Mealie

Description / name	Input element
Container Registry
Container Configuration Root Path
Timezone
User ID
Group ID
Mealie Host Port
Mealie /config Path

Intuitive self-hosted recipe management app designed to be the best recipe management experience on the web.


Port	`9000`
Registry	`ghcr.io/daemonless/mealie`
Daemonless	daemonless/mealie
Source	mealie-recipes/mealie
Website	mealie.io

Version Tags

Tag	Description	Best For
`latest`	Upstream Binary. Built from official release.	Most users — recommended.

Before deploying, ensure your host environment is ready. See the Quick Start Guide for host setup instructions, including the security model for host vs. container privileges.

Deployment

Podman AppJail

Database Where the app keeps its data. The default needs nothing else running.

mealie:latest — data in /containers/mealie

A file in the app's config folder. Right for one person, nothing extra to run.

1. Save as .env and fill in what is empty:

1
2
3

PUID=1000
PGID=1000
TZ=UTC

2. Save as compose.yaml:

name: mealie

services:
  mealie:
    image: ghcr.io/daemonless/mealie:latest
    container_name: mealie
    restart: unless-stopped

    environment:
      - BASE_URL=http://localhost:9000
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=UTC
      # The database, from the Database choice; sqlite needs nothing else.
      - DB_ENGINE=${DB_ENGINE:-sqlite}
      - POSTGRES_SERVER=${POSTGRES_SERVER:-}
      - POSTGRES_PORT=${POSTGRES_PORT:-5432}
      - POSTGRES_USER=${POSTGRES_USER:-}
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${POSTGRES_PASSWORD:-}
      - POSTGRES_DB=${POSTGRES_DB:-}

    volumes:
      - "/containers/mealie:/config"

    ports:
      - "9000:9000"

Then run podman-compose up -d.

mealie:latest · postgres:17 — data in /containers/mealie, /containers/mealie/postgres

One more container, its data in its own folder. For a household, or an app that wants it.

1. Save as .env and fill in what is empty:

PUID=1000
PGID=1000
TZ=UTC

# Database: PostgreSQL
DB_ENGINE=postgres
POSTGRES_SERVER=postgres
POSTGRES_PORT=5432
POSTGRES_USER=mealie
POSTGRES_PASSWORD=  # set one
POSTGRES_DB=mealie
DATABASE_LOCATION=/containers/mealie/postgres

2. Save as compose.yaml:

name: mealie

services:
  mealie:
    depends_on: [postgres]
    image: ghcr.io/daemonless/mealie:latest
    container_name: mealie
    restart: unless-stopped

    environment:
      - BASE_URL=http://localhost:9000
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=UTC
      # The database, from the Database choice; sqlite needs nothing else.
      - DB_ENGINE=${DB_ENGINE:-sqlite}
      - POSTGRES_SERVER=${POSTGRES_SERVER:-}
      - POSTGRES_PORT=${POSTGRES_PORT:-5432}
      - POSTGRES_USER=${POSTGRES_USER:-}
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${POSTGRES_PASSWORD:-}
      - POSTGRES_DB=${POSTGRES_DB:-}

    volumes:
      - "/containers/mealie:/config"

    ports:
      - "9000:9000"
  postgres:
    image: ghcr.io/daemonless/postgres:17
    restart: always
    annotations:
      org.freebsd.jail.allow.sysvipc: "true"
    environment:
      - POSTGRES_USER=${POSTGRES_USER}
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}
      - POSTGRES_DB=${POSTGRES_DB}
    volumes:
      - "${DATABASE_LOCATION}:/var/lib/postgresql/data"

Then run podman-compose up -d.

mealie:latest · your own database — data in /containers/mealie

A database you already run, here or on another machine. Nothing extra runs; you give the address and the account.

