diff --git a/cookbook/migrations/0155_mealtype_default.py b/cookbook/migrations/0155_mealtype_default.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6519916eb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cookbook/migrations/0155_mealtype_default.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+# Generated by Django 3.2.7 on 2021-09-23 11:38
+
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('cookbook', '0154_auto_20210922_1705'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='mealtype',
+            name='default',
+            field=models.BooleanField(blank=True, default=False),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/cookbook/models.py b/cookbook/models.py
index b0780bfa5..29538743b 100644
--- a/cookbook/models.py
+++ b/cookbook/models.py
@@ -598,6 +598,7 @@ class MealType(models.Model, PermissionModelMixin):
     order = models.IntegerField(default=0)
     icon = models.CharField(max_length=16, blank=True, null=True)
     color = models.CharField(max_length=7, blank=True, null=True)
+    default = models.BooleanField(default=False, blank=True)
     created_by = models.ForeignKey(User, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
 
     space = models.ForeignKey(Space, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
diff --git a/cookbook/serializer.py b/cookbook/serializer.py
index a60f82fd6..573980250 100644
--- a/cookbook/serializer.py
+++ b/cookbook/serializer.py
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class SpacedModelSerializer(serializers.ModelSerializer):
         return super().create(validated_data)
 
 
-class MealTypeSerializer(SpacedModelSerializer):
+class MealTypeSerializer(SpacedModelSerializer, WritableNestedModelSerializer):
 
     def create(self, validated_data):
         validated_data['created_by'] = self.context['request'].user
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class MealTypeSerializer(SpacedModelSerializer):
     class Meta:
         list_serializer_class = SpaceFilterSerializer
         model = MealType
-        fields = ('id', 'name', 'order', 'icon', 'color', 'created_by')
+        fields = ('id', 'name', 'order', 'icon', 'color', 'default', 'created_by')
         read_only_fields = ('created_by',)
 
 
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ class MealPlanSerializer(SpacedModelSerializer, WritableNestedModelSerializer):
     recipe = RecipeOverviewSerializer(required=False, allow_null=True)
     recipe_name = serializers.ReadOnlyField(source='recipe.name')
     meal_type = MealTypeSerializer()
-    meal_type_name = serializers.ReadOnlyField(source='meal_type.name')
+    meal_type_name = serializers.ReadOnlyField(source='meal_type.name') # TODO deprecate once old meal plan was removed
     note_markdown = serializers.SerializerMethodField('get_note_markdown')
     servings = CustomDecimalField()
 
diff --git a/cookbook/templates/meal_plan.html b/cookbook/templates/meal_plan.html
index 500631e9d..0979c40fa 100644
--- a/cookbook/templates/meal_plan.html
+++ b/cookbook/templates/meal_plan.html
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@
                 <table class="table table-sm table-striped table-responsive-sm" style=" table-layout:fixed;">
                     <thead class="thead-dark" style="background-image: url({% static 'assets/header.svg' %});">
                     <tr>
-                        <th class="thead-blank" v-for="d in dates" style="width: 14.2%; text-align: center;">[[formatDateDayname(d)]]<br/>[[formatDateDay(d)]].
+                        <th class="thead-blank" v-for="d in dates" style="width: 14.2%; text-align: center;">
+                            [[formatDateDayname(d)]]<br/>[[formatDateDay(d)]].
                             <button class="btn btn-sm btn-outline-secondary shadow-none" @click="addDayToShopping(d)"><i
                                     class="fas fa-cart-plus fa-sm"></i></button>
                         </th>
@@ -460,7 +461,7 @@
                             this.$set(mte, 'delete', false)
                         }
 
-                        if (this.meal_types.length === 0){
+                        if (this.meal_types.length === 0) {
                             this.makeToast(gettext('Information'), gettext('To use the meal plan please first create at least one meal plan type.'), 'warning')
                         }
                     }).catch((err) => {
@@ -552,8 +553,7 @@
                         let plan_entry = evt.added.element
 
                         plan_entry.date = date
-                        plan_entry.meal_type.id = meal_type.id
-                        plan_entry.meal_type.name = meal_type.name
+                        plan_entry.meal_type = meal_type
                         plan_entry.meal_type_name = meal_type.name
 
                         if (plan_entry.is_new) { // its not a meal plan object
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@
                         this.makeToast(gettext('Error'), gettext('There was an error loading a resource!') + err.bodyText, 'danger')
                     })
                 },
-                removeDuplicates: function(data, key) {
+                removeDuplicates: function (data, key) {
                     return [
                         ...new Map(data.map(item => [key(item), item])).values()
                     ]
diff --git a/cookbook/tests/api/test_api_meal_plan.py b/cookbook/tests/api/test_api_meal_plan.py
index 773154c62..cf5841622 100644
--- a/cookbook/tests/api/test_api_meal_plan.py
+++ b/cookbook/tests/api/test_api_meal_plan.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ def test_add(arg, request, u1_s2, recipe_1_s1, meal_type):
     c = request.getfixturevalue(arg[0])
     r = c.post(
         reverse(LIST_URL),
-        {'recipe': {'id': recipe_1_s1.id, 'name': recipe_1_s1.name, 'keywords': []}, 'meal_type': meal_type.id,
+        {'recipe': {'id': recipe_1_s1.id, 'name': recipe_1_s1.name, 'keywords': []}, 'meal_type': {'id': meal_type.id, 'name': meal_type.name},
          'date': (datetime.now()).strftime("%Y-%m-%d"), 'servings': 1, 'title': 'test'},
         content_type='application/json'
     )