Getting Started

Complete onboarding guide to get you up and running with The Meal Plan Vault in minutes.

Written By Michelle Mayes

Last updated 10 months ago

What You'll Learn

  • How to create your account and complete initial setup

  • How to navigate the dashboard

  • How to import or create your first recipe

  • How to create your first meal plan

  • Next steps to maximize your meal planning success

Welcome to The Meal Plan Vault

The Meal Plan Vault is your all-in-one solution for recipe management, meal planning, and grocery shopping. Whether you're a busy parent trying to feed a family, a meal prep enthusiast, chef for a large household, or simply someone looking to eat healthier and cook at home, we've got you covered.

What Makes Us Different

  • AI-Powered Recipe Import - Import recipes from any website with one click

  • Smart Meal Planning - Drag-and-drop calendar with AI suggestions

  • Household Collaboration - Plan meals together with your family

  • Auto-Generated Grocery Lists - Never forget an ingredient again

  • AI Chef Assistant - Get instant help with cooking questions

Step 1: Create Your Account

Sign Up Options

You can create an account using:

  • Google Sign-In (Recommended) - Quick and secure

  • Email and Password - Traditional sign-up

Account Setup

  1. Click "Sign Up" on the landing page

  2. Choose your preferred sign-in method

  3. If using email, verify your email address

  4. Complete your profile:

    • Display name (auto-filled from Google if applicable)

    • Household name (you can change this later)

Note: Your display name will be visible to household members.

Step 2: Explore Your Dashboard

After signing up, you'll land on your dashboard. Here's what you'll see:

Main Navigation

  • Dashboard - Overview of your meal plans and upcoming meals

  • Recipes - Your recipe collection

  • Meal Plans - Weekly and monthly meal calendars

  • Grocery Lists - Shopping lists generated from your meal plans

  • AI Assistant - Your personal cooking assistant

Dashboard Overview

Your dashboard shows:

  • Upcoming Meals - What's planned for this week

  • Recent Recipes - Your most-used recipes

  • Pending Meal Requests - Meals requested by household members

  • Quick Actions - Fast access to common tasks

Step 3: Add Your First Recipe

You have two options for adding recipes:

Option A: Import from a Website (Fastest)

  1. Click "Recipes" in the navigation

  2. Click "Add Recipe" → "Import from URL"

  3. Paste the recipe URL from any cooking website

  4. Click "Import Recipe"

  5. Review and edit if needed

  6. Click "Save Recipe"

Import Recipe Popup

Supported Sources:

  • Food blogs (AllRecipes, Food Network, etc.)

  • Recipe websites

  • Personal blogs with recipes

  • Any website with recipe content

Tip: The AI will automatically extract ingredients, instructions, prep time, and more. You can always edit these after import.

Option B: Create Manually

  1. Click "Recipes" → "Add Recipe"

  2. Fill in the recipe details:

    • Title (required)

    • Description

    • Prep time and cook time

    • Number of servings

    • Difficulty level

  3. Add ingredients with quantities

  4. Add step-by-step instructions

  5. Add tags for easy organization

  6. Click "Save Recipe"

Step 4: Create Your First Meal Plan

Now that you have recipes, let's plan your week:

  1. Click "Meal Plans" in the navigation

  2. You'll see a weekly calendar view

  3. Click a meal slot

  4. Select a recipe for that meal

  5. Repeat for other meals throughout the week

  6. Drag and drop to move the meal to another slot

Meal Types

By default, you can plan:

  • Breakfast

  • Lunch

  • Dinner

  • Snacks

You can customize these in Settings → Preferences → Meal Types.

Tip: Start with just dinners for your first week. You can always add more meal types later.

Step 5: Generate Your First Grocery List

Once your meal plan is set:

  1. Click "Grocery Lists" in the navigation

  2. Click "Create from Meal Plan"

  3. Select the week you want to shop for

  4. Review the auto-generated list

  5. Add any additional items manually

  6. Check off items as you shop

What Gets Added Automatically:

  • All ingredients from recipes in your meal plan

  • Quantities are calculated based on servings

  • Organized by category (produce, dairy, etc.)

Customizing Your Experience

Set Your Preferences

Go to Settings → Preferences to customize:

  • Week Starts On - Monday or Sunday (default: Monday)

  • Measurement System - Metric or Imperial

  • Gradient Theme - Choose your favorite color scheme

  • Meal Types - Add or remove meal types (Default is Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks)

Notification Settings

Control when you receive emails:

  • Meal Plan Reminders - Get reminded to plan your week

  • Weekly Digest - Summary of your week's meals

  • Meal Requests - Notifications when someone requests a meal

All notifications default to off - opt into only what you want to receive.

Tips & Best Practices

For Your First Week

  • Start Small - Plan just 3-4 dinners to get comfortable

  • Use Familiar Recipes - Import recipes you already know and love

  • Don't Overthink It - You can always adjust your plan later

Building Your Recipe Collection

  • Import in Bulk - Spend 30 minutes importing 10-15 favorite recipes

  • Use Tags - Tag recipes by cuisine, dietary needs, or meal type

  • Add Notes - Use the private notes feature to remember modifications

Meal Planning Success

  • Plan on the Weekend - Set aside 15 minutes each weekend to plan the week

  • Check Your Calendar - Account for busy nights and plan accordingly

  • Leftovers Are Your Friend - Plan meals that make great leftovers without having to plan a recipe for every meal slot

Common Issues

"I can't see my recipes after importing"

Solution: Check that the import completed successfully. If you see an error, try:

  • Copying the URL again

  • Checking that the website is accessible

  • Manually creating the recipe if import fails

"My meal plan isn't saving"

Solution: Make sure you're logged in and have an active internet connection. Try refreshing the page.

"I can't find a feature"

Solution: Check the navigation menu. If you're on mobile, tap the menu icon (☰) to see all options.

Next Steps

Now that you've completed the basics, try:

  • Importing Multiple Recipes - Build your recipe collection quickly

  • Setting Up Your Household - Invite family members to collaborate

  • Using the AI Chef Assistant - Get help with cooking questions

  • Creating Meal Plan Templates - Save time with reusable plans

Still Need Help?

Related Articles:

  • Importing Your First Recipe

  • Creating Your First Meal Plan

  • Dashboard Overview

  • Settings & Preferences