into any planner you like. Paste the links, or type the ten dinners in. Then plan one week and see if it feels easy. You have until October 21 to try more than one app.
How It's Dinnertime! fits
It's Dinnertime! is a meal planning app for working parents. It plans a week of dinners, builds one grocery list in aisle order, and walks you through each recipe hands-free while you cook. It is on its way to the App Store, for iPhone and iPad. Here is the plain comparison, limited to what is true of Dinnertime today.
| Thing you may want | It's Dinnertime! | Mealime |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly dinner plan | Yes, planned for you on your phone | Check Mealime's own page |
| Grocery list in aisle order | Yes, kept in Apple Reminders | Check Mealime's own page |
| Store prices | Yes at Kroger-family stores, with Pro | Check Mealime's own page |
| Hands-free cook mode | Yes, with timers on the Lock Screen | Check Mealime's own page |
| Household sharing | Yes, two people free, up to six with Pro | Check Mealime's own page |
| Cost | Free to start, optional Pro | Pro is not charged further before it closes |
| Saved recipes you can take with you | Not from Mealime, see below | No export found on its closing page |
What you can bring in
There is no Mealime import, because there is nothing to import from. These do work today:
- Paste a link to a recipe that is on a web page.
- Paste a link to a post on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest or Facebook.
- Scan a page from a cookbook, on an iPhone with Apple Intelligence.
- Bring in a Paprika export file, if you also keep recipes there.
We have not tested every Mealime recipe, so some links may not read cleanly. If one does not, the app says so plainly.
Questions
Is Mealime shutting down?
Yes. Mealime's own closing page says Mealime will shut down on October 21, 2026, and that all personal data will be deleted when the app is shut down.
What is Meals Hub?
Meals Hub is the recipe and shopping feature inside the Albertsons Companies store apps, such as Safeway, Albertsons, Vons and Jewel-Osco. Mealime's closing page says Mealime's recipes and features are moving there, and that it is free.
Can I move my Mealime recipes into Dinnertime?
Not in one step. We found no export on Mealime's closing page, and Dinnertime has no Mealime import. What works: paste a link to a recipe that is on a web page, paste a link to a post on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest or Facebook, or scan a cookbook page on an iPhone with Apple Intelligence. If you keep recipes in Paprika, its export file can be brought in whole.
What happens to my Mealime subscription?
Mealime's closing page says Pro subscribers will not be charged any more subscription fees before Mealime is discontinued. We did not find a statement about refunds there, so check Mealime's own page or ask Mealime support.
Is It's Dinnertime! on the App Store?
Not yet. It's Dinnertime! is on its way to the App Store, for iPhone and iPad.
Does Dinnertime cost anything?
It is free to start, with no account. Pro is optional and adds things like live Kroger prices on your grocery list. Pro is $44.99 a year, $6.99 a month, or $99.99 once.
Is Dinnertime affiliated with Mealime?
No. Smart Home Life LLC makes It's Dinnertime! and is not affiliated with Mealime or with Albertsons Companies.
Disclosure: Smart Home Life LLC makes It's Dinnertime! and is not affiliated with Mealime or Albertsons Companies. Mealime and Meals Hub are names of their owners, used here only to say what they are.
Still have a question? Support is a person, the same one who builds the app.