I rolled my eyes when I heard that ChatGPT makes meal plans.
As a registered dietitian who carefully crafts meal plans based on a client’s needs, I thought there was no way artificial intelligence could do the same thing. But to be open-minded, I decided to give the ChatGPT meal plan feature a chance — on myself.
I had a baby seven months ago, and I’m diligently working on losing the last 15 pounds of baby weight. Anyone who has successfully lost weight knows that it’s not for the faint of heart. Weight loss takes dedication and consistency over weeks, months or years.
It’s still a work in progress for me, but the tactics that have helped me lose the first few pounds include planning my meals, tracking calories and increasing my protein intake. Doing so takes time, energy and dedication (as well as regular exercise and getting good sleep). So if AI can help with this process, I’m willing to try.
What is ChatGPT?
Developed by Open AI and launched in late 2022, ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot. Maybe you’ve asked ChatGPT to write something for you, like an essay, a blog post or even a heartfelt card without thinking about where the information comes from.
To find out how exactly it works, I spoke with Andrew Beam, Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of epidemiology at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health who studies machine-learning models.
Beam explains that ChatGPT has digested all of the data on the internet and uses it to respond to prompts. "What it’s trained to do is predict the next word. It’s regurgitating words that it's seen before,” he adds.
That may sound like a recipe (pun intended) for inaccurate information, but Beam says that's not always the case. Some of his research shows that ChatGPT can predict enough to pass medical licensing exams. “In very controlled situations, it’s very accurate, but we also know that it just makes stuff up,” says Beam.
He provides a hypothetical anecdote: If he were to ask ChatGPT to write his bio, it may correctly say he’s a professor at Harvard but then inaccurately state that he received his doctorate from the University of Tennessee or list papers he wrote that don't exist.
An Open AI spokesperson confirmed to TODAY.com via email that ChatGPT does provide false information from time to time.
There are other pros and cons to using ChatGPT, which I learned firsthand in my experiment.
Using ChatGPT to make a meal plan
To start, it's important to point out that Open AI's usage policies discourage users from asking ChatGPT to "(provide) tailored legal, medical/health, or financial advice without review by a qualified professional and disclosure of the use of AI assistance and its potential limitations."
That said, many people have posted on social media about using ChatGPT to make customized meal plans, so I wanted to try it myself to see how accurate they really are.
I started by asking it to “build me a seven-day vegetarian meal plan for a woman who wants to lose weight.” Similar to the prompt, the results were vague. It suggested things like quinoa salads, tofu bowls and smoothies, but it didn’t guide me on how to make these foods or the proper portion sizes.
I realized that I needed to get more specific and give it info about my weight loss goals to try to find a calorie range. Apps like MyFitnessPal do this for you, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) also has a handy body weight planner calculator.
Next, I asked Chat GPT, “How many calories do I need to eat if I currently weigh 138 pounds and want to lose 18 pounds over three months?” It went through a lot of calculations and made guesses about my height and activity level and spit out 1,337 calories per day, which is very low.
I adjusted the ask to include my height (5’3”) and activity level (very active), and it bumped up the calories to about 1,520 per day. The NIH calculator said I could eat about 1,710 calories per day, which seemed more aligned with a healthy weight loss schedule of one to two pounds per week.
With all of this information, I thought I could come up with a good question for ChatGPT: “Make a seven-day vegetarian meal plan with 1,700 calories for a woman who wants to lose one pound per week.” I was pleasantly surprised with the results, but I felt like I could do a little better.
“How you ask the question is super important,” says Beam, adding that the process of figuring out the right words to input is called "prompt engineering," and it can require a lot of effort.
“If you ask it to pretend it is the world's smartest nutritionist and write an accurate meal plan, it may improve the results,” says Beam. So I did.
ChatGPT meal plan prompt
This is the prompt I asked ChatGPT to get the meal plan I found most usable: "Pretend you are the world’s smartest registered dietitian and make a seven-day vegetarian meal plan with 1,700 calories for a woman who wants to lose one pound per week."
