Meal Planning in 3 Simple Steps

Tell CHOP about the way you eat. Whether you follow a specific diet like vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or keto, or you simply want to avoid certain allergens like nuts or dairy, CHOP stores your preferences so every recipe it generates respects your needs.

Setting up takes about thirty seconds. Head to your profile, toggle the dietary filters that apply to you, and you're done. You can update them anytime — say, if you're trying keto for a month or cooking for a guest with different restrictions. CHOP remembers so you never have to repeat yourself.

Your preferences also influence how CHOP prioritizes ingredients. If you eat plant-based, for example, CHOP will lean into the vegetables and grains it spots in your fridge rather than building meals around meat.

Open the app, point your camera at the inside of your fridge, and snap a photo. CHOP analyzes the image in seconds, identifying fruits, vegetables, condiments, proteins, dairy products, and packaged goods sitting on your shelves.

CHOP recognizes a wide range of common grocery items even when labels are partially obscured or items are tucked behind each other. After the scan completes, you'll see a list of everything detected. You can edit the list freely — remove items you don't want to cook with, add pantry staples like rice or spices that weren't in the photo, or correct anything that needs adjusting.

CHOP also estimates expiry dates for the items it finds, so you'll know which ingredients to use first. That heads-up is one of the simplest ways to cut down on food waste without changing your routine.

Once CHOP knows what's in your fridge and how you like to eat, it draws from millions of recipes by world-renowned chefs, registered dietitians, and home cooks to find meals tailored specifically to you. Your available ingredients and dietary preferences are matched against this massive recipe foundation to suggest meals that are practical, balanced, and ready to cook right now.

Each recipe comes with a full ingredient list, step-by-step instructions, and estimated nutrition information. CHOP also highlights any items you might be missing and can add them straight to a grocery list if you want to round out a meal. If a recipe calls for something you don't have, you'll see it flagged clearly before you start cooking.

The suggestions are different every time, even if you have the same ingredients. CHOP considers variety so you're not eating the same stir-fry three nights in a row. Save the ones you love to your personal collection and build a library of go-to meals over time.