'This lazy 5-minute hack saved me $200 a month on groceries.'

There is seldom I hate more than meal planning. The nightly 'What do I cook for dinner?' dance makes me want to cry and order Uber Eats. I don't even have kids to provide for — mums, you amaze me.

But as I'm trying to be frugal or whatever (thanks Cozzie Livs) I've been quite worried about my weekly grocery shop. Currently, my housemate and I spend roughly (and generously) $110 each every week. And that's money I would much rather spend on a cute top, thank you very much.

Recently, I just so happened to be listening to Mamamia's very own podcast, The Quicky, when they shared a grocery shopping hack. And let me just say, this hack is so good I'm mad I didn't think of it myself.

The hack, you ask? Use AI to search weekly grocery sales, dinner recipes, and shopping lists. OK, I don't care if the robots take over, this will make it all worth it.

Before I got too excited, I decided to put it to the test to see just how good AI is at this stuff. The answer? Bloody good.

You can listen to the full episode of The Quicky below:

First up, let's find some sales.

What I asked AI: Can you tell me which foods are on special at Woolworths in Sydney, NSW, Australia this week?

AI's response

Woolworths in Sydney, NSW, is offering a variety of specials for the week of 5th February to 11th February 2025. Here are some notable deals:

• Gippsland Dairy Twist Yoghurt Smooth & Creamy 700g: Now $6.30, save $1.60.

• Bulla Everyday or Variety Ice Cream Multipacks 472-750ml (Pack of 8-14): Now $4.50.

• Cadbury Dairy Milk, Bubbly, or Marvellous Creations 150-190g: Now $3.50.

• Coca-Cola, Sprite, or Fanta Soft Drink Varieties 10 x 375ml: Now $10.00.

• Australian Yellow or White Nectarines: $3.00 per kilogram.

• Uncle Tobys Muesli Bars 145-185g (Pack of 5-6), Le Snak 132g (Pack of 6), or Roll-Ups 94g (Pack of 6): Now $2.75.

• Nescafé Blend 43 Coffee 140-150g or Gold 90-100g: Now $7.25.

• Sanitarium Weet-Bix Bites 500-510g: Now $3.00.

• So Good Almond Milk 1 Litre: Now $1.45.

• SunRice Hinata Short Grain Rice 5kg: Now $15.00.

• D'Orsogna Chorizo: $13.50 per kilogram.

• Dairy Farmers Thick & Creamy Yoghurt 140-150g: Now $1.30.

Next up, recipes

What I asked AI: Can you please craft five dinner recipes for me that use items that are on sale. You can reuse ingredients across several meals to keep the cost of the total shop down.

AI's response:

Here are five budget-friendly dinner recipes using Woolworths sale items to minimise costs by reusing ingredients.

1. Chorizo & Yellow Nectarine Salad

Fresh, tangy, and packed with flavour!

Ingredients:

• 200g D'Orsogna Chorizo (on sale)

• 2 Yellow Nectarines (on sale)

• 100g baby spinach

• ½ red onion, thinly sliced

• 50g feta cheese

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

1. Slice the chorizo and pan-fry until crispy.

2. Slice nectarines into wedges.

3. Toss all ingredients in a bowl with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

2. Chorizo & Rice Stuffed Peppers

A hearty, protein-packed meal!

Ingredients:

• 200g D'Orsogna Chorizo (on sale)

• 1 cup SunRice Hinata Short Grain Rice (on sale)

• 2 capsicums, halved

• 1 small onion, diced

• 1 tsp garlic

• ½ tsp paprika

• ½ cup shredded cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cook the rice as per the package instructions.

2. Sauté diced chorizo, onion, and garlic in a pan. Add cooked rice and paprika.

3. Fill halved capsicums with the mixture, top with cheese, and bake at 180°C for 15-20 mins.

3. Creamy Chorizo & Spinach Pasta

Quick, creamy, and delicious!

Ingredients:

• 200g D'Orsogna Chorizo (on sale)

• 250g pasta

• 1 cup baby spinach

• 1 small onion, diced

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ½ cup cooking cream

• ¼ cup grated cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta according to package instructions.

2. Sauté chorizo, onion, and garlic. Add spinach and cream.

3. Toss cooked pasta with the sauce and serve with grated cheese.

4. Honey Soy Chicken with Almond Rice

A flavourful dinner with a nutty twist!

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken thighs

• 1 cup SunRice Hinata Short Grain Rice (on sale)

• ½ cup So Good Almond Milk (on sale)

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tbsp honey

• 1 garlic clove, minced

Instructions:

1. Marinate chicken in soy sauce, honey, and garlic for 30 mins.

2. Bake or pan-fry chicken until cooked.

3. Cook rice using ½ water and ½ almond milk for a creamy, nutty flavour.

5. Weet-Bix Crusted Chicken Tenders with Yoghurt Dip

A crunchy, fun meal using pantry staples!

