How to Use ChatGPT for Meal Planning: Tips from a Sports Dietitian & Busy Mom

Claire Shorenstein, MS RD CSSD CDN
Nov 11
9 min read

Updated: 6 days ago

I don’t know about you, but the combo of Halloween and Daylight Savings Time really kicked my butt last week. Add in the fact that my youngest got sick with pneumonia that weekend (and stayed home from school all week), and I needed all the help I could get!

I knew that if we didn't map out a meal plan, I'd be hit with the dreaded "what's for dinner" question every night and subsequent panic would follow. Even as a sports dietitian who helps athletes plan meals for a living, even I sometimes need a little backup.

That’s when I decided, “ChatGPT is on meal-planning duty this week!”

AI is part of most of our lives. I was resistant to it at first, but now I regularly explore ways to use it personally and professionally. I’ve also discovered what AI should NOT be used for, especially when it comes to nutrition.

In this blog post, I’ll share:

The do’s and don’ts of using AI for nutrition and health
My grocery-shopping strategy (so ChatGPT has something to work with)
Exactly how I use ChatGPT to meal plan for my family
Why this approach can be a game-changer for busy athletes and parents

How to use ChatGPT for meal planning: Tips from a Sports Dietitian and Busy Mom

AI & Nutrition: What You Need to Know

AI is everywhere these days, and we’re just scratching the surface of what ChatGPT, Gemini, and other forms of AI can do. When it comes to nutrition, there are some important limitations that you need to keep in mind.

Here’s what AI can do for you:

Help with Meal Planning and Recipe Ideas

AI can absolutely help you generate meal or snack ideas and recipes, use up what’s already in your kitchen, and create grocery shopping lists quickly. I love to use it when my brain is fried and I need some new (or just any) ideas.

Give it a TON of guidance in your initial prompt, and then lots of feedback until you’re happy with the result. Way more on this in a bit.

Plan a Carb Load or Hit Other Daily Nutrient Goals

I also find it’s a very useful tool when it comes to planning out a carb load. You can use the following script, inserting your specific carb load goal and preferred carb-rich foods:

“I need to reach X number of grams of carbs per day for the next three days. Please spread this number across 3 meals and 3 snacks, and I’d like to include the following carbs [list your foods]. Can you give me 3 sample plans, just with the carb part, so I can map out how to reach my daily goal?”

The thing to note here is that you're not asking AI how many grams of carbs you need. You're giving it the number you need (e.g. from a trusted source, like a sports dietitian's content) and then asking it how to meet this number using the foods that work for you.

For example, I gave it the above script using 450g, and listed many of my favorite low fiber carb-rich foods. Here's one of the three days it gave me:

You could do something similar with other goals. For instance, you could give it a daily protein and/or micronutrient target, and ask for sample meals and snacks to help you hit these goals.

Always double-check that what it’s delivering makes sense and fits your needs.

On the flipside, here’s what AI can’t do for you:

Think Critically Or Evaluate Scientific Quality

AI doesn’t think critically and can't provide the type of clinical judgement and expertise that a human health professional can. You can use it to get generalized nutrition and health advice, but you need to proceed with caution.

As this 2024 study discusses, the information that ChatGPT provides may not be 100% accurate when compared to current guidelines. ChatGPT also may deliver inappropriate or potentially harmful advice when dealing with "overlapping conditions" and "complex situations." The researchers were referring to medical scenarios, but athletes are humans too, with nuanced nutrition needs and sometimes complicated medical and diet histories.

Because AI can't think critically, it can't interpret a study the way humans can or determine the quality of a study. It can't always tell you where information is coming from, and may cite incorrect sources. Also, AI may not be reading the latest peer-reviewed articles, because it only has access to what’s publicly available.

There's a lot of nutrition noise on the internet. As helpful as AI can be, it can also contribute to the confusion and misinformation out there.

Accurately Analyze Your Nutrition Needs Or Personalize Your Plan

AI can't provide you with individualized nutrition information for your specific medical and diet history, goals, lifestyle factors, and other needs. It can provide very generalized guidance on certain topics, but cannot properly assess your nutrition status (e.g. determine if you have nutrient deficiencies) or coach you through mindset challenges.

It also can't determine accurate energy and macronutrient needs that match your activity level and other essential life details, make appropriate supplement recommendations, or do a number of other things that involve years of professional training and clinical experience.

Lastly, ChatGPT is not HIPPA compliant, so keep that in mind when entering personal health information into that chat box.

All to say, you need to be SO careful, even with basic nutrition advice, and especially if you have a specific medical condition. Do not ask it any questions that would potentially put your health in danger.

When in doubt, always ask your dietitian or healthcare professional.

The Best Way to Use AI for Nutrition Needs

All in all, yes, you can use AI if you’re seeking general nutrition information. Always double-check what it gives you against trusted resources (e.g. from a Registered Dietitian or other credentialed healthcare professional).

Here's an example of an AI nutrition search gone very wrong. A 60-year old man landed himself in the hospital for several weeks after asking AI how to cut his salt intake down, and it told him to replace sodium chloride with sodium bromide. Yikes.

On a smaller level, AI told me in my meal planning exercise to “add an avocado or an egg for protein.” An avocado is a fat not a protein, and one egg is not enough protein for an active adult.

So I fully support using AI as a nutrition tool, but you need to use it wisely and can't take everything it gives you at face value. If you want to ask ChatGPT for relationship advice or use it to write a letter from the tooth fairy to your daughter (guilty), go for it, but ChatGPT is not your dietitian.

As a quick aside, ChatGPT can be very entertaining, as you all surely know. It recently helped me turn one of my client's comments into a poem (I couldn't resist):

I also turned his comment into the lyrics of a Taylor Swift style song. It was great. Who says you can't have some fun in 1:1 nutrition coaching?

