Mealie
Self-HostedOpen-source recipe manager and meal planner
Overview
Mealie is a self-hosted recipe management tool that organizes recipes, plans meals, and generates shopping lists. It supports URL recipe imports, categorization by tags/diets, and sharing with family. Deployment is simple via Docker/Docker Compose, with SQLite/PostgreSQL/MySQL options. Features include nutritional analysis, meal calendars, and grocery list sync. Ideal for home cooks wanting privacy and control over their recipe data without cloud reliance.
Self-Hosting Resources
Below is a reference structure for docker-compose.yml.
⚠️ Do NOT run blindly. Replace placeholders with official values.
version: '3'
services:
mealie:
image: <OFFICIAL_IMAGE_NAME>:latest
container_name: mealie
ports:
- "8080:<APP_INTERNAL_PORT>"
volumes:
- ./data:/app/data
restart: unless-stopped Key Features
- Recipe import from URLs
- Meal planning & shopping list generation
- Nutritional analysis & diet filtering
Frequently Asked Questions
? Is Mealie hard to install?
No—Mealie uses Docker for straightforward deployment, with pre-built images and step-by-step guides in the docs. Even beginners can set it up with a single Docker command or Compose file.
? Is Mealie a good alternative to Paprika Recipe Manager?
Yes—Mealie offers core features like recipe import and meal planning, plus self-hosting for data privacy. It lacks some of Paprika’s mobile polish but has no subscription costs and open-source flexibility.
? Is Mealie completely free?
Yes—Mealie is open-source under the MIT License, so it’s free to use, modify, and self-host without any hidden fees or subscriptions.
Top Alternatives
People Also Ask about Mealie
Tool Info
Pros
- ⊕ Privacy-focused (full data control)
- ⊕ No subscription fees
- ⊕ Easy Docker deployment
Cons
- ⊖ Requires a server or self-hosting environment
- ⊖ Mobile app is less polished than proprietary alternatives
- ⊖ Limited third-party integration options