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GuideChatGPT, Gemini or Claude · 5 min

How to use AI to plan dinners from a photo of your fridge

Take one clear photo of your open fridge, add it to ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude, and paste our prompt. The AI lists the food it can see, plans five simple dinners that use it up, fresh food first, and makes one shopping list for anything missing. Check its food list before you cook, because AI can misread a photo. It takes about five minutes, and ChatGPT's free plan is enough.

Open Loop NewsAI-assisted guide: every step checked against the official help pages, every prompt tested before we publish.

What you need

AppChatGPT, Gemini or Claude, on your phone or computer
CostFree. ChatGPT's free plan limits uploads: OpenAI lists 3 file uploads a day
TimeAbout 5 minutes
You needOne photo of your open fridge, or a typed list of what is in it

Step by step

  1. Step 1: Take one clear photo of your fridge

    Open the door, turn on a light if the kitchen is dark, and step back until every shelf is in the shot. Move tall bottles that hide food behind them. If a few cupboard items matter, such as rice or a tin of beans, stand them on the counter in front so one photo covers everything.

    Tip: ChatGPT's free plan limits uploads (OpenAI lists 3 file uploads a day), so one good photo beats three.

  2. Step 2: Add the photo to your AI app

    In ChatGPT, tap the + icon in the prompt area and select Add photos & files. In Gemini, tap Add files, then Photos (or Camera to take the picture there). In Claude, tap the + button and select Add files or photos.

  3. Step 3: Paste this prompt and send it

    Change the words in [brackets] first. The prompt asks the AI to list what it sees before it plans anything, so you can catch mistakes early.

    Prompt to copy
    This is a photo of my fridge. First, list every food item you can see.

Then plan 5 simple dinners for [2 people] that use as many of these items as possible, starting with fresh food that goes off quickly. Each dinner should take under [30] minutes.

For each dinner, give: the name, what I already have, anything extra I need, and the method in 5 short steps or fewer.

I do not eat: [foods you avoid, for example pork, nuts or dairy].

  4. Step 4: Correct the food list

    Read the list before you read the recipes. A photo can fool AI: a jar of sauce can pass for jam, and it cannot see what is hidden behind the milk. Send your corrections and it will redo the plan.

    Prompt to copy
    Corrections: there is no [item it listed by mistake]. I also have [items it missed]. Please redo the 5 dinners with the corrected list.

  5. Step 5: Get one shopping list

    Ask for a single list for the whole week, so you only shop once.

    Prompt to copy
    Make one shopping list for all 5 dinners, with only the things I do not have. Group it by supermarket section and add rough amounts for [2 people].

What you get

Food I can see: eggs, spinach, chicken thighs, cheddar, tortillas, tomatoes, an onion, Greek yogurt, cooked rice, a tin of chickpeas. 1. Chicken and spinach quesadillas (20 min). You have: chicken, spinach, cheddar, tortillas, onion. Extra: none. 2. Egg fried rice with spinach (15 min). You have: rice, eggs, spinach, onion. Extra: soy sauce. 3. Chickpea and tomato curry (25 min). You have: chickpeas, tomatoes, onion, spinach, yogurt to serve. Extra: curry powder. 4. Shakshuka with toasted tortillas (25 min). You have: eggs, tomatoes, onion, spinach, tortillas. Extra: ground cumin. 5. Yogurt chicken with rice and tomatoes (30 min). You have: chicken, yogurt, rice, tomatoes. Extra: garlic, a lemon. Shopping list: soy sauce, curry powder, ground cumin, garlic, 1 lemon.

Example answers from Claude (steps 3 and 5) on 2 Oct 2026, for a typed list of 10 foods instead of a photo. Shortened: the full answer had the method for each dinner. Yours will be worded differently.

Common mistakes

  • Cooking from the AI's list without checking it. AI can misread food in a photo, so correct the list first (step 4).
  • Forgetting allergies and foods you avoid. The AI only knows what you tell it, so say them in the prompt every time.
  • Asking whether food is still good. A photo does not show use-by dates or freshness: check those yourself.
  • Uploading a photo with personal details in it. Keep letters, bills and people out of the shot.

Questions people ask

Does this work on a free plan?

Yes in ChatGPT: OpenAI says image inputs work on its Free plan, with usage limits, and lists 3 file uploads a day for free users. Gemini and Claude also accept photos; their limits depend on your plan.

What if I do not want to upload a photo?

Type what you have instead, for example: eggs, spinach, rice, a tin of chickpeas. Then change the first line of the prompt to: Here is what is in my fridge.

Can it plan for a diet or an allergy?

Yes. Put it in the last line of the prompt, for example vegetarian, halal or no nuts. If an allergy is serious, check every ingredient yourself.

Are my photos used to train the AI?

It depends on the app and your settings. OpenAI's help pages explain how ChatGPT content can be used to improve its models and which choices you have. Either way, keep personal details out of the photo.

Checked against

  1. OfficialOpenAI Help Center: ChatGPT Image Inputs FAQ
  2. OfficialOpenAI Help Center: File Uploads FAQ
  3. OfficialGemini Apps Help: Upload & analyze files in Gemini Apps
  4. OfficialClaude Help Center: Upload files to Claude

AI apps change their buttons often. If a step no longer matches what you see, email hello@openloopnews.com and we will update this guide.