“When time is tight, a Melbourne father of two discovers a genius hack—using ChatGPT to craft perfect family dinners, making the most of every leftover in the house”
In the whirlwind of parenting, where time slips through the cracks, Jonathan, a 39-year-old father from Melbourne, found himself at a crossroads. With a three-year-old and a seven-month-old at home, the once meticulous planner of family meals was struggling to keep up. But in early 2024, Jonathan found an unexpected ally in technology—ChatGPT.
Jonathan and his wife Farrah, both working full-time, decided to streamline their weekly chores by ordering a box of fruits and vegetables from a local supplier. They opted for the $50 AUD Farmers Pick package, which provided 10kg of produce, and soon upgraded to the $69 AUD box for 15kg. But as the variety of veggies piled up, Jonathan faced a new challenge: what to cook with unfamiliar ingredients like kale and bok choy?
Enter ChatGPT, the AI tool that turned meal planning on its head. “I started inputting whatever we had on hand into ChatGPT,” Jonathan explained. “You simply type in the ingredients and the quantities, and it spits out meal ideas tailored to what you have.”
The results were nothing short of revolutionary. ChatGPT not only generated creative dinner ideas but also catered to specific dietary needs, such as his eldest child’s allergies to eggs and nuts. “You just add in the preferences, and the AI adapts. Don’t like shrimp? Tell it, and it suggests something else. It’s that simple.”
The best part? What once took hours of manual planning now only took minutes. And with ChatGPT’s new feature allowing users to upload photos of their ingredients, the process became even more efficient. Jonathan praised the innovation: “The leftovers are actually worth something now. Farrah and I even take them to work the next day.”
Jonathan’s experience highlights the broader potential of AI in everyday life. His newfound reliance on ChatGPT has removed the stress of meal planning, saved money, and eliminated food waste. “It’s so good, we’re never going back to the old way,” he remarked. “It’s a game-changer. The mental load of figuring out dinner after a long day? Gone.”
But it doesn’t stop at meal planning. Jonathan has tapped into AI for a range of tasks, from finding a science tutor for his eldest to discovering new activities for his toddler. “It’s just so easy to use,” he said, summing up his AI-powered approach to parenting and life.
For Jonathan, ChatGPT is more than just a tool; it’s become an indispensable part of his family’s daily routine. And as he’s quick to point out, the possibilities are endless.