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, sliced into tenders

• 3 Sanitarium Weet-Bix Bites (on sale), crushed

• 1 egg

• ½ cup flour

• ½ tsp paprika

• 1 cup Dairy Farmers Thick & Creamy Yoghurt (on sale)

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• ½ tsp garlic powder

Instructions:

1. Dip chicken tenders in flour, egg, then crushed Weet-Bix.

2. Bake at 200°C for 20 mins or until golden.

3. Mix yoghurt, lemon juice, and garlic powder for a dipping sauce.

Lastly, the shopping list!

What I asked AI: Could you please give me a list of the groceries I need to make these recipes, including cost per item, and total cost?

AI's response:

Certainly! Here's a consolidated shopping list for the five dinner recipes, including estimated costs per item and the total cost. Prices are based on Woolworths' current specials and standard pricing in Sydney, NSW, as of February 7, 2025.

Shopping List:

1. D'Orsogna Chorizo (on sale)

• Quantity: 600g (200g per recipe for 3 recipes)

• Price: $13.50/kg

• Total: $8.10

2. Yellow Nectarines (on sale)

• Quantity: 2

• Price: $3.00/kg

• Total: Approximately $1.50 (assuming 250g total)

3. Baby Spinach

• Quantity: 100g

• Price: $3.00 per 100g

• Total: $3.00

4. Red Onion

• Quantity: 2

• Price: $0.50 each

• Total: $1.00

5. Feta Cheese

• Quantity: 50g

• Price: $4.00 per 200g

• Total: $1.00

6. Olive Oil

• Quantity: 250ml

• Price: $6.00 per 500ml

• Total: $3.00

7. Balsamic Vinegar

• Quantity: 250ml

• Price: $4.00 per 250ml

• Total: $4.00

8. Capsicums

• Quantity: 2

• Price: $1.50 each

• Total: $3.00

9. Garlic

• Quantity: 2 cloves

• Price: $1.00 per bulb (approx. 5 cloves)

• Total: $0.40

10. Paprika

• Quantity: 50g

• Price: $2.00 per 50g

• Total: $2.00

11. Shredded Cheese

• Quantity: 250g

• Price: $5.00 per 250g

• Total: $5.00

12. Pasta

• Quantity: 500g

• Price: $1.50 per 500g

• Total: $1.50

13. Cooking Cream

• Quantity: 300ml

• Price: $2.50 per 300ml

• Total: $2.50

14. Chicken Thighs

• Quantity: 2

• Price: $10.00/kg

• Total: Approximately $5.00 (assuming 500g total)

15. SunRice Hinata Short Grain Rice (on sale)

• Quantity: 1kg

• Price: $15.00 per 5kg

• Total: $3.00

16. So Good Almond Milk (on sale)

• Quantity: 1 litre

• Price: $1.45 per litre

• Total: $1.45

17. Honey

• Quantity: 250g

• Price: $6.00 per 250g

• Total: $6.00

18. Eggs

• Quantity: 1 dozen

• Price: $4.00 per dozen

• Total: $4.00

19. Flour

• Quantity: 1kg

• Price: $1.00 per kg

• Total: $1.00

20. Sanitarium Weet-Bix Bites (on sale)

• Quantity: 500g

• Price: $3.00 per 500g

• Total: $3.00

21. Dairy Farmers Thick & Creamy Yoghurt (on sale)

• Quantity: 150g

• Price: $1.30 per 150g

• Total: $1.30

Total Estimated Cost: $59.75

Note: Prices are approximate and may vary based on location and availability. Some items, like olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, eggs, flour, and spices, are pantry staples and may already be available at home, potentially reducing the total cost.

Watch: This Glorious Mess on time saving hacks for parents. Post continues after video.

OK, so I've already saved $50 on a weekly shop (more, actually, because I already have some of the ingredients).

You can also tell AI that you've already got garlic and she (yes, in my mind she is a 'she') will tailor the recipes for you. If they are too 'Chorizo' heavy for you, or you want more protein in your dinners, she will give you some alternatives.

For example, I despise cheese with a passion — so it never makes a cameo in my grocery shopping. I said to AI '"Hey I don't like cheese, can you please give me some substitutions?". She came back with alternatives for each recipe, along with their cost — because she is the GOAT.

For me, it's not just about the money. It's about the time I have saved on meal planning and coming up with dinner ideas. And, honestly, that is worth more than $50 in my eyes.

Needless to say, I will be using this hack going forward. Farewell, Uber Eats, my AI best friend might just put you out of my business (which is a shame, because I'm sure I'm one of your top customers).

Feature Image: Gilmore Girls/Warner Bros.