What is Reddit's opinion of Recipe, Menu & Cooking Planner?

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Have you tried Pepperplate? It's free, it imports recipes from many sites and it's cross platform (web/windows/Android. not sure about iOS). The UI isn't amazing but definitely better than most apps I've tried. And it has a handy planner/shopping list feature too.

Edit: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pepperplate

Pepperplate is pretty good. I use it for all my recipes, it also has a weekly meal calendar feature and a shopping list feature. It works best if you use the website with it as well to plan your meals and shopping list and then reference on the app.

For jotting down recipes I used to use Evernote. Recently I've come across Pepperplate.

iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id403188971?mt=8

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pepperplate

Just wish it synced with Evernote.

Use a meal planning app or programme. I use PepperPlate (Android / Apple, but a quick google search reveals several others that look useful. )

Then, input some recipes. Hunt around this subreddit, BudgetBytes, any recipe books you've been given over the years, recipes you already know and love. Often vendors at farmers markets will have recipes to share that feature in-season produce. Start small- just do five recipes for the first week, then choose another one or two each week for a little while until you have a library of recipes you enjoy and can confidently cook, and don't get bored of.

Plan what recipes you are going to cook for the week. Think about what is in season (I always go to my local famers market on a Saturday morning, choose my fruit and vegies, and then plan my week's meals around what I picked up). On PepperPlate, use the Planner to allocate a recipe to each night of the week (as it suits you. Do quick and easy meals on nights you might get home later etc.), and as you do so, add ingredients to the shopping list (PepperPlate will automatically do this for you).

Then, once you have created your shopping list for the week, tick off things you already have, and add any extra items you might need (breakfasts, snacks, toiletries etc.). Go to the supermarket with your list for the week, and buy what is on it. If something you had planned to buy is more expensive than anticipated, drop it- don't feel afraid to drop or substitute ingredients from recipes. Look for "staples" that are on special, so that you can stock up and use them for future weeks, but otherwise try to stick to your list as well as you can.

Cook your dinners every night, and put a portion of leftovers aside for lunch the next day. If there is more than one portion leftover, freeze it so you have a meal to fall back on if you get too busy.

After you have cooked dinner for the evening, check what is on your menu for the next night, and do any prep you need to (e.g. getting meat out of the freezer, marinating meat, soaking chickpeas, making sure the ingredients are handy). You can also use this time to prep for breakfast the next morning (e.g. putting oats out to soak).

You will find that the first few weeks might be expensive and difficult as you will have to stock up on staples and get used to the routine, but it gets a lot cheaper and easier.

Also, if you don't have a smartphone or reliable access to a computer, you can still do your planning by hand. It might be a bit more time consuming to keep track of your recipes, and hand-write out a shopping list each week, though!

P.S. all the best for your continued health!

I currently use Pepper Plate and I think it works well.

I use Pepperplate (iOS/ Android) to help me plan my meals. I find recipes I like (and I guess you just go on the hunt for daughter-approved recipes :)), input them, then plan your week and create a shopping list from that plan.

Some other resources I have found useful are these menu plans. They have lists of weekly shopping, and recipe ideas for inspiration, and could be a starting point for developing something that works for you. There is also a 7 day meal planner template.

I use Pepperplate to store my recipes. dont use the list of ingredients or meal planner etc features, so dont know if the app had it.

I use PepperPlate. has a web interface too.

I use PepperPlate (Android / iOS).

I buy my vegies at the market on a Saturday morning, and using what I get, I choose 5-7 recipes for the week (I enjoy to cook most evenings, your mileage may vary. If this is the case, make use of a slowcooker and freezer). I input my recipes into the app (or choose ones already in my library), and add them to the planner, and then to the shopping list. Then I go through the shopping list, and tick off everything I already have, and add anything else I might need (e.g. toothpaste). Then I go to the supermarket with the shopping list.

I always take leftovers for lunch the next day, so every meal I cook is for dinner then lunch, and I freeze anything I have leftover beyond that for an evening I can't cook for whatever reason.

Planning this way minimises my tendency toward disordered eating, and keeps what I am eating interesting (I get bored if I am eating the same thing over and over). As far as the whole reheating thing... practice, I guess. Check out r/freeebooks for free cook books that often have instructions on freezing etc. Another really good resource is Budget Bytes for lots of good recipes with clear instructions.