ChatGPT's meal plan
Here is how ChatGPT responded to my prompt: "Certainly! Here’s a 7-day vegetarian meal plan tailored for a woman aiming to lose one pound per week, targeting 1,700 calories per day. This plan ensures balanced nutrition with meals that are easy to prepare and support healthy weight loss."
Below is the actual meal plan. (Editor's note: TODAY.com was not able to verify the calorie counts for the below meal plan. It's advised to consult a health care provider before starting any weight loss plan.)
Day 1
Breakfast: Greek yogurt (1 cup) with mixed berries (1/2 cup) and a sprinkle of chia seeds (1 tbsp); calories: 300
Lunch: Quinoa salad with black beans (1/2 cup), corn (1/4 cup), cherry tomatoes (1/2 cup), avocado (1/4), and lime dressing; calories: 450
Dinner: Stir-fried tofu (100g) with mixed vegetables (1 1/2 cups, broccoli, bell peppers, carrots) and brown rice (1/2 cup); calories: 500
Snacks:
- Apple slices with almond butter (1 tbsp); calories: 150
- Carrot sticks with hummus (1/4 cup); calories: 100
- Small orange; calories: 50
Total Calories: 1,550
- Adjustments: Add a small handful of almonds (1/2 oz); calories: 100
Total Calories: 1,650
Day 2
Breakfast: Smoothie with spinach (1 cup), banana, almond milk (1 cup), and protein powder; calories: 350
Lunch: Lentil soup (1 1/2 cups) with a side salad (mixed greens, cucumber, tomatoes, olive oil and balsamic vinegar); calories: 400
Dinner: Stuffed bell peppers with quinoa (1/2 cup), black beans (1/2 cup), corn (1/4 cup) and diced tomatoes (1/2 cup); calories: 500
Snacks:
- Handful of mixed nuts (1 oz); calories: 160
- Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey (1 tsp); calories: 100
- Celery sticks; calories: 30
Total Calories: 1,540
- Adjustments: Add a piece of dark chocolate (1 square); calories: 80
Total Calories: 1,620
Day 3
Breakfast: Overnight oats with almond milk (1 cup), chia seeds (1 tbsp) and blueberries (1/2 cup); calories: 300
Lunch: Spinach and feta cheese wrap with whole grain tortilla and a side of baby carrots; calories: 400
Dinner: Eggplant Parmesan with marinara sauce and a side of steamed green beans; calories: 450
Snacks:
- Sliced cucumber with tzatziki (1/4 cup); calories: 100
- Apple slices; calories: 100
- Small handful of grapes; calories: 60
Total Calories: 1,410
- Adjustments: Add a small serving of whole-grain crackers (10 crackers); calories: 90
Total Calories: 1,500
Day 4
Breakfast: Whole grain toast with avocado (1/2) and a poached egg; calories: 350
Lunch: Chickpea salad with cucumber (1/2 cup), tomatoes (1/2 cup), red onion (1/4 cup), parsley and lemon dressing; calories: 400
Dinner: Vegetable curry with chickpeas (1/2 cup) and basmati rice (1/2 cup); calories: 500
Snacks:
- Fresh fruit salad (1 cup); calories: 100
- Hummus with whole grain crackers (10 crackers); calories: 150
- Baby carrots; calories: 50
Total Calories: 1,550
- Adjustments: Add a small handful of dried fruit (1/4 cup); calories: 100
Total Calories: 1,650
Day 5
Breakfast: Smoothie bowl with blended frozen berries (1 cup), banana, almond milk (1 cup), topped with granola (1/4 cup) and coconut flakes (1 tbsp); calories: 350
Lunch: Grilled vegetable sandwich on whole grain bread with a side of mixed greens; calories: 450
Dinner: Zucchini noodles with marinara sauce and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese; calories: 400
Snacks:
- Handful of almonds (1 oz); calories: 160
- Baby carrots with hummus (1/4 cup); calories: 100
- Small apple; calories: 50
Total Calories: 1,510
- Adjustments: Add a small serving of mixed seeds (1 tbsp); calories: 70
Total Calories: 1,580