How I Grocery Shop For My Family as a Dietitian

I’ll admit it, even as a dietitian, I’m not the most organized when it comes to meal-planning. Half the time we don't do it (and those weeks are always a struggle). I often don’t have a detailed list or a week of recipes ready.

I’m less of a “here are the recipes I plan to make, and will shop accordingly” and more of an “I’m going to grab my usuals plus whatever looks interesting and will figure it out later” kind of gal. This isn’t the most efficient or budget-friendly approach, but there is some method to my madness.

When I go to the store, I usually start in the produce section, make my way through the proteins/dairy/prepared food aisles, and then grab any other extras.

Here’s my usual weekly shopping breakdown (if we need to restock):

Produce: 5–10 fruits and veggies, fresh and frozen (for me, often berries, bananas, apples, grapes, lettuce/spinach/greens, carrots, celery, broccoli, and/or whatever looks good / is in season / is on sale)
Protein: at least 3 sources (tofu, salmon, chicken, ground turkey or beef, eggs - remember, you can "stretch" your animal proteins by adding in beans/lentils etc)
Carbs: dry pasta, rice, farro, quinoa, oats, canned beans, tortillas, bread, potatoes
Fats: cooking oils, avocado, nuts/seeds, nut butter, butter, olives, etc
Dairy & breakfast staples: milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, other cheese, granola, etc
Snacks & fun items: dessert, chips, dried fruit, whatever else looks good

This approach allows me to be flexible and plan around the foods I like, am in the mood for, and already have. But you can certainly plan everything out first, and then get all your goods!

If you try my approach and shop with these categories in mind, it’s easy to then use the performance plate model to build balanced meals that match your training, i.e. 1/4 plate protein, 1/4-1/2 plate carbs, 1/4-1/2 plate fruit/veggies, and some fat thrown in.

How I Use ChatGPT for Meal Planning: Step-by-Step

With all of that in mind, here’s exactly how I used ChatGPT to plan a week of lunches and dinners with minimal brainpower.

Step 1: Take Inventory

Come up with a list of what’s in your fridge, freezer, and pantry, optional to organize it by category (protein, carb, fat, fruit/veg). Note what’s close to expiring or frozen. This helps prevent food waste and determines what you need to buy (if anything).

Step 2: Give Clear Instructions

Tell ChatGPT exactly what you want, e.g. which meals on which days, any food preferences, if you want easy recipes, what kids will/won’t eat, any nights you’re particularly pressed for time, and whatever else is important to note.

Here’s the general prompt I used, which you can copy and customize:

“I just did an inventory of my fridge, freezer and pantry. I want to come up with a plan for the week for lunches and dinners. Meals should be fairly quick and easy to make and nutritionally balanced, with a good protein source, starch, some fat and veggies.

Also, I have two kids who just eat dinner with us. They like X, and don’t like X. Please suggest how to modify our meals with this in mind. Some nights we deconstruct our meal for them and other nights I make them something else. Leftovers for lunch work well.”

Then paste in your list of foods from your inventory and let it build your plan.

Step 3: Review and Give Feedback

Check each meal for a good balance of protein, carbs, fats, veggies. If something looks off or unappealing, ask ChatGPT to replace it. Don’t be afraid to give TONS of feedback. That’s how you get a realistic, personalized plan.

I often cook simple meals without following a recipe that feature a protein, carb, fat, and color (fruit/veg). And that's what ChatGPT gave me based on my request. If you want something more exciting, and/or have more time to cook, put that in your instructions!

Lastly, remember: ChatGPT isn’t a nutrition expert! It's your kitchen assistant.

Step 4: Get Your Printable Version

Finally, ask it to create a printer-friendly meal plan to put on your fridge. You still have to cook, but at least the “what’s for dinner?” stress is gone.

The week I did this, it was such a relief having a clear plan, and is 100% the reason why we were able to fuel ourselves well during what was an incredibly stressful, busy, and sleep-deprived week.

Why ChatGPT Meal Planning Works for Athletes and Parents

For busy athletes (and parents who double as cooks, chauffeurs, and chaos coordinators on top of their jobs), ChatGPT meal planning lightens the mental load.

You can also tailor it to your training schedule in the prompt. For instance:

“I have a long run Saturday. Please include a pasta-based meal [or whatever your favorite pre-run meal is] the night before.”

As we already discussed above, you also can give it specific macro targets to hit if you'd like (e.g. I need to eat at least x g of carbs and x g of protein in this meal). ChatGPT will generate ideas you can fine-tune based on your needs and preferences. It’s not perfect (and not always 100% accurate), but it’s a helpful starting point, especially when time and decision fatigue hit.

Utilizing ChatGPT As a Nutrition Tool, Not as a Dietitian

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, tired, or just need a meal-planning shortcut, learning how to use ChatGPT for meal planning can be a total game-changer.

Give it solid input, review what it produces, and use your nutrition knowledge (or your dietitian’s guidance!) to tweak and finalize. If you’d like to see this process in action, check out my Instagram reel where I shared it all!

Try it out and let me know in the comments what’s on your meal plan for the week!

Looking for more meal planning and nutrition support? Check out these blog posts:

Want Personalized Nutrition Support?

If you’re wanting personalized nutrition support to fuel your active lifestyle and goals, I offer a variety of virtual nutrition services to support your everyday and athletic performance needs.

My monthly membership, Fuel for Life Crew, gets you direct access to me and a supportive community of active people like you for all your nutrition questions. You also get live monthly masterclasses on a variety of nutrition topics (replays available) and access to all of my online resources for just $30/month (cancel anytime).

If you're ready to go all-in to transform your nutrition, health, and performance and get more personalized support, 1:1 nutrition coaching is for you. To get started, book a discovery call here.