Why don’t more people use meal planning apps? (And what we’re doing about it.)

Every week, I see it happen: friends stressing about what to eat, people wandering around grocery store aisles without a plan, buying random stuff, throwing out moldy fruits & veggies, or defaulting to ordering food they don’t feel happy about and promising to cook instead next time. It feels chaotic. Stressful. Wasteful. And completely normal. 

But it doesn’t have to be. We created a meal planning shopping list app to fix our household chaos, cook more, and reduce food waste. Once it clicked for us, I couldn’t stop wondering: why aren’t more people doing this? Why is meal planning weekly menu still such a niche habit, despite how useful it can be?

So I started digging. 

The market for best planning apps in food and meal prep is growing (from $1.2B in 2023 to $3.6B by 2032), but adoption still lags behind.

Turns out, isn’t just the tech - it’s how it fits (or doesn’t) into real life. It’s not just one thing stopping people - it’s a whole constellation of technical, emotional, and lifestyle barriers. Here’s what I found, and how our app (OH, a potato!) tries to meet people where they are.

OBSTACLE #1: ”Meal planning apps don't work for me”

Most meal planning apps are diet-focused, offer limited recipe ideas, and lack customisation to match personal preferences. They don’t reflect how people actually cook or eat. You can’t save your own recipes, search for cravings, or plan loosely based on what you already have at home.

That was our biggest frustration, too. We wanted to cook more, but the lunch or dinner ideas we got from different apps were uninspiring. I was constantly seeing mouth-watering recipes on Instagram, but I wasn’t seeing them when I needed them. We really wanted a way to save these videos quickly when we stumbled upon them, and try them later without forgetting about their existence.

That’s why our app skips pre-loaded recipes. You can save anything - from TikTok, blogs, cookbooks, or text notes. You can search by ingredients in your fridge or by the thing you suddenly crave (Japanese pancakes, anyone?). Then drop it into your plan, and boom: your grocery shopping checklist is ready. We design for real flexibility. Because food is personal.

OBSTACLE #2: “I don't have time for setup”

If an app makes you manually input your entire kitchen inventory before you can start? Hard pass.

We get it. Everybody is busy nowadays. We are also busy, so we knew that if we didn’t have the time for long manual setups, then no one would.

That’s why we built a fridge scanner. Snap a few pics, and we turn it into a usable ingredient list, which you can use to find new recipes or get matches with your recipe inventory. No tedious setup. Start planning in minutes.

OBSTACLE #3: “I'm good with pen & paper”

This one’s valid. My dad still sketches his weekly meal plan with grocery list on the back of junk mail. For many people, analog methods just work. They’re fast, tactile, and satisfying.

We’re not here to convert the die-hards. But if you’ve ever left your grocery list at home, we can help. Imagine snapping a photo of your handwritten plan and turning it into a synced, shareable grocery list you won’t forget. Would you be interested? Let us know, we might build it for you!

OBSTACLE #4: “I don't cook with recipes”

Some people are intuitive cooks. They riff, taste, and freestyle based on what they have. Respect. We wish we were one of you!

If that’s you, our app might still be helpful. Think of it less like a plan and more like a sandbox. Save inspiration, store your own creations. You can still be spontaneous.

OBSTACLE #5: “Why pay for this?”

Fair question. When paper is free and apps abound, paying for a subscription can feel unnecessary.

For us charging a modest fee means that we can focus on offering a premium experience and keep working on improving the app every day to simplify the meal planning process and help you develop cooking habits to waste less food. And when you think about it… we charge for a year less than what you pay for a dinner or lunch (and not a fancy one)!

OBSTACLE #6: “I don't want my data tracked”

Privacy matters. A lot of apps ask for detailed info about your diet, eating habits, personal preferences, and health conditions. It can feel invasive.

We keep it simple. You don’t need an account to use OH, a potato!. We store everything on iCloud, Apple's privacy-first cloud storage solution, and only ask about diet preferences if you want better ideas for meal planning. That’s it.

OBSTACLE #7: “I don't want to obsess over food”

Some people fear that they will develop unhealthy eating habits and relationship with food due to excessive calorie counting and food tracking. 

We don’t track calories. We don’t care about macros. We’re here to help you make a plan, cook more often, and waste less food. We want you to have fun with cooking. That’s it.

OBSTACLE #8: “My life's too unpredictable”

Work shifts. Sick kids. Surprise dinners out - there are a million reasons rigid planning might feel impossible.

So we made flexibility core to the app. You can drag and drop meals between days, shift everything around, or skip a day entirely. Having a plan doesn’t mean sticking to it. It just means having a starting point.

OBSTACLE #9: “I’m not great with apps”

Limited skills engaging with apps in general are considered another barrier. It’s more prevalent for certain demographics or regions. 

That’s why we’re always simplifying, removing steps, and smoothing out flows. We want this to be the best app to store recipes, plan meals, and manage your meal planning shopping list without feeling like work. If something feels clunky, tell us. Many of our best improvements came from frustrated messages and honest feedback.

Final thoughts: It's not you. It's the apps.

Meal planning can be life-changing. But most tools aren’t built for how people actually live, cook, and think about food. That’s what we’re trying to change.

If you’re staring at a blank screen wondering what to even plan, here’s a list of healthy, simple meal planning ideas to help you kick things off without overthinking it. For newcomers looking to get started, our ultimate beginner’s guide to weekly meal planning walks you through easy, practical steps to build a routine that sticks.

If you’ve tried and bounced off recipe weekly planner apps before, we get it. And if you haven’t tried at all, we’d love to hear why. You might just inspire the next update.

So… what’s stopping you?