Creating Shopping Lists

Once you’ve built your meal plan and adjusted serving sizes, Recipinned can automatically generate comprehensive shopping lists with accurate quantities based on your planned meals.

Video Tutorial

Prerequisites

Before creating a shopping list, ensure you have:

  1. Applied meal plan templates to your calendar
  2. Adjusted serving sizes for your facility’s needs
  3. Made any necessary substitutions to your menu items

Step-by-Step Process

1. Access Shopping List Sync

  1. Navigate to your meal plan page
  2. Click the settings button
  3. Select “Sync Shopping List” from the dropdown menu

Shopping List Sync Option

2. Select Date Range

  1. Click on the date range selector

Date Range Selection

  1. Select the first date in your range

First Date Selection

  1. Select the last date in your range

Last Date Selection

  1. Click Select to confirm your date range

Confirm Date Range

3. Choose Sync Method

By default, Recipinned will ADD the meals in the selected date range to your existing shopping list. This is useful when building lists incrementally.

If you want to start fresh and only have items for the selected period, check the “Clear existing items before syncing” option.

Clear Option

You’ll see your selected dates and a warning message if you chose to clear your shopping list before syncing.

Sync Confirmation

4. Generate the List

Click “Sync” to generate your shopping list. The system will:

  • Calculate total quantities needed for all meals in the date range
  • Consolidate duplicate ingredients across different recipes
  • Scale quantities based on your serving size settings
  • Organize items for easy shopping and procurement

What’s Included in Your Shopping List

Automatic Calculations

Ingredient Consolidation: If multiple recipes use the same ingredient, quantities are combined into a single line item

Accurate Scaling: Quantities automatically adjust based on:

  • Number of servings per meal
  • Number of meals in the date range
  • Recipe scaling factors

Unit Conversions: Ingredients are converted to appropriate purchasing units (pounds, cases, gallons, etc.)

Smart Organization

Shopping lists are organized to make procurement efficient:

  • Grouped by category for easier shopping
  • Clear quantity specifications for each item
  • Recipe references so you can trace ingredient usage

Benefits of Generated Shopping Lists

Accuracy

  • No manual calculations - eliminates human error
  • Consistent quantities based on actual meal plans
  • Automatic updates when meal plans change

Efficiency

  • One consolidated list instead of multiple recipe lists
  • Reduced food waste through precise quantity planning
  • Streamlined ordering process

Cost Control

  • Accurate quantities prevent over-ordering
  • Better budget planning with precise ingredient needs
  • Reduced waste from excess purchases

Best Practices

Timing

  • Generate lists early to allow for procurement lead times
  • Sync regularly if meal plans change frequently
  • Coordinate with delivery schedules for optimal timing

Review Process

  • Double-check quantities for unusually large or small amounts
  • Verify special dietary items are included correctly
  • Cross-reference with storage capacity limits

Next Steps

After generating your shopping list:

  1. Manage and customize your shopping list
  2. Print or export your list
  3. Filter out items you already have

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