Here’s how I used Perplexity to whip up a custom meal plan for my wife and myself, and why I’ll never go back to the old-school way.

How Perplexity Became My Secret Weapon for Meal Planning

A while back, meal planning for my wife and me was a weekly headache. We both have specific calorie and macro goals (and, let’s be honest, a freezer full of random proteins), so it was always a puzzle: what can we make, how much do we need, and will it hit our targets? Enter Perplexity.

Step 1: Setting the Ground Rules

First, I got clear on our goals. For us, it’s not just about “what’s for dinner?”, it’s about hitting our daily targets:

• Andrew: 2100 calories (184g carbs, 47g fat, 236g protein)
• Keli: 1500 calories (131g carbs, 33g fat, 169g protein)

We also had a few quirks: no kale, no tofu, only things I could pick up at the local H-E-B. Only certain oils allowed. I had also built out a Google Doc that I used to detail what was in my freezer, fridge, and pantry as the “Hay Foods” inventory (which I uploaded for Perplexity to reference).

Step 2: Putting Perplexity to Work

I opened up Perplexity and, instead of just asking for a generic meal plan, I got specific. I told it:

• Our exact calorie and macro targets per meal
• Foods we wanted to use (and what to avoid)
• That we wanted seafood on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday dinners only
• To give us raw and cooked weights for each ingredient, so we’d know exactly what to prep

I even asked for the output in a table, so it’d be easy to follow and share with Keli.

Step 3: Iterating Like a Boss

Here’s where Perplexity really shone. I didn’t just get a single answer, I had a conversation.

• Didn’t want seafood every night? No problem, I just told it to mix in more chicken, beef, and pork.
• Wanted seafood only on certain nights? Easy, it adjusted instantly.
• Needed the meal plan to match our macros per meal? Perplexity recalculated the weights and portions for us, every time.

It felt like having a nutritionist and a personal assistant rolled into one, but without the awkward small talk or judgement.

Step 4: Getting the Details-Fast

Perplexity delivered tables with:

• Day, meal, and every food item
• Raw and cooked weights for each ingredient
• Separate portions for both of us
• Meals that actually matched our calorie and macro targets

No more guesswork, no more math at the dinner table, and no more “oops, we’re out of chicken thighs.”

The Bottom Line

Perplexity turned what used to be a chore into a quick, collaborative process. I could upload our pantry list, set our goals, and within minutes have a week’s worth of meals, all tailored to our needs and what we actually have at home. It even helped me keep things fresh by mixing up our proteins and making sure we didn’t get the dreaded “chicken breast fatigue.”

If you’re juggling nutrition goals, a busy life, and a fridge that’s always a little too full, Perplexity is honestly a game changer. And hey, if you want to tweak your plan midweek? Just ask. It’s like having a sous chef who actually listens.

Pro tip: Be specific with your prompts, don’t be afraid to iterate, and let Perplexity do the heavy lifting. You’ll spend less time planning and more time enjoying dinner with the people you love.