FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is Free Weekly Meal Planner really free?
Yes. All the recipes, the meal planner and the shopping list are free to use. There is no premium tier and no paywall.
Do I need to create an account?
No, and there are no accounts at all. You can browse recipes and build a plan without signing up. Your plan lives in the page address, so bookmark it or send the link to someone and it opens exactly as you left it.
How are the cost per portion figures worked out?
Costs are estimated from typical UK supermarket prices for the quantity each recipe uses, divided by the number of portions. They are not live prices, and prices vary by shop and change over time, so treat them as a close guide rather than an exact figure.
Where does the nutritional information come from?
Each recipe is calculated from its ingredients using standard UK nutritional values. We assume the leanest common version of an ingredient, such as 5% fat mince or 0% fat Greek yoghurt, unless the recipe calls for something else, and we check that the calories agree with the protein, carbohydrate and fat. Where a recipe comes from a published source, we check their figures rather than copying them. The figures are a guide and will vary depending on exact ingredients and portion sizes.
Can I change the number of portions?
Yes, anywhere from two to six people. Every recipe is written for four, and each recipe page has a people selector that rescales the ingredients as you pick, with the downloadable card to match. The meal planner does the same for the whole shopping list, and all three round amounts the same way, so whole items like onions stay whole. Your choice is remembered from page to page. Calories, protein and cost are always per portion, so they do not change.
Are the recipes suitable for children?
The recipes are written for families eating together, so they avoid heavy spice, unusual ingredients and long cooking times unless the recipe says otherwise. Individual tastes still vary, so check the ingredients.
Do you cater for allergies or dietary requirements?
The filters cover a few dietary needs: vegetarian, high protein, under 500 kcal, and leaving out pork, fish or nuts. They go by the ingredients in each recipe, not by what is in a particular brand, so check sauces and pastes too; Worcestershire sauce, for example, contains anchovies, and some curry pastes contain nuts. No nuts leaves out nuts, peanuts and pesto, but it cannot allow for “may contain” warnings. If anyone has an allergy, always check the full ingredient list and the labels on what you buy.
Can I suggest a recipe?
Yes, and we would love that. Use the send us a recipe form: share a link or write it out, and add a photo if you have one. We adapt every recipe to our standards before it goes on the site, and we will email you when it is added.