KitchenOwl: Your Self-Hosted Grocery List and Recipe Manager

Managing your kitchen just got a lot easier! KitchenOwl is a modern, open-source, self-hosted solution for handling grocery lists, recipes, meal planning, and even tracking household expenses — all from one sleek and user-friendly interface. Whether you’re managing meals for yourself or your entire family, KitchenOwl gives you full control with privacy and collaboration at its core.

🌟 Key Features

• Grocery List Manager
  Categorized grocery lists with icons and quantities help you shop faster and smarter.
• Recipe Organizer
  Save, edit, and categorize your favorite recipes. You can even add ingredients from a recipe directly into your grocery list.
• Meal Planning
  Plan meals for the week with ease and link recipes to your calendar for a smoother kitchen workflow.
• Expense Tracker
  Track how much you spend on groceries and view expenses per shopping trip.
• Multi-User Support
  Perfect for households — everyone can share access to lists, plans, and recipes in real time.
• Cross-Platform Access
  Use it on any web browser or mobile device. KitchenOwl supports Android, iOS (via TestFlight), and has a web interface for desktops.

🛠️ How to Self-Host KitchenOwl Using Docker

Hosting KitchenOwl on your own server or VPS gives you full control over your data. Here’s how to do it in just a few steps:

🔧 Prerequisites

• A Linux server (can be local or cloud-hosted)
• Docker & Docker Compose installed
• Basic terminal knowledge

📂 Step 1: Create Docker Compose File

Create a new file called docker-compose.yml:

version: "3"
services:
  front:
    image: tombursch/kitchenowl-web:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "80:80"
    depends_on:
      - back
  back:
    image: tombursch/kitchenowl-backend:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    environment:
      - JWT_SECRET_KEY=PLEASE_CHANGE_ME
    volumes:
      - kitchenowl_data:/data

volumes:
  kitchenowl_data:

👉 Important: Replace PLEASE_CHANGE_ME with a secure, random string to act as your JWT secret key.

🚀 Step 2: Start the Service

Run the following command in your terminal where the file is located:

docker-compose up -d

This will download the necessary images and start KitchenOwl as a background service.

🌐 Step 3: Open in Browser

After setup is complete, visit:

http://localhost

If you’re using a remote server, replace localhost with your server’s IP address or domain name.

📱 Access Anywhere

KitchenOwl is cross-platform:

• Web: Use it in any modern browser
• Android: Available via Google Play and F-Droid
• iOS: Access through Apple TestFlight
• Desktop: Use the browser or wrap in Electron for a native feel

🔒 Why Self-Host?

Self-hosting KitchenOwl ensures that your personal data stays private, free from third-party tracking or restrictions. With multi-user support, it’s perfect for families or shared homes.

• Own your data
• Customize it to your needs
• No subscription fees
• Access anytime, anywhere

✅ Final Thoughts

KitchenOwl is more than just a grocery app — it’s a full-featured kitchen assistant designed with privacy, usability, and flexibility in mind. Whether you’re a techie who loves Docker or someone just looking to simplify kitchen life, KitchenOwl is a brilliant tool to have.