We built OnRotation out of something simple: our love of cooking and the desire to make everyday life run a little smoother.
Like many home cooks, we already had a rotation of go-to meals we loved. We enjoyed experimenting with them, tweaking flavors, and trying new ideas. But weeknights still brought the same questions: What are we making? Do we have everything? Did we remember to thaw the meat?
Too often, that led to wandering the grocery store aisles without a plan, buying things we didn’t need, or giving in to last-minute takeout.
A Little About Us
We’re a couple based in Columbus, Ohio, sharing our home with two cats and two dogs who are always very interested in what’s for dinner. I’m a software engineer, and my wife manages a special diet for her epilepsy—which means meal planning isn’t just about convenience for us, it’s essential.
We both love cooking. It’s one of our favorite ways to spend time together, experimenting with flavors and finding new ways to make our go-to meals even better. But managing a specific dietary plan while juggling busy schedules? That’s where things got complicated.
One of the biggest challenges was finding alternatives to our favorite meals that fit the dietary requirements. We’d discover a great substitute, make it once, then completely forget about it weeks later.
The Whiteboard Era
So we started keeping track—first in a spreadsheet, listing every meal we’d successfully made, what worked, what didn’t, and when we last had it. Then we’d reference that spreadsheet when filling out our weekly whiteboard.
Yes, a literal whiteboard on our fridge. We had the days of the week written out, and every Sunday we’d plan our meals and fill it in. We’d jot notes like “pull out chicken Tuesday” to remind ourselves to thaw meat ahead of time.
It worked… but it was clunky. We were juggling two systems just to answer one question: What are we eating this week?
We found ourselves thinking, There has to be a better, easier, and more fun way to do this.
So we created one.
What OnRotation Does
OnRotation takes years of using that trusty whiteboard and combines it with our love of cooking, experimenting, and prepping. It’s designed to help you:
Plan Your Week
Build your own library of meals—your actual go-to dishes, not someone else’s recipes. Then drag them into a 7-day calendar. See your entire week at a glance, know exactly what’s for dinner each night, and eliminate the daily “what should we make?” debate.
Track Your Rotation
See when you last made each meal and how often you cook it. This helps you keep things fresh and varied—no more accidentally making the same thing three weeks in a row, or forgetting about that great recipe you tried last month.
Shop with Intention
Your shopping list is automatically generated from your weekly plan. No more wandering the store wondering what you need. Just open the app, check off items as you shop, and know you have everything for the week.
Manage with Your Household
You can invite members to your household to share in meal planning, shopping lists, and maintaining your collection of meals.
Add What You Actually Need
Because meal planning isn’t the only reason you go to the store, OnRotation lets you add extra items—paper towels, milk, dog food—right alongside your meal ingredients. One list for everything.
Who It’s For
While we built this for ourselves, we quickly realized how powerful it could be for anyone who:
- Manages dietary restrictions - Whether it’s epilepsy, celiac, diabetes, or allergies, keeping track of what works is crucial
- Cooks the same meals regularly - You’re not looking for new recipes every week, you just want to organize the ones you already love – Those looking for new ideas - You can browse Meal Packs to get ideas for dinners that you may have not had in a while or something completely new
- Wants to reduce food waste - Buying only what you need for planned meals means less throwing away spoiled food
- Needs to eliminate decision fatigue - The daily “what’s for dinner” question is exhausting
Families especially benefit from this. Kids can see what’s coming up for the week (no more surprise complaints at dinner time), and everyone can prepare mentally for what’s ahead.
Getting Started is Easy
We created Meal Packs—curated collections of common meals like Tacos, Spaghetti, Grilled Chicken, and Burgers. Add our Starter Pack of 25 meals with one click, then customize every single one to match how your family actually makes it.
Swap store-bought pasta for homemade. Add your secret taco seasoning blend. Change “grilled chicken” to “baked chicken thighs” because that’s what you actually cook. The meal packs give you a foundation to build on, so you’re not staring at a blank screen wondering where to start.
Within minutes, you’ll have a library that reflects your family’s actual cooking style—not someone else’s idea of what you should eat.
Why It Matters
When we started planning our meals for the week, everything changed. Meal planning gave us peace of mind. It saved time at the store, cut down on food waste, and helped us stick to the way of eating that works best for us.
Instead of guessing what sounded good each night, we knew exactly what we were making and what we needed. We shopped with purpose, used what we already had in the pantry or freezer, and avoided those “cheating” or “ordering in” days that can sneak up when life gets busy.
Because meal planning shouldn’t feel like a chore—it should feel like a tool that gives you back your time, your energy, and your peace of mind.
Try OnRotation
We’re excited to finally share what started as a whiteboard on our fridge and turned into something we use every single day.
OnRotation is live at onrotation.app. Start with our Starter Pack, customize it to your style, and take control of your weekly cooking.
We’d love to hear what you think. What features would make meal planning easier for you? What’s your biggest challenge with planning meals? Let us know—we’re just getting started, and your feedback shapes where we go next.