Plan Weekly Meals

Step-by-Step Workflow

1. Gather the User's Selections

Ask the user what meals they want for the week. They might say something like:

• "Salmon bowls Monday, taco bowls Tuesday, noodle bowls Wednesday..."
• "chicken + broccoli + rice for a couple nights, then salmon bowls"
• "Same as last week but swap out the beef"

Accept any format. Clarify if needed — the key information is: which meals on which days, how many servings, and whether leftovers carry to lunch.

2. Look Up Nutritional Data

For each meal:

• If it's a recipe (e.g., "blackened chicken taco bowls"), read the recipe file from memory/recipes/ and pull nutrition per serving
• If it's a component meal (e.g., "chicken breast + broccoli + rice"), read each component file from memory/components/ and sum their nutrition
• If a recipe or component doesn't exist yet, look up reasonable nutritional estimates using your knowledge and flag to the user that the data isn't from their curated database

3. Create the Week Directory

Create a new directory at memory/weeks/[MMDDYY]/ where MMDDYY is the Monday (start) of the week. If the user specifies a different start day, use that instead.

4. Write meals.md

Follow the format established in previous weeks. Key elements:

• Header with week dates and cooking day count
• Day-by-day breakdown showing dinner + next-day lunch (leftovers)
• Recipe file paths linked for each meal
• Notes for any eaten-out meals or deviations
• Reference table at bottom linking days to recipe files

Look at memory/weeks/260118/meals.md or memory/weeks/251214/meals.md for the exact format the user prefers.

5. Write nutrition.md

This is the heart of the analysis. Include:

Per-meal breakdown with separate tables for the user's portion and their partner's portion (the user typically eats a larger protein portion). Each table should show: Calories, Protein, Carbs, Fat, Fiber at minimum. Include highlights noting key nutritional contributions.

Weekly totals summing all dinners for both the user and partner.

Daily averages from the dinner data (with a note that lunch leftovers roughly double intake).

Nutritional observations covering:

• Strengths (protein variety, fiber sources, micronutrient highlights)
• Considerations (sodium, fat distribution, any nutritional gaps)
• Micronutrient highlights (omega-3s, vitamin D, iron, vitamin C, probiotics, etc.)

Preparation notes with:

• Prep-ahead opportunities for each day
• Time estimate table (active time vs. total time per recipe)
• Which days are busiest/quickest

If the user has defined targets in nutritional_targets.md, compare against those and flag gaps explicitly.

If the user is on a FODMAP protocol, flag any high-FODMAP ingredients and suggest modifications.

6. Write shopping-list.md

Consolidate all ingredients from the week's meals into an organized shopping list. Follow the format from previous weeks:

• Group by category: Proteins, Vegetables, Fruits, Grains & Starches, Dairy & Eggs, Frozen, Fresh Herbs & Aromatics, Pantry Items
• Use tables with Item, Quantity, and Notes columns for fresh items
• Use checklists for pantry items (things to check stock on)
• Include a "Shopping Summary by Store Section" for quick reference
• Note ingredient overlap between recipes
• Add practical notes (buy avocados at varying ripeness, etc.)

7. Present the Results

After creating all three files, give the user a concise summary:

• Total dinners planned and estimated daily calorie/protein averages
• Any nutritional gaps or concerns
• Busiest and easiest cooking days
• Any FODMAP flags if relevant

Don't dump the entire content — the user can read the files. Focus on the actionable highlights.

Important Principles

• The user chooses meals; you optimize. Don't replace their selections. Instead, flag gaps and suggest additions or swaps they can accept or reject.
• Portion splits matter. The user and their partner eat different amounts, especially protein. Track and report separately.
• Leftovers are lunch. Dinner → next day's lunch is the standard pattern. Account for this in servings.
• Prep time is a real constraint. Note which meals are quick vs. involved and flag if a busy weeknight has a 90-minute recipe.
• Be evidence-based. Nutrition data should come from the recipe/component files first. If you're estimating, say so.
• Don't make medical claims. If something relates to the FODMAP plan or symptom investigation, frame it as an observation, not a diagnosis.