Combine Grocery Shopping and Weekly Meal Planning in One App: KitchenOwl

KitchenOwl

• Official website: KitchenOwl
• Source code and documentation: KitchenOwl GitHub
• Android distribution: KitchenOwl F-Droid
• Current version history: KitchenOwl versions

One of the most common problems in grocery shopping is this: One person buys milk, the other person buys the same milk again. Then there are three packs of milk at home, but the ingredients for dinner are missing.
KitchenOwl is an open source system that combines shopping lists, recipes and a weekly meal plan.
For example, you create your weekly meal plan, save recipes, and add the ingredients you need to your shopping list. Other people in the house can also use the same list. It is also possible to record expenses and divide common expenses.
But there is an important detail: KitchenOwl is a system that connects to its own server. So the installation phase may be more technical than an ordinary application.
A good option if you want to digitize home management. But if you're just looking for a two-line shopping list, a simpler app might be enough for you.

WHAT DOES IT DO?

KitchenOwl brings home shopping and meal planning all in one place.

For example:

• You can prepare a grocery shopping list.
• You can save your recipes.
• You can create a meal plan for a week.
• You can share lists with others in the house.
• You can record shopping expenses and divide them among people.

This can be very useful when more than one person is shopping for the same house. KitchenOwl

HIGHLIGHTS

Common shopping lists: People living in the same house can manage their shopping lists together.

Recipe archive: You can save your own recipes or import recipes from supported web sources.

Meal plan: You can plan which meal you will cook on which day of the week.

Spend tracking: You can record shopping expenses and divide common expenses.

Your own server: Provides a setup where you can keep your data in your own infrastructure. KitchenOwl

WHY IS IT WORTH EXPLORING?

A shopping list application only records items to be purchased. KitchenOwl brings together lists, recipes, meal plans and common expenses.

So it can be useful not only when shopping but also when planning meals at the beginning of the week.

This comes at a price: It is necessary to set up your own server or connect to a suitable server. It may not be the easiest option for every user.

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

Advantages

• Open source.
• Shopping and meal planning features combined.
• Can be used with more than one person.
• Provides recipe and expense tracking.

Disadvantages

• Server installation may be required.
• Technical information may be required.
• It should not be assumed that the mobile application alone is sufficient.
• Server security and backup are the responsibility of the user or server administrator.

WHO IS IT SUITABLE FOR?

Suitable:

• Families and roommates.
• Those who make weekly meal plans.
• Those who want to share their shopping lists.
• Users who can manage their own server.

Not very suitable:

• Those who do not want to set up a server.
• Those who are just looking for a simple list of notes.
• Those who expect all synchronization features to work without an internet connection.

STARTER GUIDE

1. Open the official project page and review the installation documentation.
2. Install KitchenOwl server or choose a trusted server.
3. Get the Android or iOS app.
4. Connect the mobile app to your server.
5. Add people at home and create a common shopping list.
6. Save a recipe and add it to your weekly meal plan.

PRIVACY AND RELIABILITY

KitchenOwl is an open source project that can be hosted on its own server. This can give you control over where you keep your data; but it does not automatically mean secure installation.

Regularly check the server's access permissions, updates and backups. In the release notes of version 0.7.10, it is stated that a security vulnerability related to access to special recipes has been fixed. This shows the importance of following updates.