Startup Of The Week: A Better Meal

  • A Better Meal is an AI-powered, all-in-one meal planning app founded by Mark Semmelbeck from Houston, Texas.
  • Families and individuals often struggle with the daily stress of “what’s for dinner?” while balancing dietary needs, busy schedules, and rising food costs. A Better Meal simplifies this with personalised menu planning, recipe organisation, and grocery integration.
  • The app brings together personalised meal plans, recipe importing and organisation from websites, social media apps, or handwritten notes, smart grocery lists, and quick cooking videos in one easy-to-use platform.

Website: www.abettermeal.com

 

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What is A Better Meal?

 

A Better Meal is an innovative meal planning app designed to put joy back into the kitchen by making every part of mealtime. from finding recipes to grocery shopping and cooking, easier and more rewarding. The app’s all-in-one design allows users to create personalised meal plans, import recipes from social media apps to websites to handwritten notes, build smart grocery lists, and learn new cooking skills through quick video tutorials.

“I created A Better Meal after seeing my daughter, a busy working mom with kids, struggle with the stress of planning healthy meals alongside her family’s work, school, and activity schedules. I realised there needed to be a tool that makes mealtime simpler and more joyful, and home cooking more sustainable for families everywhere.”

– Mark Semmelbeck, Founder and CEO

 

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Is There A Market For Meal Planning Apps?

 

Yes, the market for meal planning apps is growing significantly as consumers look for ways to eat healthier, save money, and simplify their routines. The global health and wellness app market is already valued in the tens of billions and continues to expand as consumers seek digital tools to improve daily habits.

Research from FMI (The Food Industry Association) shows that 84% of families say eating at home together is important, yet nearly half cite lack of time and planning as a barrier. Rising food prices are also a key driver, with meal planning shown to reduce grocery costs by cutting down on impulse purchases and food waste.

This creates a strong opportunity for solutions like A Better Meal. Unlike static recipe websites or single-function apps, it integrates planning, recipe importing and organisation, grocery lists, and skill-building into one platform. The startup exists to meet this demand for flexibility, personalisation, and convenience, helping both busy families and individuals bring healthier meals to the table.

 

What Products Does A Better Meal Have?

 

A Better Meal currently offers one flagship product: the A Better Meal app, available on both iOS and Android.

The free version includes thousands of quick, healthy recipes, sample meal plans, and smart grocery lists. Users can upgrade to a Premium subscription for $4.99/month, which includes unlimited recipe imports, fully personalised meal plans, advanced grocery integrations, and access to 80+ cooking skill videos.