The problem
Deciding what to eat every evening is tiring, and food gets wasted when shopping is not planned.
Step by step
- List what is already in the fridge and cupboard.
- Note busy nights, who is eating and any foods to avoid.
- Ask for a week of simple meals that share ingredients.
- Ask for a shopping list grouped by aisle.
- Cook, then tell the AI what worked so next week is better.
The prompt
Plan {number} dinners for {number of people} this week.
Already have: {ingredients}
Busy nights (under 20 minutes): {days}
Avoid: {foods}
Budget: {budget}
Reuse ingredients across meals to cut waste. Then give one shopping list grouped by section of the shop.
Replace the {highlighted} parts with your details, or fill them in with the prompt builder.
Check before you use it
- Ingredients and quantities make sense.
- Foods to avoid are really excluded.
Privacy
- Share dietary needs in general terms only.
Do’s and don’ts
Do
- Plan around what is already in the fridge.
- Cook once, eat twice.
- Keep a list of meals everyone liked.
Don’t
- Rely on AI for allergy safety.
- Plan elaborate meals for busy nights.
- Buy everything on the list without checking the cupboard.
When not to use AI for this
For allergies, medical diets or children’s nutrition, follow advice from a doctor or dietitian. Check every ingredient label yourself.
Tools that can help
ChatGPTOpenAI’s general assistant for drafting, summarising, analysing files and brainstorming.
Google GeminiGoogle’s assistant, also built into Gmail, Docs and Sheets on Google Workspace plans.
ClaudeAnthropic’s general assistant, good with long documents, writing and analysis.
We are not paid by any of these companies, and we list well-known options, not a ranking. Features and plans change; check the provider’s site and its data terms before you sign up. See all AI tools by category.
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