1. Save as .env and fill in Kind, Host, Port, User, Password, Database:

PUID=1000
PGID=1000
TZ=UTC

# Database: Your own
DB_ENGINE=  # Kind: postgres
POSTGRES_SERVER=  # Host
POSTGRES_PORT=  # Port
POSTGRES_USER=  # User
POSTGRES_PASSWORD=  # Password
POSTGRES_DB=  # Database

2. Save as compose.yaml:

name: mealie

services:
  mealie:
    image: ghcr.io/daemonless/mealie:latest
    container_name: mealie
    restart: unless-stopped

    environment:
      - BASE_URL=http://localhost:9000
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=UTC
      # The database, from the Database choice; sqlite needs nothing else.
      - DB_ENGINE=${DB_ENGINE:-sqlite}
      - POSTGRES_SERVER=${POSTGRES_SERVER:-}
      - POSTGRES_PORT=${POSTGRES_PORT:-5432}
      - POSTGRES_USER=${POSTGRES_USER:-}
      - POSTGRES_PASSWORD=${POSTGRES_PASSWORD:-}
      - POSTGRES_DB=${POSTGRES_DB:-}

    volumes:
      - "/containers/mealie:/config"

    ports:
      - "9000:9000"

Then run podman-compose up -d.

Database Where the app keeps its data. The default needs nothing else running.

mealie:latest — data in /containers/mealie

A file in the app's config folder. Right for one person, nothing extra to run.

# .env

DIRECTOR_PROJECT=mealie
BASE_URL=http://localhost:9000
PUID=1000
PGID=1000
TZ=UTC
DB_ENGINE=sqlite
POSTGRES_SERVER=
POSTGRES_PORT=5432
POSTGRES_USER=
POSTGRES_PASSWORD=<POSTGRES_PASSWORD>
POSTGRES_DB=

# appjail-director.yml

options:
  - virtualnet: ':<random> default'
  - nat:
services:
  mealie:
    name: mealie
    options:
      - container: 'args:--pull'
      - expose: '9000:9000 proto:tcp'
    oci:
      user: root
      environment:
        - BASE_URL: !ENV '${BASE_URL}'
        - PUID: !ENV '${PUID}'
        - PGID: !ENV '${PGID}'
        - TZ: !ENV '${TZ}'
        - DB_ENGINE: !ENV '${DB_ENGINE}'
        - POSTGRES_SERVER: !ENV '${POSTGRES_SERVER}'
        - POSTGRES_PORT: !ENV '${POSTGRES_PORT}'
        - POSTGRES_USER: !ENV '${POSTGRES_USER}'
        - POSTGRES_PASSWORD: !ENV '${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}'
        - POSTGRES_DB: !ENV '${POSTGRES_DB}'
    volumes:
      - MEALIE_CONFIG_PATH: /config
volumes:
  MEALIE_CONFIG_PATH:
    device: '/containers/mealie'

# Makejail

ARG tag=latest

OPTION container=boot
OPTION overwrite=force
OPTION from=ghcr.io/daemonless/mealie:${tag}

Save the files above, then run appjail-director up.

mealie:latest · postgres:17 — data in /containers/mealie, /containers/mealie/postgres

One more container, its data in its own folder. For a household, or an app that wants it.

# .env

DIRECTOR_PROJECT=mealie
BASE_URL=http://localhost:9000
PUID=1000
PGID=1000
TZ=UTC
DB_ENGINE=postgres
POSTGRES_SERVER=mealie_postgres
POSTGRES_PORT=5432
POSTGRES_USER=mealie
POSTGRES_PASSWORD=
POSTGRES_DB=mealie
DATABASE_LOCATION=/containers/mealie/postgres

# appjail-director.yml

options:
  - virtualnet: ':<random> default'
  - nat:
services:
  mealie:
    name: mealie
    options:
      - container: 'args:--pull'
      - expose: '9000:9000 proto:tcp'
    oci:
      user: root
      environment:
        - BASE_URL: !ENV '${BASE_URL}'
        - PUID: !ENV '${PUID}'
        - PGID: !ENV '${PGID}'
        - TZ: !ENV '${TZ}'
        - DB_ENGINE: !ENV '${DB_ENGINE}'
        - POSTGRES_SERVER: !ENV '${POSTGRES_SERVER}'
        - POSTGRES_PORT: !ENV '${POSTGRES_PORT}'
        - POSTGRES_USER: !ENV '${POSTGRES_USER}'
        - POSTGRES_PASSWORD: !ENV '${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}'
        - POSTGRES_DB: !ENV '${POSTGRES_DB}'
    volumes:
      - MEALIE_CONFIG_PATH: /config
  postgres:
    name: mealie_postgres
    priority: 10
    options:
      - from: ghcr.io/daemonless/postgres:17
      - template: !ENV '${PWD}/postgres-template.conf'
    oci:
      environment:
        - POSTGRES_USER: !ENV '${POSTGRES_USER}'
        - POSTGRES_PASSWORD: !ENV '${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}'
        - POSTGRES_DB: !ENV '${POSTGRES_DB}'
    volumes:
      - database: /var/lib/postgresql/data
volumes:
  MEALIE_CONFIG_PATH:
    device: '/containers/mealie'
  database:
    device: !ENV '${DATABASE_LOCATION}'

