AI Prompt - Meal Planning!

Over the past year, I’ve experimented with a handful of AI chatbots, primarily Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Claude. I’ve used a lot of these to help with brainstorming. I learned early on that the output was always a great starting point but still required a lot of work from the user. I’ve also learned that the real power of these tools doesn’t come from the AI itself, but from how clearly and intentionally you communicate with it. That’s where prompting comes in.

Early on, my prompts were much like a google search. They were just a one liner and very much question based. It didn’t take long for me to learn that I really needed to do a little more leg work and provide more valuable input. This became very clear when I decided to create a prompt that would help me and my physical fitness.

The journey started with me asking AI to build me a meal plan to help shed some unwanted pounds. That wasn’t enough though, that’s when the ah-ha moment hit me and I realized, I need this bot to understand who I am and what my end goal is. That’s when the prompt was born.

I am a <insert age> year old <insert gender>. I am <insert height> and currently weigh in at <insert weight>. My current activity each day consists of <insert activity level, gym, running, sitting, etc....>. I have a goal to reach <insert goal weight> by <insert goal date>.  
1. Act as my personal meal planning assistant. Create a full weekly meal plan that fits my preferences, schedule, and budget.
2. Plan breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and 2 or 3 optional snacks per day.
3. Keep the meals simple, realistic, and based on ingredients that overlap to minimize waste. Meaning, I want to be able to utilize the leftovers for following meals.
4. Prioritize high‑protein meals, easy prep, and recipes that take 30 minutes or less on busy days.
5.  Avoid foods I don’t like or can’t eat: <insert the food names>.
6. Stay within a weekly grocery budget of <insert dollar amount>.
7. At the end, create a consolidated shopping list.
8. Offer optional alternatives or swaps if I need quicker or cheaper alternatives.
9. Break down each meal with measurements so I know exactly what to prepare and eat. Make it easy to read and follow. Be sure to include each meals macros so that I can track them throughout the day.

If anyone is curious, the meal plan has worked wonders!