Get a specific category by ID. Args: category_id: The UUID of the category Returns: Dict[str, Any]: The category details including associated recipes
AI agents call get_category to retrieve information from Mealie MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves category information by ID and returns details without creating, modifying, deleting, or executing any operations. It is a straightforward read operation on the recipe database.
From the tool's definition Tool name 'get_category' and description 'Get a specific category by ID' with return of 'category details' indicates data retrieval with no modification or side effects.
Documented attack patterns abuse exactly the kind of access get_category gives an agent:
PolicyLayer is an MCP gateway — it sits between your AI agents and Mealie MCP Server, and nothing reaches the server without passing your rules. This is the rule we recommend for get_category:
{
"version": "1",
"default": "deny",
"tools": {
"get_category": {}
}
}get_category is read-only, so it stays allowed — but everything else on the server is denied unless you say otherwise.
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Get a specific category by ID. Args: category_id: The UUID of the category Returns: Dict[str, Any]: The category details including associated recipes. It is categorised as a Read tool in the Mealie MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the Mealie MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for get_category: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches Mealie MCP Server. Nothing to install.
get_category is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the get_category rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for get_category. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
get_category is provided by the Mealie MCP Server MCP server (rldiao/mealie-mcp-server). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
Deterministic rules across all 44 Mealie MCP Server tools. Per-identity grants. Full audit log. Live in minutes. Nothing to install.
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44 Mealie MCP Server tools catalogued and risk-classified — across an index of 42,500+ MCP servers.