Mealime Is Shutting Down (Oct 21, 2026): What Happens + Best Alternatives
We used to review Mealime as an app worth trying. That advice is out of date: Mealime shuts down on October 21, 2026. Here is exactly what Mealime says happens, what to do about your recipes, and where to go next.
Updated September 29, 2026 · Prices and features checked September 29, 2026
By the Ultimate Meal Plans team · Editorial policy
What happened to Mealime
Mealime was a free-to-start meal planning app known for quick, healthy dinners and an automatic grocery list. Albertsons Companies, the grocery group behind Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, and other chains, acquired it in 2021 and has offered Mealime recipes inside its store apps since then.
In 2026 Albertsons decided to run a single platform. Mealime will be discontinued on October 21, 2026, and its recipes and meal-planning tools continue as Meals Hub. Mealime is the third well-known planner to close in under two years, after Yummly (December 2024) and PlateJoy (July 2025).
How to save your Mealime recipes before October 21, 2026
Mealime has no export button, and it says all personal data is deleted when the app shuts down. That includes saved recipes, meal plans, and grocery lists. Here is the fastest way to keep what matters. Plan on about 20 minutes.
- Make a list of your keepers. Open your saved and favorite recipes in Mealime and write down (or screenshot) every recipe name you actually cook. The names are the most important thing to save: Mealime says its whole recipe catalog moves to Meals Hub, so with a name you can find the same recipe again later.
- Copy the full recipe for anything you would hate to lose. For each keeper, screenshot the ingredient list and every step, or copy them into a note. Pro is free for everyone until the shutdown, so recipes that used to be locked are open now. Save those too.
- Write down your settings. Note your diet, allergies, disliked ingredients, and serving size. Nothing transfers automatically. Even Meals Hub asks you to set preferences again in your Albertsons Companies store account.
- Save your grocery staples. Copy your current shopping list and any staples you keep re-adding. Lists and meal plans are deleted along with everything else.
- Check your subscription. Mealime says Pro subscribers will not be charged again before the shutdown. If you subscribed through the App Store or Google Play, open your subscriptions there and confirm Mealime is not set to renew.
- Pick a new home for the recipes. If you want to keep your own recipe collection, use a recipe keeper (Paprika, Plan to Eat, or Samsung Food) and paste your recipes in. If what you really want is for someone to plan the week for you, a done-for-you planner is the better fit, and you only need your list of favorites to guide it.
Our Mealime review, looking back
Mealime was a good app. It deserves an honest send-off, and knowing what you liked about it makes the next pick easier.
What it did well
- A genuinely useful free tier
- Fast weeknight recipes, most under 30 minutes
- A grocery list that built itself from the plan
- Clean, simple mobile app that beginners could pick up in minutes
Where it fell short
- No export, which is why the shutdown hurts
- Limited help for stricter diets such as AIP or carnivore
- No way to add your own recipes
- Owned by a grocery chain, so its future followed the chain’s strategy
Where Mealime users are going
Four apps cover most of what Mealime did. For the full list of seven, with who each one suits, see our Mealime alternatives guide.
| App | Price (US) | Trial | Plans made for you | Your own recipes | Grocery list | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meals Hub (Albertsons Companies) | Free | Not needed | You build plans from its recipes | No | Yes, shoppable at Albertsons-owned stores | Mealime fans who shop at Safeway, Albertsons, Vons, Jewel-Osco or another Albertsons banner |
| Ultimate Meal Plans(us) | $36 every 3 months ($14/mo monthly, $96/yr annual) | 14 days on quarterly or annual, card required | Yes: a new weekly plan for your diet | No | Automatic, with Instacart and Kroger options | Having dinner decided for you on a specific diet (keto, paleo, AIP, diabetic-friendly and more) |
| eMeals | $37.50 per 3 months, or $4.99/mo on a 12-month plan (dinner plans) | 14 days | Yes: a new weekly menu for your chosen food style | Yes: add family recipes or save them from the web | Yes, sends to Walmart, Kroger, Instacart and others | Done-for-you family dinners at a low price |
| Samsung Food | Free; Food+ $6.99/mo or $59.99/yr | 7 days on Food+ | With Food+ (AI-personalized plans) | Yes: save from any website | Yes, with online ordering from partner grocers | A free all-rounder for saving recipes and planning |
US list prices checked September 29, 2026. App-store prices, regional prices, and sales can differ.
If you liked Mealime because it decided dinner for you, Ultimate Meal Plans works the same way for keto, paleo, low carb, clean eating, AIP, and diabetic-friendly eating, with most recipes built around 15 minutes of prep and 5 ingredients. See plans on the pricing page.
Want dinner decided again?
Get a weekly plan for your diet and a shopping list that builds itself. Try the quarterly plan free for 14 days.
14-day trial on quarterly or annual · card required · cancel anytime
Frequently asked questions
Is Mealime really shutting down?
Yes. Mealime's own site says the app "will be discontinued as of October 21, 2026." The notice is on mealime.com, not a rumor.
Why is Mealime shutting down?
Albertsons Companies acquired Mealime in 2021. It is consolidating recipes and meal planning into Meals Hub, a feature inside its grocery store apps, and retiring the standalone Mealime app.
Will I be charged for Mealime Pro?
No. Mealime says Pro subscribers will not be charged any more subscription fees before the shutdown, and Pro features are free for all users in the meantime. If you subscribed through an app store, check that store’s subscription settings to be sure.
Can I move my Mealime account to Meals Hub?
Not directly. You create or sign in to an Albertsons Companies store app to use Meals Hub, and some preferences and settings have to be set up again. Your saved Mealime data is deleted at shutdown.
Do I need to live near an Albertsons store to use Meals Hub?
No. Mealime says you can browse recipes, create meal plans, and generate shopping lists in Meals Hub even if you can’t shop at an Albertsons Companies store.
What should I switch to?
Meals Hub if you shop Albertsons and want the same recipes. A done-for-you planner such as eMeals or Ultimate Meal Plans if you want the week decided. A recipe keeper such as Paprika, Plan to Eat, or Samsung Food if you want to keep your own collection. Our full comparison covers seven options.