Platform 2 Guide — This article applies to the new platform. Looking for classic platform docs? Browse the Platform 1 collection.
Why: Empower your members to create personalized meal plans that suit their tastes and dietary needs. This feature enhances engagement and allows members to take ownership of their meal planning.
Navigate: App Station > Settings > Explore More Features and Settings > Access Levels
Quick Start
Click on Settings in the App Station.
Navigate to Access Levels and select the desired access level.
Enable the canCreateMealPlans permission for members.
Instruct members to go to My Stuff and click Create New Meal Plan.
Members can choose a template and start building their meal plan.
Overview
Members can create their own meal plans using a simplified editor. These meal plans are private to the member and can be shared via the community forum. This feature is distinct from member meal plan modifications, which allow members to customize meal plans published by admins.
Key Differences from Admin Meal Plans
Visibility: Admin meal plans are visible to all members, while member-created meal plans are only visible to the creator.
Layout: Admin meal plans can be configured, whereas member-created meal plans use the default layout set by the admin.
Media: Admin meal plans can include images, videos, and embeds, while member-created meal plans allow only a single image.
Publishing: Admin meal plans can be in draft, scheduled, or published states, while member-created meal plans are always published upon creation.
Private Notes: Members can add private notes to their meal plans, which are not available in admin meal plans.
Enabling Member-Created Meal Plans
To allow your members to create their own meal plans, you need to enable specific permissions in the App Station.
Go to App Station and click on Settings.
Navigate to Access Levels and select the access level you want to modify.
Ensure the canCreateMealPlans permission is enabled for that access level.
This will allow members with the specified access level to create their own meal plans.
Creating a Meal Plan
Members can create meal plans by following these steps:
Members navigate to My Stuff and click on Create New Meal Plan.
If multiple meal plan templates are available, a template picker will appear. Members can select their preferred template.
If only one template is applicable, the picker is hidden, and the default template is used automatically.
Members can then add a title, summary, and a single image for their meal plan.
They can also add recipes from their library to the meal plan.
Changes are auto-saved, and the meal plan will be available in their My Stuff section.
Template Picker
When members access the meal plan creation page, they may see a template picker if more than one meal plan template is tagged for members. This allows them to choose a layout that best fits their needs. If only one template is applicable, the picker will not be shown, and the system will use that template by default.
For more information on setting up meal plan templates, refer to the Meal Plan Templates article.
Member Meal Plan Features
Private Meal Plans: All meal plans created by members are private and only visible to them.
Recipe Management: Members can add, remove, and reorder recipes within their meal plans.
Shopping List Integration: Shopping lists are generated from the recipes included in the meal plans, making it easy for members to gather ingredients.