Day 6
Breakfast: Chia pudding with almond milk (1 cup), vanilla extract (1/2 tsp), and fresh berries (1/2 cup); calories: 300
Lunch: Falafel wrap with tahini sauce and mixed vegetables; calories: 450
Dinner: Baked sweet potato topped with black beans (1/2 cup), corn (1/4 cup) and salsa; calories: 450
Snacks:
- Celery sticks with peanut butter (1 tbsp); calories: 100
- Greek yogurt with granola (1/4 cup); calories: 150
- Small handful of cherry tomatoes; calories: 30
Total Calories: 1,480
- Adjustments: Add a small serving of whole grain toast (1 slice); calories: 80
Total Calories: 1,560
Day 7
Breakfast: Oatmeal with sliced banana (1/2), walnuts (1 tbsp) and a drizzle of maple syrup (1 tsp); calories: 350
Lunch: Caprese salad with tomatoes (1 cup), mozzarella (2 oz), basil and balsamic glaze; calories: 400
Dinner: Veggie stir-fry with tofu (100g), snap peas (1/2 cup), bell peppers (1/2 cup) and quinoa (1/2 cup); calories: 500
Snacks:
- Fresh fruit (e.g., apple, pear or berries); calories: 100
- Handful of mixed nuts (1 oz); calories: 150
- Small handful of baby carrots; calories: 50
Total Calories: 1,550
- Adjustments: Add a small serving of dried fruit (1/4 cup); calories: 100
Total Calories: 1,650
Final Adjustments for 1,700 Calories
To consistently reach 1,700 calories each day, add a small, healthy snack to each day’s plan:
- Day 1: Add an additional 50-calorie snack (e.g., a few more almonds, an extra piece of fruit or a small serving of dark chocolate).
- Day 2: Add an additional 80-calorie snack.
- Day 3: Add an additional 200-calorie snack.
- Day 4: Add an additional 50-calorie snack.
- Day 5: Add an additional 120-calorie snack.
- Day 6: Add an additional 220-calorie snack.
- Day 7: Add an additional 150-calorie snack.
By slightly increasing portion sizes or adding small, nutritious snacks, you can ensure you consistently meet your 1,700-calorie goal. This plan provides balanced meals rich in essential nutrients to support your active lifestyle and weight loss goals.
Bottom line
I was seriously impressed with the meal ideas. Vegetable curry, tofu stir fry, falafel wrap and baked, stuffed sweet potatoes are right up my alley. But some of the meals, like the zucchini noodles or eggplant parmigiana lack sufficient protein. Maybe it’s my fault because I didn’t put protein requirements in the prompt, but the lack of this important macronutrient in the meals would leave me feeling hungry.
Also, as Beam pointed out, you can’t trust the accuracy of the calorie information without double-checking it. He ventured a guess that it would probably be off by about 300 calories per day. I didn't have the resources to check everything, but I agree that the calorie information looks too high for some of the meals.
The most important takeaway is that ChatGPT doesn’t infer information or expand on ideas, so it can only respond to the exact prompt it’s given. It took many thoughtful prompts to get a useable meal plan.
If someone asked me for a meal plan to help them lose weight, I’d ask them about their current weight, weight loss goals, lifestyle and eating preferences. ChatGPT just spits out exactly what it’s asked. And unless you know exactly what you're asking for, it's hard to get the right information.
The bottom line is that it’s helpful for meal ideas, eating more veggies or cutting down on processed foods. But if you want to lose weight or eat for certain health conditions, like diabetes or high blood pressure, ChatGPT falls short. Only a real human expert, like a registered dietitian, can walk you through the nuance of nutrition for your body, goals and lifestyle.
