Most recipes feed a family of six, and cooking for one or two means leftovers for days. AI can give you simple recipes sized for one or two people, built around foods you like.
When this helps
Use this when you cook for yourself, when your household shrinks, when your doctor asks you to cut back on salt or sugar, or when you want an easy dinner without a trip to the store.
Step by step
- Think about what you like, what you need to avoid, and how much effort you want.
- Copy the words below into your AI app and fill in the brackets.
- Ask for a shopping list once you pick a recipe.
Copy these words
“Give me 5 easy dinner recipes for [one or two] people. I like [foods you like]. I need to avoid [foods to avoid]. Each recipe should take under 30 minutes and use few pots.”
Fill in anything in [brackets] with your own details, then send.
Good follow-up questions
- "Make a shopping list for these 5 recipes."
- "Make the second recipe lower in salt."
- "How do I freeze leftovers from this recipe safely?"
Before you trust the answer
If you have a food allergy or a diet from your doctor, say so in your request, then check every ingredient yourself. AI sometimes makes mistakes with cooking times and temperatures. Use a food thermometer for meat and poultry.
Frequently asked questions
Can AI make a weekly meal plan?
Yes. Ask for a week of simple dinners for one or two, plus one shopping list.
Can AI adjust a family recipe I already have?
Yes. Paste the recipe and ask the AI to cut it down to one or two servings.
Can AI follow my doctor's diet?
It can follow simple instructions like "low salt," but check with your doctor or a dietitian about what is right for you.
Get 5 more tasks like this, free
The free guide 5 Everyday Things AI Can Help You With gives you one task per page in large print, with the exact words to copy and a list of what to never give AI.
About the author: Nelson Lopatin
Nelson has worked on the internet since 1995 and runs US WebSites in the Rochester, NY area. He writes Easy AI for Seniors in plain English so adults 55 and older learn AI at their own pace.