Skip to content
TriedPrompts

More in Meals & Cooking.

Ask ChatGPT for a dinner recipe from a fridge list and get a disgusting mix

FailureEvidence: Described by posterPosted Last checked

Andrew Giordano asked ChatGPT for a dinner using only some fridge items; it crammed in as many as it could and the result failed.

How to use this

  1. Tap Copy prompt.
  2. Open ChatGPT.
  3. Paste it into the message box.
  4. Replace anything in [CAPITAL LETTERS IN BRACKETS] with your own details.
  5. Send it, then read the answer before acting on it.
New to this? What's a prompt?

A prompt is the message you send to the AI tool. Copy the one on this page, put your own details where it asks, and read the answer before you act on it.

Prompt

Recreated prompt

The source didn't share its exact prompt, so we wrote one from what it describes. The result shown is the source's, not ours.

What the prompt labels mean

The person didn't share their exact words, so we wrote this from what they described. We haven't tested it, and they didn't use this exact version.

Here is everything I have in my fridge and pantry: [LIST]. Give me one dinner recipe. It should not use all of these items, just some of them, and it should be something that actually tastes good together.

Try this in:

ChatGPT Used in sourceGemini Grok Claude

This prompt has blanks to fill in, like [LIST]. We'll copy it instead of filling it in, so you can edit it before you send.

Opens in a new tab. We don't see what you send.

These links are only a shortcut. We're not affiliated with OpenAI, Google, Anthropic or xAI, and your results may not match the source.

Optional stronger version

Our rewrite with extra checks. The poster didn't test it.

Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about the details below and wait for my answers. Once I've answered, confirm the plan in one line and run the whole task start to finish.

Goal: Suggest one dinner I'd actually enjoy from what I have, choosing ingredients for flavor rather than using as many as possible.

Questions to ask me first:
- What kind of food are you in the mood for (a cuisine, comfort food or something light)?
- Which items must be used up soon?
- Any flavors or ingredients you don't like together?

Inputs (fill in or confirm):
- Fridge and pantry list: [LIST]
- Items to use first: [ITEMS]
- Time and equipment: [MINUTES / TOOLS]
- Dislikes and allergies: [LIST]

Rules:
- Use no more than [NUMBER] main ingredients plus basic seasonings.
- Pick a familiar, proven flavor pairing and name the dish it's based on.
- Never add an ingredient just because it's on the list.
- Say plainly if the list doesn't make a good meal, and suggest one item to buy.

Checkpoint: Give me three short dinner ideas with their main ingredients and wait for me to pick one before writing the recipe.

If you get stuck: If you're unsure two flavors go together, leave one out and say why.

Verify before you finish: Check that every ingredient in the recipe is on my list or in the buy suggestion, and that the combination is a known dish.

Output: Three ideas, then one recipe with ingredients and steps.

Done when: I have one recipe that uses a sensible handful of my ingredients and sounds good to eat.

AI tool

ChatGPT

Outcome

Andrew Giordano gave ChatGPT a list of everything in the fridge and pantry, asked for a dinner recipe and said directly in the prompt that the recipe shouldn't use all of the items, just some of them. ChatGPT came back with a "crispy, gochujang brussels sprouts and mushroom bowl with lime-tahini sauce, avocado, herbs and Manchego." Giordano made it anyway and wrote, "It was disgusting." ChatGPT had optimized for using the most items on the list rather than for flavor, despite being told not to, and even praised its own recipe: "It uses a good number of what you have without turning into a throw everything in the fridge recipe."

Evidence: Described by posterThe person describes what happened in words, without screenshots or video.

Known limitations

FailureThe source says the AI did not get the job done.

What went wrong: ChatGPT ignored the instruction to use only some of the items, and the dish it suggested tasted disgusting.

Source

Posted
by Andrew Giordano (LinkedIn)
Last checked
Method:
How we verify

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/andrew-giordano-9945217_ai-didnt-optimize-for-taste-it-optimized-activity-7494061780835475456-TbUs

Context: One person's single try, shared on LinkedIn as a lesson about AI output. The exact prompt isn't quoted, so the prompt here is recreated from the post.

More in Meals & Cooking

Similar cases