Free Meal Planning Apps for New Year's Resolutions
Compare free tiers, logging limits, and federal targets to start your food resolution without paying.
Yes, you can start a New Year's food resolution with free meal planning tools. A meal planning app suggests meals, tracks intake, and organizes shopping around your goals. You can start without paying and add paid features only when you need automatic menus.
The sections below show what each free option covers.
Verification note: Program terms and availability can change. This page was checked against linked sources on November 02, 2026.
What can you make for free?
Eat This Much creates personalized meal plans from food preferences, budget and schedule. Eat This Much says resolution dieters can get a free custom plan in minutes to test a new routine. Use that starter plan to test portion sizes and food ideas.
Treat the first plan as a draft. Adjust preferences and schedule until meals fit your routine.
- Enter food likes, budget limits, and cooking time.
- Save the meals that fit your week.
- Repeat favorites before paying for extras.
What does MyFitnessPal Free track?
MyFitnessPal Help describes Free as supporting food and exercise logging, custom recipes, measurements and partner-app connections. The same Help page says Meal Plan Builder, Meal Prep Mode, diet preferences and grocery-list tools stay in paid Premium+. Use Free to log meals and spot patterns.
You still plan meals yourself, since Free logs but does not automate planning.
When does detailed tracking help?
Cronometer says its Basic account tracks calories plus up to 95 nutrients and compounds for daily review. Cronometer says the free account includes a 1M+-item database, unlimited barcode scans, device sync and 7-day reports. Start free for logging and basic plans.
Pay only if you need automated weekly menus and grocery delivery.
How can federal tools fill gaps?
The Dietary Guidelines portal points to free federal guidance through Dietary Guidelines for Americans and RealFood.gov. The same portal says USDA's MyPlate Plan gives personalized food-group and calorie targets by age, sex, height, weight and activity. Use those targets to set portion goals, then track meals in your chosen app.
Bring the MyPlate calorie target to your grocery list each week.