# Makejail

ARG tag=latest

OPTION container=boot
OPTION overwrite=force
OPTION from=ghcr.io/daemonless/mealie:${tag}

# The jail PostgreSQL runs in: SysV shared memory, which a jail does not
# get by default. ip4/ip6 are set here because the director's ip4_inherit
# option is a no-op in AppJail 5.5.0.

exec.start: "/bin/sh /etc/rc"
exec.stop: "/bin/sh /etc/rc.shutdown jail"
sysvmsg: new
sysvsem: new
sysvshm: new
mount.devfs
persist
ip4: inherit
ip6: inherit

Save the files above, then run appjail-director up.

mealie:latest · your own database — data in /containers/mealie

A database you already run, here or on another machine. Nothing extra runs; you give the address and the account.

# .env

DIRECTOR_PROJECT=mealie
BASE_URL=http://localhost:9000
PUID=1000
PGID=1000
TZ=UTC
DB_ENGINE=
POSTGRES_SERVER=
POSTGRES_PORT=
POSTGRES_USER=
POSTGRES_PASSWORD=
POSTGRES_DB=

# appjail-director.yml

options:
  - virtualnet: ':<random> default'
  - nat:
services:
  mealie:
    name: mealie
    options:
      - container: 'args:--pull'
      - expose: '9000:9000 proto:tcp'
    oci:
      user: root
      environment:
        - BASE_URL: !ENV '${BASE_URL}'
        - PUID: !ENV '${PUID}'
        - PGID: !ENV '${PGID}'
        - TZ: !ENV '${TZ}'
        - DB_ENGINE: !ENV '${DB_ENGINE}'
        - POSTGRES_SERVER: !ENV '${POSTGRES_SERVER}'
        - POSTGRES_PORT: !ENV '${POSTGRES_PORT}'
        - POSTGRES_USER: !ENV '${POSTGRES_USER}'
        - POSTGRES_PASSWORD: !ENV '${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}'
        - POSTGRES_DB: !ENV '${POSTGRES_DB}'
    volumes:
      - MEALIE_CONFIG_PATH: /config
volumes:
  MEALIE_CONFIG_PATH:
    device: '/containers/mealie'

# Makejail

ARG tag=latest

OPTION container=boot
OPTION overwrite=force
OPTION from=ghcr.io/daemonless/mealie:${tag}

Save the files above, then run appjail-director up.

Access at: http://localhost:9000

Interactive Configuration

Parameters

Environment Variables

Variable	Default	Description
`BASE_URL`	`http://localhost:9000`	The base URL for the application (e.g. https://mealie.example.com)
`PUID`	`1000`	User ID for the application process
`PGID`	`1000`	Group ID for the application process
`TZ`	`UTC`	Timezone for the container
`DB_ENGINE`	`sqlite`	sqlite or postgres -- set by the Database choice
`POSTGRES_SERVER`	``	PostgreSQL host (the PostgreSQL choice fills this in)
`POSTGRES_PORT`	`5432`	PostgreSQL port
`POSTGRES_USER`	``	PostgreSQL user
`POSTGRES_PASSWORD`	`<POSTGRES_PASSWORD>`	PostgreSQL password
`POSTGRES_DB`	``	PostgreSQL database name

Volumes

Path	Description
`/config`	Data directory (database, images)

Ports

Port	Protocol	Description
`9000`	TCP	Web UI

Migrating from Linux

SQLite: No issues, just copy your data.

PostgreSQL: You cannot copy the postgres data directory between Linux and FreeBSD due to locale incompatibilities. Use pg_dump/pg_restore instead:

# On Linux
podman exec mealie-postgres pg_dump -U mealie mealie > mealie.sql

# On FreeBSD (start fresh postgres first, then restore)
cat mealie.sql | podman exec -i mealie-postgres psql -U mealie -d mealie

See daemonless/postgres README for details.

Implementation Details

Architectures: amd64
User: bsd (UID/GID set via PUID/PGID). Defaults to 1000:1000.
Base: Built on ghcr.io/daemonless/base (FreeBSD 15.1).

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