Cut a family's grocery spend from $400–$500 every few days to $140 a week with a ChatGPT meal plan
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- by Brooke Ferrier (ABC News)
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When Brooke Ferrier, a parent of two on the NSW Central Coast, and their partner both lost their jobs, Ferrier asked ChatGPT for a low-cost meal plan for two adults and two toddlers, then refined it with follow-ups: hidden vegetables, low-carb options and no lentils. ChatGPT gave one recipe per meal with variations for each person, compared supermarket prices and produced a categorised shopping list with quantities. A week of breakfasts, dinners and snacks came to $140, against the $400–$500 Ferrier had been spending every four or five days, with much less food thrown out. Ferrier also uses it to find recipes for long-forgotten pantry items.
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Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about anything important that's missing below. Keep them quick. Then do the task, checking in with me at the key points. Goal: Make a low-cost weekly meal plan for my household and a shopping list with exact quantities. What I can give you (ask for whatever's missing): - Who's eating (ages, how many): [DETAILS] - Weekly budget and where I shop: [DETAILS] - Likes, dislikes and must-avoids: [DETAILS] - What's already in my pantry, fridge and freezer: [LIST] Rules: - Use one base recipe per meal, with simple variations for different people. - Use up what I already have first, and plan leftovers into later meals or snacks. - Group the shopping list by supermarket section, with quantities and an estimated total. - Keep the meals balanced, with vegetables and fibre in most of them. - Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify. Output: A 7-day plan (breakfast, dinner, snacks), the recipes and a categorised shopping list. You'll know it worked when: the week's shopping comes in under budget with little waste.
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Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about anything important that's missing below. Keep them quick. Then do the task, checking in with me at the key points. Goal: Make a low-cost weekly meal plan for my household and a shopping list with exact quantities. What I can give you (ask for whatever's missing): - Who's eating (ages, how many): [DETAILS] - Weekly budget and where I shop: [DETAILS] - Likes, dislikes and must-avoids: [DETAILS] - What's already in my pantry, fridge and freezer: [LIST] Rules: - Use one base recipe per meal, with simple variations for different people. - Use up what I already have first, and plan leftovers into later meals or snacks. - Group the shopping list by supermarket section, with quantities and an estimated total. - Keep the meals balanced, with vegetables and fibre in most of them. - Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify. Output: A 7-day plan (breakfast, dinner, snacks), the recipes and a categorised shopping list. You'll know it worked when: the week's shopping comes in under budget with little waste.
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Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about anything important that's missing below. Keep them quick. Then do the task, checking in with me at the key points. Goal: Make a low-cost weekly meal plan for my household and a shopping list with exact quantities. What I can give you (ask for whatever's missing): - Who's eating (ages, how many): [DETAILS] - Weekly budget and where I shop: [DETAILS] - Likes, dislikes and must-avoids: [DETAILS] - What's already in my pantry, fridge and freezer: [LIST] Rules: - Use one base recipe per meal, with simple variations for different people. - Use up what I already have first, and plan leftovers into later meals or snacks. - Group the shopping list by supermarket section, with quantities and an estimated total. - Keep the meals balanced, with vegetables and fibre in most of them. - Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify. Output: A 7-day plan (breakfast, dinner, snacks), the recipes and a categorised shopping list. You'll know it worked when: the week's shopping comes in under budget with little waste. Before you finish: re-read my goal and constraints, check your answer against each one, and list anything you assumed or couldn't confirm.
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