Platform 2 Guide — This article applies to the new platform. Looking for classic platform docs? Browse the Platform 1 collection.
Why: Streamline your meal planning process by creating customizable templates for your members and admins. This feature allows you to offer tailored meal planning experiences that cater to different audiences, enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.
Navigate: App Station > Settings > Content Settings > Meal Plans > Templates
Quick Start
Click the New Template button.
Enter a name for your template.
Select an audience using the radio buttons (Admins only, Members only, or Admins and members).
Toggle the Default switch if you want this to be the preselected template.
Configure the layout options for days, sections, and nutrition summaries.
What Are Meal Plan Templates?
Meal plan templates are predefined layouts that admins and members can select when creating new meal plans. Each template has specific configurations, including:
Grid Shape: Defines how days and sections are organized.
Prep Notes Display Mode: Controls how preparation notes are shown.
Audience Tag: Indicates who can access the template (Admins only, Members only, or both).
At any time, only one template can be set as the default for your app.
Why Use More Than One Template?
Having multiple templates allows you to cater to different needs and scenarios. For example:
A Members-only Weekly Reset template with a simple Monday to Friday grid for self-service meal planning.
An Admins-only 14-day Challenge template with additional sections for prep notes, ideal for structured programs.
A Default template that can be used for everyday meal planning by both admins and members.
This flexibility helps you provide a more personalized experience for your subscribers.
Creating a Template
To create a new meal plan template:
Click the New Template button.
The editor opens with the name field focused. Enter a name for your template.
Choose an audience from the radio group.
If you want this to be the default template, toggle the Default switch.
Use the layout selector to configure:
Days and sections
Macro and nutrition summary options
Default recipe filter presets for each section
Optionally, allow members to add and reuse their own Bites (this uses your plural Bite label from App Station → Labels).
The template auto-saves when you move away from the field or after layout edits. If you enable the Meal Mix option, you can map up to six tags for a weekly mix count when calorie budgeting is available.
Audiences Explained
Admins can view all templates regardless of audience settings. However, members will only see templates tagged as Members only or Admins and members. If a member attempts to access an Admins-only template (for example, via a deep link), they will receive a permission error.
The Default Marker
The Default badge indicates which template is preselected when creating a new meal plan. When you set a new template as default, it automatically clears the default status from the previous template.
Using Templates When Creating Meal Plans
When creating a meal plan, the template picker appears in the title-first step if more than one applicable template exists. On the member-facing /my-stuff/meal-plans/new page, a labeled select appears only when the member has access to multiple templates; otherwise, the system silently uses the implicit pick.
The selected layout is saved with the new meal plan, including section presets and the Member {Bites} opt-in. Editing the template later will not retroactively change existing plans, except for Member {Bites}, which will update based on the live member-visible template.
Deleting a Template
To delete a template, click the trash icon next to the template you want to remove. If only one template remains, the delete button will be disabled, and hovering over it will show a hint indicating that at least one template must remain. If you delete the current default template, the oldest remaining template will be automatically promoted to default.
Renaming a Template
To rename a template, click on the row to open the editor and change the name. Remember, template names must be unique within your app.
Where This Replaces the Old Default
The previous single Default Meal Plan Layout section has been removed from the Meal Plans settings tab. This configuration now resides within the Default template. Existing apps were automatically updated with a Default template that mirrors their previous layout.