Getting Started

Creating Your Account

Download MealJar from the App Store and sign up with your email. You can start using the Free plan immediately. No credit card required.

Adding Your First Recipe

MealJar makes it easy to add recipes from any source:

• From a website: Copy the recipe URL and paste it into MealJar. The app will automatically extract the title, ingredients, and instructions.
• From a photo: Tap the camera icon and add a picture of your handwritten recipe card or cookbook page.
• From a PDF: Upload any PDF recipe file directly to your recipe collection.
• Manual entry: Type your recipe directly into the app with our simple form.
• Via Share: If you found a recipe on a website or social media you can tap share and select MealJar. The recipe will be automatically imported.

Planning Your First Week

Navigate to the Meal Planner tab. You'll see the current week with customizable meal types (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner). Tap any meal slot to add a recipe or create a custom meal name. Swipe left or right to view different weeks.

In the beginning you might not have a lot of recipes, so it might be easier to add custom meal names.

Managing Recipes

Organizing Your Recipes

Keep your recipes organized with these features:

• Tags: Add custom tags like "Quick Meals", "Vegetarian", "Italian" or "Kid-Friendly" to any recipe.
• Search: Find recipes instantly by searching for titles, ingredients, or tags.
• Notes: Add personal notes, substitutions, or family ratings to any recipe.

Editing Recipes

Tap any recipe to view it, then select "Edit" to update ingredients, instructions, prep time, or add photos. All changes sync automatically across your devices (Family Plan feature).

Deleting Recipes

Tap on the recipe top right menu and tap "Delete" to remove it permanently from your collection.

Meal Planning

Creating Your Weekly Plan

From the Meal Planner screen, tap any meal slot for any day. You can either select a recipe from your collection or add a custom meal name for quick entries (like "Leftovers" or "Eating Out").

Customizing Meal Types

With the Family Plan, you can customize which meal types appear for each day. Go to Home Screen > Meal Types (top right icon) to add, remove, or reorder your meal categories.

Moving Between Weeks

Use the left and right arrows at the top of the Meal Planner to navigate between weeks. Plan as far ahead as you want!

Shopping Lists

Adding Ingredients

Open any recipe and tap "Add to Shopping List" to automatically add all ingredients. You can also manually add items by tapping the "+" button in the Shopping List tab.

Organizing Your List

Ingredients are automatically organized by category (Produce, Dairy, Meat, etc.) to match your grocery store layout. Check items off as you shop.

Clearing Your List

After shopping, tap "Clear Checked Items" to remove everything you've purchased, or "Clear All" to start fresh.

Family Sharing (Family Plan)

Inviting Family Members

Go to Settings > Manage Family > Generate Invite Code. Share this code with family members. They can join by entering the code in their MealJar app after a fresh install tap 'Join Family Group'.

What Family Members Can Do

• View and edit the weekly meal plan
• Add, edit, delete recipes
• Update the shopping list
• See all family members

Managing Family Members

The family owner can remove members from Settings > Family > Manage Members. Invite codes expire after a few minutes and can be regenerated anytime.

Account & Settings

Upgrading to Family Plan

Go to Settings > Subscription > Upgrade. Start with a 3-day free trial.

Managing Your Subscription

View or cancel your subscription in More Menu > Subscription. For iOS, you can also manage through your Apple ID settings.

Syncing Across Devices

With a Family Plan, all your recipes, meal plans, and shopping lists sync automatically. Just log in with the same account on any device.

Deleting Your Account

Go to Settings > Account > Delete Account. This permanently removes all your data and cannot be undone.

Troubleshooting

Recipes Not Syncing

Make sure you have an active internet connection and are logged into the same account on all devices. If it's a family member having a sync issue, try going to manage family & see if member is still there. Try logging out and back in, or go to Settings > Sync Now to force a sync.

Recipe Import Failed

Some websites don't allow recipe scraping. Try copying the recipe text manually, taking a screenshot or attaching the url instead.

App Crashes or Freezes

Try closing and reopening the app. If the problem persists, update to the latest version from the App Store or contact support.

Forgot Password

On the login screen, tap "Forgot Password" and enter your email. You'll receive a password reset link within a few minutes.

Tips & Best Practices

Save Time Planning

• Plan your week on Sunday while reviewing what's in your fridge
• Create a "Quick Weeknight" tag for 30-minute meals
• Set a reminder from Settings to remind you to meal plan on sunday.

Save Money on Groceries

• Plan meals around ingredients you already have
• Use the shopping list to avoid impulse purchases
• Check your meal plan before grocery shopping to buy only what you need

Preserve Family Recipes

• Photograph old recipe cards
• Add notes about who created each recipe
• Use tags like "Grandma's Recipes" or "Holiday Traditions"

Need More Help?

Can't find what you're looking for? We're here to help!

• Email Support: melvin@neurondigital.com
• FAQ: Visit our FAQ page

When contacting support, please include your account email and a description of the issue. Screenshots are always helpful!