TechSwitch AI Week 2025
This article is a part of TechSwitch’s AI Week 2025. Covering the fundamentals of synthetic intelligence, we’ll present you find out how to get probably the most from the likes of ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude, alongside in-depth options, information, and the principle speaking factors on the earth of AI.
Cooking at residence sounds easy in idea. You purchase elements, observe a recipe, and benefit from the end result. In observe, it’s rather a lot messier. You both neglect to plan, purchase random meals that doesn’t fairly match collectively, or end up staring on the fridge at 7 p.m., questioning what to make. That’s why meal planning has turn into probably the most widespread makes use of for ChatGPT.
Instead of juggling recipe books, price range spreadsheets, and grocery store presents, you may simply ask AI to type it out. It gained’t prepare dinner for you, however it could possibly ensure you’re by no means caught consuming cereal for dinner once more.
Breaking the blank page
The hardest part of meal planning is figuring out what to cook. Ask ChatGPT for “five quick dinners for two people under £30” and you’ll get a full menu with recipes. Want a balance of vegetarian and meat? Add that to the prompt. Prefer one-pot meals because you hate washing up? Mention it, and the suggestions adapt instantly.
I tested this by asking for “five high-fibre dinners, easy to cook, under 500 calories each.” The results were surprisingly practical: lentil curry, roasted chickpeas with salad, and stir-fried vegetables with brown rice. Each came with a recipe, prep time, and nutritional breakdown. It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to give me a starting point.
Generating recipes from what you have
One of the best ChatGPT tricks is reverse planning. Instead of starting with a recipe, you start with the ingredients you already own. Tell AI you have chicken, spinach, and couscous, and it will suggest several meals with those ingredients.
This is brilliant for cutting food waste. I once had half a tub of ricotta sitting in the fridge and no idea what to do with it. ChatGPT gave me three recipes, including a spinach and ricotta pasta that took twenty minutes. Instead of throwing it out, I got a decent meal.
You can even use ChatGPT midweek when you’re too tired to be creative. List what’s in your cupboard and fridge, and AI will turn it into a meal plan with prep times that fit around your schedule. As someone who often forgets what’s in their fridge, using ChatGPT to keep on top of my grocery list has made my life so much easier.
Balancing nutrition without the headache
Nutrition is another area where people lose motivation. Counting calories or tracking macros is tedious. ChatGPT can simplify it by building balanced menus that meet your goals.
Ask for “a week of high-protein vegetarian meals, 2,000 calories per day, easy to batch cook,” and you’ll get a full plan with recipes and shopping lists. You can then tweak it for allergies or preferences. It’s like having a dietitian on call, minus the cost.
When I tried this, I got a plan that balanced protein-rich meals like lentil soup and tofu stir-fry with lighter options for lunch. It even suggested snacks that actually fit my 2,000-calorie target.
Batch cooking and prep
Cooking once and eating the meal multiple times is one of the smartest ways to save time, but planning it is a headache. ChatGPT can break batch cooking down into a clear schedule. Ask for “three meals I can batch cook on Sunday that will last the week,” and you’ll get a plan with storage tips.
I tested this by asking for meals that would reheat well. The suggestions included chili, roasted vegetable trays, and baked pasta dishes. Each came with advice on how long they’d last in the fridge or freezer. That detail makes the difference because it stops you wondering if Tuesday’s leftovers are still safe to eat.
Substitutions and flexibility
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Real life by no means goes to plan. You neglect to purchase one thing, or the store is out of inventory of that one ingredient you really want. Instead of abandoning a recipe, you may ask AI for substitutions. “What can I use instead of aubergine in this curry?” provides you with an inventory of options, with notes on how the flavour may change.
This flexibility makes recipes much less inflexible. You can adapt primarily based on what you’ve gotten with out sacrificing the meal. It’s particularly helpful for allergy symptoms. If you want gluten-free or nut-free swaps, ChatGPT will flag protected options rapidly.
Cooking tips on demand
ChatGPT isn’t just about planning what to eat. It can also teach you skills in the moment. Stuck on how to cut a mango or how long to roast sweet potatoes? Ask and you’ll get step-by-step instructions. In fact, ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode is perfect for this, allowing you to chat with AI as if it’s a sous-chef in your kitchen. To activate, simply press the soundwave button next to the microphone in the ChatGPT app.
I tried this recently while making a grilled sandwich, because I wasn’t sure how to make the bread extra crispy. The answer was clear and practical: use mayonnaise. It was the kind of advice you’d get from a friend in the kitchen. At first, I was skeptical, but I gave it a try and now I’m hooked on using mayo on the outside of my toasties!
Personalising food to your lifestyle
Everyone eats differently, and ChatGPT can adjust to your lifestyle. Want quick meals for late nights? It will suggest recipes under 20 minutes. Cooking for kids? It will flag recipes that are easy to adapt for picky eaters. Training for a marathon? It can boost carbs around running days.
The personalisation is where AI beats static cookbooks. Instead of following a one-size-fits-all plan, you get something that adapts to your life.
ChatGPT won’t make you Gordon Ramsey
Sometimes ChatGPT recipes are a little unrealistic or use ingredients that aren’t common where you live. Always sanity-check before heading to the shop.
Nutrition data can also be hit or miss. If you have specific dietary needs, consult a professional rather than relying solely on AI.
And of course, taste is subjective. ChatGPT can give you structure, but I wouldn’t trust it 100%. In fact, just like all AI uses, use your common sense just in case ChatGPT hallucinates and tells you to put pineapple on a pizza.
Why AI makes food planning easier
I’m terrible at meal planning because I never think two days in advance. While ChatGPT doesn’t make you a chef, it does take the weight off by organising the basics. Lists, substitutions, batch plans, and nutritional targets are all handled in seconds. That leaves you with the fun part: actually cooking and eating.
For me, the biggest win is cutting out decision fatigue. I no longer waste energy deciding what to make each night. I have a plan, I have the ingredients, and I know it fits my goals. That simple shift makes home cooking less of a chore and more of a routine I can stick to.
AI meal planning isn’t glamorous, but it’s practical. It helps you figure out what to cook, generates recipes from what you have, balances nutrition, and builds shopping lists that make sense. It won’t chop onions for you, but it will save you from the 7 p.m. fridge stare.
If cooking has started to feel like a burden, ChatGPT might just bring back some joy.
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