Plan your dinners in Claude, ChatGPT or Grok
Connect HelpingHand Meal Planner to the AI you already use, then just talk to it. Say how long you have each night and who you are feeding, and it plans the week, takes off what is already in your cupboard and writes one shopping list for Pak'nSave or Woolworths.
You need a HelpingHand Meal Planner account with Premium. A new account starts with a 7-day free trial, and you can cancel any time.
The address to paste
Every app below asks for the same address, sometimes called the MCP server URL:
https://mealplanner.nz/api/meal-planner/mcp
The app then asks you to sign in with your HelpingHand Meal Planner email and password and tap Allow. There is no key or password to copy into the app.
Claude
- On a computer, open the Claude app, or claude.ai in your browser, and sign in: claude.ai
- In the app, go to Customize, then Connectors.
- Click "+ Add", then "Add custom connector".
- Name it "HelpingHand Meal Planner" or similar, then paste the address under "MCP server URL" and tap "Continue". Leave sign-in switched on, then tap Add.
- When Claude asks, sign in with your HelpingHand Meal Planner email and password, then tap Allow. There is no key or password to copy into Claude.
Do it once and it works everywhere you use Claude, including the Claude app on your phone. You can also set it up on your phone: tap the menu, your name, then Connectors.
A free Claude account can add one custom connector.
ChatGPT
- On a computer, open ChatGPT's plugins page in a web browser and sign in: chatgpt.com/plugins
- Click +, then "Add custom MCP server". Name it "HelpingHand Meal Planner" and paste the address. For sign-in, choose OAuth.
- Tick "I understand and want to continue", then click "Create as a plugin". Open the new plugin and click + to install it.
- When ChatGPT asks, sign in with your HelpingHand Meal Planner email and password, then tap Allow. There is no key or password to copy into ChatGPT.
You need a paid ChatGPT plan, and it is set up on chatgpt.com rather than in the phone app. On a work or school account, an admin may have to allow your own plugins first. OpenAI's help is not clear whether every plan lets a custom plugin make changes, such as saving your plan: if ChatGPT can look but not change anything, use Claude instead.
Grok
- Open Grok's connectors page and sign in: grok.com/connectors
- Tap "New Connector", then "Custom", and paste the address.
- When Grok asks, sign in with your HelpingHand Meal Planner email and password, then tap Allow.
Grok's help says custom connectors are for Grok Business and Enterprise accounts, and a team admin has to allow them first. If you do not see "New Connector", Grok cannot connect yet: use Claude instead.
Things to say
Talk the way you would to someone in the kitchen. It keeps its answers short and gives you a link when there is something to look at.
- "Plan dinners Monday to Friday for two adults and two kids. Twenty minutes on Tuesday, we're out on Friday."
- "What can I make with what's in the cupboard?"
- "Swap Thursday for something with chicken, and nothing with mushrooms."
- "While I'm shopping I also need milk, bread and toilet paper."
- "What will this week cost at my Pak'nSave?"
- "That's good. Give me the shopping list."
What your AI can see
- Your meal plans, pantry, recipes, preferences and shopping lists, so it can plan with you.
- It changes them when you ask, and most plan changes can be undone. It is told to check with you before it deletes a plan or a recipe.
- It cannot see your card details, pay for anything or place a supermarket order. You check out yourself.
- Disconnect it any time under Connected apps in your account. It stops working straight away.
- What you say to Claude, ChatGPT or Grok is also handled by that company, under its own privacy policy.
- More in our Privacy, Terms
- Stuck? Email us: support@helpinghand.nz