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A Hacker News user finds Claude handy when cooking something new: asking how to cook a dish from scratch, finding swaps when they've forgotten an ingredient, and spotting problems in recipes, such as when it rightly suggested more sugar in a sorbet so it wouldn't freeze too icy.
I'm about to make [DISH] using this recipe: [PASTE RECIPE]. I've never made it before. Check it for anything likely to go wrong (ratios, timings, temperatures), explain why, and suggest fixes. I've also run out of [INGREDIENT]. What could I use instead from [WHAT YOU HAVE]?
Replace the [PLACEHOLDERS] with your own details before you send it.
How to try it
- Paste the full recipe into Claude before you start, not halfway through.
- Ask it to flag anything that looks off and to explain the reason behind each fix.
- Ask for swaps for anything you’re missing, and note what worked for next time.
More food & cooking use cases
Plan a grocery shop around a fixed budget with ChatGPT
On a 10-day trip, one parent asked ChatGPT for a $100 shopping list for two adults and a ten-year-old, protein-forward and low in salt, using photos of what was already in the fridge, and then a meal plan. She said it worked.
I want to spend no more than [BUDGET] at [SUPERMARKET] to feed [WHO] for [NUMBER] days. Preferences: [E.G. HIGH PROTEIN, LOW SALT, VEGETARIAN]. Here are photos of what we already have: [UPLOAD]. Create a shopping list with estimated prices that uses what we have first, then a simple meal plan that uses everything on the list.
Find a local swap for an ingredient you can’t buy with Grok
A cook in New Zealand was sent an American friend's cheese and broccoli dip recipe calling for Velveeta, so she asked Grok what it is and what to use instead, as it isn't sold there. Grok suggested processed cheese slices, which she wasn't keen on, so she asked her US friends too.
I'm in [COUNTRY] and I'm making a recipe from [COUNTRY OF RECIPE] that uses [INGREDIENT]. Explain what it is and what it does in the dish (melting, flavour, texture). Then suggest two or three swaps I can buy in [COUNTRY], and say how each one would change the result.
Find a dish for your own diet from a host’s pantry with Copilot
Tech columnist Joy Schwabach told Copilot what was in her sister's pantry and fridge and asked for an oil-free, salt-free, sugar-free vegan recipe. When she explained she had to cook early, Copilot steered her away from two dishes that would go soggy and towards a Moroccan sweet potato and black bean tagine, which went down well with the family.
I'm cooking for myself at [WHOSE HOUSE / OCCASION] and I eat [DIETARY NEEDS, E.G. VEGAN, NO OIL, NO ADDED SALT OR SUGAR]. Here's what's available in the pantry and fridge: [LIST]. Suggest three recipes I could make with these. I'll need to cook it about [HOURS] before we eat, so tell me which one will hold up best when made ahead, and why.
Reference: Hacker News