Mere Meals ("the app") is built by Matthew West. This policy explains what data the app collects, how it's used, and your choices.
What we collect
When you create an account and use the app, we store:
Email address — used for sign-in. If you sign in with Apple and choose to hide your email, we only receive the relay address Apple provides.
Display name — shown to members of your household.
Household membership — which households you belong to, so members see the same recipes, plan, and grocery list.
Recipes — the recipes you save to your household.
Meal plans and grocery lists — the meals you plan, the items you tick off, and items you add yourself.
What stays on your device
Recipe card scans — text is read from the photo on your iPhone. The photo is not uploaded.
Steps of recipes saved from websites — kept on your iPhone only. We store the ingredients and basic facts, with a link to the original page.
How we use your data
Your data is used solely to provide the app's functionality: storing your recipes, syncing your plan and grocery list across your household, and maintaining your account. We do not sell, share, or use your data for advertising. The app contains no ads and no tracking.
Third-party services
The app uses the following third-party services:
Firebase Authentication — to manage sign-in, including Sign in with Apple and Sign in with Google. Firebase Privacy Policy
Cloud Firestore — to store and sync your data on Google Cloud servers.
Pexels — only when you search for a photo for a recipe: the search words are sent to Pexels, and the photo you pick is shown from Pexels. Pexels Privacy Policy
Data sharing
Your display name, and the recipes, plan, and grocery list of a household, are visible to the other members of that household. No data is shared with anyone outside your households, and no data is shared with third parties beyond the services listed above.
Data retention
Your data is kept for as long as your account exists. When you delete your account, your profile and sign-in are removed. If you were the last member of a household, its recipes, plans, and grocery lists are deleted too; otherwise they stay with the remaining members.
Children's privacy
The app is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13.
Your choices
You can edit or delete recipes, planned meals, and grocery items at any time within the app.
You can leave a household at any time.
You can delete your account in the app under Profile → Delete account.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, the updated version will be posted here with a new "last updated" date.