How AI can help you save money on groceries

With rising grocery costs at the top of everyone’s minds, Whole Foods’ “full paycheck” joke hits a little too close to home these days. While food inflation reached its highest levels in 43 years in August 2022 by 11.4%It has decreased since then, standing at about 2.1% today. But inflation has worsened since 2020, until it became small Groceries carry a significant costno matter where you shop.

These days, the cost of eating out versus buying all the ingredients and cooking at home is about the same, especially if you’re only cooking for one or two people. Our convenience-driven culture has made food delivery apps Uber Eats and DoorDash part of our busy routines, exacerbated by the high cost of groceries.

If your weekly grocery spending is stressing you out, see what AI can do about it. If AI can write a script, then surely it can devise a strategy for how to save eggs, right? I decided to take the Copilot AI tool for a spin to see what it could do.

Microsoft’s Copilot launched in February 2023, two months after ChatGPT’s debut. You can read CNET Practical review of Copilotbut I chose it over competing AI-powered chatbots ChatGPT And Google twin Because it has the specific GPT “Cooking Helper,” which seems like a good sign for saving on groceries.

Like ChatGPT, there is a free version of Copilot or a paid option for additional features. It promises to be “my daily AI companion.” let’s see.

Preparing the first requirement

Before I opened Copilot, I made a list of my groceries and how much we typically spend as a family. Here’s what I included:

• Organic coffee
• Coffee creamer
• Apples
• Banana
• Leavened bread
• egg
• Avocado
• Mushrooms
• watercress
• Feta cheese
• yogurt
• Granola
• Vegetable chips or pretzels
• Chicken, salmon, steak
• Rice and potatoes
• Asparagus and broccoli
• Ice cream bars
• Chocolate

We spend $100-$150 a week for just two people.

I entered this information into Copilot and asked for suggestions to save money on groceries.

While some of the tips were interesting (like adding cheaper plant-based proteins), most of them were not helpful. I doubt matcha or mushroom coffee is cheaper than store-bought organic coffee, and I’m looking for a less expensive way to buy eggs, not an egg substitute in baking like applesauce. I also don’t want to make sourdough myself or eat cheese instead of avocado.

Prompt 2: “I prefer to eat organic, fresh produce while following a Mediterranean diet. Whole Foods is my closest grocery store. How can I save money on items on my list? I don’t want to exchange or exchange items. Is this true? Cheaper to buy at ShopRite or shop online Internet from Whole Foods?”

The co-pilot told me ShopRite is cheaper and might be worth the extra 10 minute car ride. I asked about the best day and time to buy groceries, and he told me, “The consensus among various sources is that Wednesday is generally the best day to buy groceries if you’re looking for deals. Many stores start their new sales of the week on Wednesday, so you’ll be able to access the discounts and promotions first.” For this week.

He also asked me to wait until late in the evening or just before the store closed to get discounts on perishable items including meat and produce.

So far I’ve learned three valuable points:

1. Add inexpensive protein sources such as plant-based items.
2. Switch to ShopRite (10-minute drive vs. 7-minute walk).
3. Shop on Wednesdays, after work if possible — or ask the store when sales usually start.

Buy groceries based on AI-suggested recipes

I decided to try this in a different way and ask for meal recommendations.

Prompt 3: “I use my grocery list to plan five lunches and dinners for me and my partner. We like to eat an organic Mediterranean diet, and you can add tofu as another source of protein. Our budget is $75 a week.”

I run it through both co-pilot and sous chef. I preferred the Cooking Assistant menu, but it was a bit overwhelming for me. Who has the energy to cook bechamel and eggplant moussaka on a Friday night?

I asked him to use more items from my grocery list and add chicken, salmon, and steak dinner plates, as well as egg plates for lunch and determined that I didn’t want anything too fancy, time-consuming, or expensive.

The co-pilot makes me drool!

Once I was happy with the meal plan, I ordered a shopping list of the ingredients I needed for the week, while staying under $75. She gave me a shopping list with exactly how many items I needed, dividing it into sections for produce, protein, dairy, carbs, supplies, and “other.”

A warning about knowing AI pricing

Although Copilot has access to the Internet, it is unlikely to have the most up-to-date prices, especially for daily sales at local grocery stores. In other words, take your co-pilot’s advice with a grain of salt.

You may need to customize the plan further depending on your local rates. Expect items to be dropped, exchanged, or exchanged based on your budget once you actually get to the grocery store and see which items are on sale or whose prices have jumped.

What Copilot does well is help you easily create and organize a meal menu using your standard ingredients, so you can grocery shop more strategically.

For more ways to use AI, here you go How to use Copilot to create notes on almost anything and How to use ChatGPT to find your dream job.