CLEVELAND — For Dillon Marx, meal planning isn’t just about eating healthy. It’s about hitting his fitness goals and staying on budget.
By planning ahead, he avoids overspending at the grocery store.
“Instead of going shelf to shelf, I’m getting exactly what I need using the coupons I have, and I’m out the door,” he said.
Instead of spending hours writing lists and recipes, Marx uses artificial intelligence.
“You put in a few minutes a week saying, 'this is what I want to eat [and] this is what I plan to spend.' And you can generate a grocery list tailored to you,” he said.
While inflation peaked in 2022, economists say consumers are still feeling the effects.
“Prices are high. They are high to consumers, and folks on tight budgets, grocery shopping can still be very hard on the wallet,” said Michael Goldberg, a Case Western University associate professor at the Department of Design and Innovation at the Weatherhead School of Management.
Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, which is free for the basic model, can help budget-conscious shoppers.
If you want to give it a try yourself, use the prompt below to fill out your own information:
Help me create a budget-friendly meal plan and grocery list for (number) breakfasts, (number) lunches and (number) dinners for (number of people) people. My budget for the list is (put budget here). Make sure the list doesn't include (list all food allergies or dietary preferences). Please make sure the recipes include some ingredients we have at home like (add things you have and want to use). We will be doing our shopping at (grocery store).
Marx said AI-generated lists can be more precise if shoppers specify details like which store they are visiting.
“The more creative and detailed you get, the more spot-on the output,” he said.
If you have questions about cutting costs, saving money, or the price of something you'd like us to look into. Send an email to elizabeth.vanmetre@wews.com.
