AI and home shopping/inventory--actual experience

AI helps make grocery lists at home off just pictures!

If you’ve ever stood in front of your fridge wondering what to make for dinner, you’re not alone. But what if you could snap a few photos of your pantry, fridge, and freezer—and let AI help you plan a meal, find missing ingredients, and even generate a preview of your finished dish? That’s exactly what happened this week in our kitchen, and it changed the way we approach meal planning.

My pantry, fridge,
fridge door, and freezer

From "What's for dinner?" to "Here's what's for dinner!"

Using a simple phone camera and a conversational AI assistant, I uploaded a few quick shots of our pantry, refrigerator, fridge door, and freezer. Within minutes, the AI scanned everything and built a detailed inventory. Then it went a step further: I showed it a photo of a recipe—Balsamic Shrimp and Farro Bowls—and it helped cross-check ingredients, highlight what we already had, and build a short, smart shopping list for what we didn’t.

It even generated an image of what the final bowl would look like, served and styled in a Buddha bowl format. This visual gave us confidence and inspiration to follow through with the meal, knowing exactly what to expect.

What made this special wasn’t the recipe—it was the process. With just a few snapshots and some quick feedback, we turned a scattered fridge and pantry into a ready-to-go dinner plan. The shrimp was already in our freezer. The farro and zucchini were hiding in plain sight. With a quick trip for mushrooms and some microgreens, we were set.

AI-image of finished recipe

What will the final food look like?

The original recipe comes from the book Buddha Bowls: 100 Nourishing One-Bowl Meals by Kelli Foster (Food Writer and Editor at The Kitchn), a highly recommended resource for balanced and beautiful meals. This particular bowl had no photo in the book, which made the AI-generated preview all the more helpful.

There’s something powerful about using technology to reduce decision fatigue in the kitchen. It’s not just about what you can make—it’s about making your life easier, saving time, and wasting less food. This isn’t just a cool idea; it’s a practical tool for real families.

Now you try it

If you're a home cook, busy parent, or anyone who feels overwhelmed by what’s in your kitchen, give this a try. Let your camera and AI be your new sous chef. You might be surprised what’s already within reach.

Try it!  Let everyone know how it works in the comments below!