Updated November 6, 2026
The best Ollie alternatives for family meal planning
Ollie and Ollie for Meals shut down on November 6, 2026. Families used it for three things: dinner ideas that fit everyone, one grocery list, and getting that list into a store cart. Here are seven apps compared on exactly those, plus whether the whole family can join in by text.
Full disclosure: we make DinnerDrop, so it's listed first. Every other app's details link to where we found them. Prices change, so check each app before you sign up.
| App | Best for | Grocery list and store | Family can text in | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DinnerDropOur app | Families who want the week planned and the cart filled | One tap to Instacart (any store on it), a Walmart cart link, or a Kroger cart | Yes: family members text a number to vote on dinners and add items. No app needed | Planning and the Instacart cart are free. Family is free for 14 days with no card, then $4.99/month or $39/year |
| eMealsSource: Carly comparison | Ready-made weekly menus by diet | Sends the list to Walmart, Amazon, Kroger or Instacart | No | 14-day free trial, from $4.99/month on a 12-month plan |
| Cozi MaxSource: Carly comparison | A shared family calendar with meal planning added | Shared shopping lists | No | $79.99/year |
| Plan to EatSource: Fortune | Families with their own saved recipes | Shopping lists built from your recipes, with pantry tracking | No | 14-day trial, then $5.95/month or $49/year |
| MealimeSource: Fortune | Diet and allergy filters | A grocery list from the plan | No | Free; Pro is $2.99/month |
| CarlySource: Carly | Dinners planned around your calendar, by text | Texts an aisle-sorted grocery list | Texts you your meals and list | Free workflows; AI agents from $35/month |
| ChatGPTSource: Carly comparison | One-off ideas if you do the setup | You copy the list into your store app yourself | No | Free; you ask again each week |
How to choose
You want the week planned and the cart filled: DinnerDrop or eMeals. DinnerDrop plans around each person's tastes and allergies and sends the list to Instacart in one tap; eMeals gives you set menus by diet and works with more grocers.
Your family used to text Ollie: DinnerDrop is the one app here built for everyone in the house to text one number to vote on dinners and add to the shared list. Carly texts the person who set it up.
You mostly need a family calendar: Cozi Max puts meals next to everyone's schedule.
You cook from your own recipes: Plan to Eat. You need strict diet filters on a budget: Mealime.
Moving from Ollie to DinnerDrop
Paste your Ollie export, or just the dinners your family liked, and your first week is planned around them. Code OLLIE gives you 3 months of Family free, no card.
Questions
When did Ollie shut down?
Ollie announced on October 30, 2026 that Ollie and Ollie for Meals would close on November 6, 2026. Subscriptions were canceled and refunded for unused time.
Can I bring my Ollie dinners to another app?
Ollie texted families an export of their data before it closed. On DinnerDrop you can paste that export (or just type the dinners your family liked) at dinnerdrop.app/ollie, and your first week is planned around them.
Which Ollie alternative lets the whole family add to the grocery list by text?
DinnerDrop. On the Family plan, anyone in the family texts the DinnerDrop number to vote on dinners or add items like "add granola bars", and they land on the one shared list.
Shutdown details from Ollie's announcement of October 30, 2026 (RuntimeWire, Creators Toolbox). Ollie and the other app names are trademarks of their owners. DinnerDrop is not affiliated with or endorsed by Ollie.