Frequently Asked Questions

What's the pricing?

The base version is totally free and includes:
  • Full Meal Planning Algorithm
  • Up to 3 Meal Plans at a Time
The Premium version has two options: $7.99/mo or $79.90/year (2 months free). These subscriptions support our work as well as our recipe creator partners and includes:
  • Full Meal Planning Algorithm
  • Unlimited Meal Plans
  • Replace Recipes
  • Calorie Control System (e.g. build a plan where every day has a total of 1500-1800 calories)
  • Time Control (e.g. build a plan where all recipes take less than 15 minutes)
  • Shopping Lists
  • Allergy & Exclusion System - build a custom list of foods you're allergic to (or simply don't like)
  • Full Nutrient Breakdown
  • Reminder Alert System (to help you build the meal planning habit)
  • Half of your subscription supports our recipe creator partners
We believe strongly that the core of the algorithm should always be free - premium subscribers enable us to continue offering a free version as a public service - something we feel is essential to our mission to accelerate the adoption of healthy diets, reduce the healthcare burden, and improve ecological sustainability.

Are you/Scientific Meal Planner associated in any way with NutritionFacts.org?

No, we're simply fans of their work. While we attempt to implement their advice into a meal planning algorithm, our meal plans are not endorsed in any way by nutritionfacts.org. Nutritionfacts.org is a non-profit entity and has no relationship with us, although they are aware of The Scientific Meal Planner's existence.

Why should I trust your information? Somebody else on the internet says otherwise?

The meal planning algorithm is based on information presented on nutritionfacts.org. This is a non-profit organization that spends its time reading scientific papers about nutrition and presenting them to the public. They are a non-profit with no motive to misrepresent the information. Contrast this with the various fad doctors / diets making dubious claims with no scientific backing and selling their wares. That being said, you have to make up your own mind about whether it's a trustworthy source. In my view, there really isn't a more reliable source of nutrition information out there. I provide citations throughout the application and strive for absolute transparency. Check out the nutritionfacts introductory videos if you need convincing about a whole food plant based diet's proven benefits.

Wait, what's the problem with meat exactly?

The World Health Organization has classified processed meat as a group 1 carcinogen - meaning it causes cancer (others in this category include alcohol, tobacco, & asbestos). Red meat (including all mammalian muscle meat - beef/pork/etc) is classified as group 2A - which means it probably causes cancer. Harvard's meat and mortality studies show that red meat makes you live a shorter life, more likely to die of cancer, more likely to die of heart disease, and just more likely to die in general. Also animal fat intake is linked to dementia risk. Learn more about the issues with meat here.

How will I get enough protein eating plant based?

There has been a lot of unjustified emphasis on protein in popular culture. The reality of the situation is 97% of Americans get plenty of protein, including vegetarians/vegans. Meanwhile, 97% of Americans don't get enough fiber, a problem that goes away when eating sufficiently plant based.

How do I build my own meal plan?

You can build your meal plan by first generating one and then replacing each recipe with whatever you'd like. This way you can construct a meal plan and see how it scores in terms of calories, daily dozen percentage, etc.

Can I build gluten free / nut free / allergy sensitive meal plans?

Premium users can build a custom list of foods they don't want in their plans. This allows anyone with an allergy to customize the planner to their specific needs. This is accessible via the button with a 🚫 symbol on it, next to the Imperial/Metric toggle at the top of the meal plan generation page.

Are there iOS / android app versions?

Not yet, but there may be later on.