Unsure what to make for dinner, you check your kitchen. A loaf of bread. A bag of baby carrots. A can of pumpkin puree. A package of chicken broth. You can’t think of any recipes, but it could turn into a delicious meal with a little help from artificial intelligence (AI), something Extension educator Mandy Gray knows well.
Gray, health and human sciences educator and county Extension director for Hancock County, has been studying everyday applications of AI with a team of Purdue Extension educators and specialists for over two years.
“We’ve spent a lot of time learning about AI — how we can use it in our personal lives and our jobs in Extension and how it can help people in our community,” Gray says.
The team has experimented with using AI tools, like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, for planning meals, creating recipes and creating a weekly meal budget. Gray explains, “A lot of people maybe are afraid to use AI, but it's one of the simplest tools I've ever used.”
Gray says her family is “an ingredient household,” or a house that prefers to stock pantry staples rather than pre-made or ready-to-eat meals. At times, it can feel like the pantry is empty, but “there is plenty of stuff. We just have to make it.”
AI makes it easier to use what you have, she says. “My favorite thing that I can tell people is you can tell AI, ‘I don't know what to make for dinner. Here’s what I have. Give me a recipe,’ and AI will give you five to eight different recipes.
People can realize, ‘Wow, I actually have all of that. I don't need to go spend money. I don't need to go eat out. I actually can make this.
- Mandy Gray, Extension Educator
Using what’s in the fridge or pantry prevents wasted food and wasted money, and AI can stretch money even further if it’s used to help with meal planning and grocery lists.
To get budget-friendly meal plans, Gray suggests using a prompt like, “I have $50, and I need to feed two people three meals this week. What can I do?” For an easier trip to the store, she suggests “Create my grocery list” or “Organize my ingredients the way a grocery store is laid out.”
Some people may also use AI to brainstorm meal or snack ideas for allergies or diet restrictions, but these suggestions must be carefully factchecked to ensure the information AI provides is accurate.
Gray looks forward to seeing more presentations and programs about AI in her county and across the state.
AI can simplify life for a lot of people; it has for me. I'm like, ‘I need to make sure everyone knows that they can do this!
- Mandy Gray, Extension Educator
Once people know how to leverage AI, kitchen odds and ends can become a fun surprise meal. A puzzling assortment of bread, carrots, pumpkin puree and chicken broth could turn into Pumpkin Carrot Bread Pudding, Pumpkin Carrot Soup with Toasted Bread Croutons, or any number of dinners that will make saving money easy.
For questions about using AI for meal prep or for information about local AI, meal prep or food and nutrition classes near you, reach out to your county extension office today!
