Handing Off Your Shopping List to Instacart
PrepSmart builds your Smart Shopping List automatically from your Meal Tiles — aggregated, aisle-organized, and store-aware. When you're ready to shop, you'll be able to hand that list off to Instacart for delivery or pickup, instead of retyping every item.
Heads up — this handoff is in development. We're building the Instacart connection now, and it isn't live in the app yet. When it ships, it will export and hand off your shopping list to Instacart so you can review and check out there. PrepSmart never places the order or charges your card — that all happens on Instacart's side, where you stay in control.
Until the handoff is live, your full Smart Shopping List works today: it's free, sortable, aisle-organized, and ready to use however you shop.
What's Free Today
Your Smart Shopping List is part of the free PrepSmart foundation — free forever, no subscription needed:
- Auto-aggregated from every Meal Tile in your Weekly Plan
- Organized by aisle so you can move through the store quickly
- Store-aware, so quantities and items match how you actually shop
- Cascades automatically when you edit a Meal Tile — change a recipe, and the list updates itself
- Fully sortable and editable: add items, remove items, adjust quantities
You can use this list right now in any store, with any delivery service, or on paper. The Instacart handoff below is an added convenience we're building on top of it.
How the Instacart Handoff Will Work (In Development)
When the handoff ships, the flow is designed to be simple and transparent:
- Build your Weekly Plan and Meal Tiles as usual. Your Smart Shopping List builds itself from what you've planned.
- Review and edit your list. Add, remove, or adjust quantities — the list is yours to shape before it goes anywhere.
- Hand off to Instacart. PrepSmart exports your list and opens Instacart with your items ready to review. You finish the order on Instacart, where you choose your store, delivery or pickup window, and payment.
Because the handoff exports your list rather than checking out for you, you always get a chance to review substitutions, swap items, and confirm everything before Instacart processes anything.
What You'll Do on Instacart's Side
Once your list is handed off, the rest happens in Instacart, using your own Instacart account:
- Pick your store — choose from Instacart's partner stores in your area
- Choose delivery or pickup — select a window that works for you
- Review your cart — confirm exact matches, handle any out-of-stock items, and approve or change suggested substitutions
- Check out — Instacart handles payment, delivery, and shopper communication
PrepSmart's job ends at handing off a clean, accurate list. Instacart's account, fees, delivery, and policies are all governed by Instacart.
Signing In and Account Basics
PrepSmart is password-free. You sign up and log in with your phone number plus a one-time code (OTP) we text you — there's no email-and-password to remember. If you ever need to sign in again, just enter your phone number, receive the code, and enter it (you can tap Resend if it doesn't arrive right away).
When the Instacart handoff is live, you'll use your own Instacart account on Instacart's side to complete orders. You don't need an Instacart account to build or use your Smart Shopping List in PrepSmart.
Frequently Asked
Can I order groceries today? Not yet. The Instacart handoff is in development. When it ships, it will export your shopping list to Instacart for you to review and check out there.
Does PrepSmart charge me for groceries? No. PrepSmart never places your grocery order or charges your card. Any grocery payment, delivery fee, or tip happens on Instacart's side, with your Instacart account.
Is the Smart Shopping List free? Yes. The full Plan → Shop → Cook loop, including your Smart Shopping List, is part of the free PrepSmart foundation. PrepSmart is 100% ad-free.
Do I need PrepSmart+ to use the shopping list or the Instacart handoff? No. The Smart Shopping List is free, and the Instacart handoff (when live) won't require PrepSmart+. PrepSmart+ ($4.99/mo or $39.99/yr, with a 7-day free trial) adds four things: Save & reload any week, Import any recipe, Shop smarter, and One pass, many hands.
Where can I track when the handoff goes live? We'll announce it in the app when it's ready. Until then, your Smart Shopping List is fully usable for shopping any way you like.
Questions?
If your Smart Shopping List isn't building correctly from your Meal Tiles, or you have a question about the upcoming Instacart handoff, reach out to PrepSmart support and we'll help.