Meals Hub
You shop at Safeway, Albertsons, Vons or another Albertsons store in the US.
It keeps Mealime’s recipes and team, it’s free, and it’s linked to your store.
What happens on 21 October 2026
What Mealime users need to know
- 01
The app stops on 21 October
Mealime is discontinued on that date. Pro features are free for everyone until then.
- 02
Your data is deleted
Mealime says all personal data is deleted at shutdown. It doesn’t offer an export of your recipes or plans.
- 03
Meals Hub is the official home
It runs inside Albertsons Companies store apps (Safeway, Albertsons, Vons, Jewel-Osco and others). You set up your preferences again there.
Side by side
Mealime and Brine compared
- Status
MealimeCloses 21 October 2026
BrineActive
- Cost
MealimeFree until it closes
BrineSubscription for the household, free trial for new subscribers
- Devices
MealimeiPhone, Android and web
BrineiPhone only
- How you plan
MealimePick recipes from Mealime’s catalogue
BrineSay or type what you fancy, day by day or a few ideas
- Recipes
MealimeMealime’s own catalogue
BrineA shared library, plus new recipes written for your household
- Allergies and dislikes
MealimeDiet and allergy filters for the household
BrineSet per person, including children’s ages and what each person won’t eat
- Shopping list
MealimeBuilt from your plan, grouped by section
BrineBuilt from your plan, sorted by aisle, split by the days you shop, and leaves off what you already have
- Your own recipes
MealimeNo import
BrineSave from a website, the share sheet or a screenshot
Checked 6 October 2026 against the sources at the bottom of this page.
Fair’s fair
What Mealime did better
- It was free. Brine needs a subscription after the trial.
- It ran on Android and the web. Brine is iPhone only.
- Its recipes came from its own team, so there was nothing to set up.
- It had years of reviews behind it. Brine is new.
What Brine does differently
It plans the week for you, around the people eating.
Say what you fancy
“Fish on Thursday, something veggie Friday, a roast on Sunday.” Brine plans the nights you name and fills the rest.
One list for the shop
Grouped by aisle, with what each item is for. It leaves off what you already have, splits by the days you shop and is shared with your household.
Cook without scrolling
Each step shows its amounts, and timers keep running on the Lock Screen.
Switching
Move your favourites before the 21st
Mealime can’t export, but Brine can read a recipe from a screenshot. Do this while the app still works.
- 01
Screenshot the recipes you love
Open each one in Mealime and take a screenshot of the ingredients and the method.
- 02
Share them to Brine
From Photos, tap Share, then Brine. It turns each screenshot into a recipe you can plan.
- 03
Tell Brine who’s eating
Adults, children, allergies and anything each person won’t eat.
- 04
Say what you like
Brine plans your first week and builds the shopping list. Your saved recipes are there to swap in on any night.
Choosing
Which should you use?
Brine
You have an iPhone and want the week planned around your household.
It plans from what you say, handles each person’s allergies and dislikes, and keeps one list for the whole house.
A free planner on Android
You’re on Android or don’t want a subscription.
Brine won’t suit you. Samsung Food has a free tier, and AnyList is a low-cost shared list with recipes.
Questions
What people ask
When does Mealime shut down?
On 21 October 2026. Mealime says all personal data is deleted when the app shuts down.
Can I export my Mealime recipes?
Mealime doesn’t offer an export. You can screenshot the recipes you want to keep and share the screenshots to Brine, which turns them into recipes.
Is Brine free?
No. Brine is a subscription for the whole household. New subscribers start with a free trial, and the App Store shows the price for your country before you pay.
Does Brine work on Android?
No. Brine is an iPhone app and needs iOS 26 or later.
Does Brine work outside the US?
Yes. Brine isn’t tied to a supermarket, and it uses metric or US measurements to suit you.
Can Brine plan around allergies?
Yes. You set allergies, diets and dislikes for each person, and every recipe is written around them. Always check labels yourself for serious allergies.
Plan next week in a minute.
Free trial for new subscribers. iPhone only.
Sources and how we checked
We read Mealime’s own announcement and App Store listing on 6 October 2026. Brine’s details come from the app itself. If something here is out of date, email us and we’ll fix it.
Mealime and other product names are trademarks of their owners. Brine isn’t affiliated with or endorsed by them.