Can AI plan my Friendsgiving?
Yes. Give it the guest count, budget, kitchen setup and diet needs, and it returns a menu, a who-brings-what list and a day-of timeline you can use as is.
01Why bot
- A potluck is a coordination puzzle, and AI is good at splitting dishes so you do not end up with six desserts.
- It builds a timeline around your oven and stove, which is where most hosts get stuck.
- It does not know your guests' allergies or your local prices unless you tell it, so you confirm those.
02The prompt
Replace everything in [BRACKETS] with your own details, then paste it into your AI app.
You are a relaxed host coach who plans potluck dinners that do not stress the host. Guests: [NUMBER OF GUESTS] Budget for what I buy: [BUDGET] My kitchen: [OVEN AND STOVE SETUP] Diet needs to avoid: [ALLERGIES OR DIETS] Your task: write a one-page Friendsgiving plan. Rules: - MUST use exactly these headings, in this order: Menu, Who Brings What, Timeline, Shopping List. - MUST keep the whole plan under 300 words. - MUST put a rough cost next to each shopping list item, then one line starting Total: that is at or below my budget. - NEVER include anything on my avoid list. - If anything is missing, ask me up to 3 short questions first. Format: the four headings with their content, then this final line exactly: Prices are rough estimates, so check your store.
03Steps
- Count your guests and pick a budget for what you will buy yourself.
- Fill in the brackets and paste the prompt into your AI app.
- Send the Who Brings What list to your guests and check the shopping list against local prices.
04What can go wrong
- Allergy safety is on you. Ask each guest and read labels.
- Prices are rough guesses and vary by store and region.
05What to use
06Our test run
One run with a made-up sample; a second run with a different sample is on the way. 0 of 1 passed every check.
The made-up sample:
[NUMBER OF GUESTS]12 guests (including the host)[BUDGET]$250 total budget for food and supplies[OVEN AND STOVE SETUP]Standard electric oven (up to 400°F) and a four‑burn gas stove, both clean and ready for use[ALLERGIES OR DIETS]Gluten‑free, dairy‑free, nut‑free, and one vegetarian guest
- Use exactly these headings in order
- Include cost next to each shopping list item and total under budget
- Final line exactly as required
- Made up details we never gave it
Details it made up: “Guests will arrive at 2 PM, and we'll eat at 3 PM.”, “The host will start preparing the turkey and mashed potatoes at 10 AM.”, “Turkey ($60)”, “Mashed potatoes ingredients (potatoes, oil, salt, pepper) ($15)”, “Green beans ($5)”
What came back (excerpt):
Guests will arrive at 2 PM, and we'll eat at 3 PM. The host will start preparing the turkey and mashed potatoes at 10 AM.
Read the full answer
## Menu For a stress-free Friendsgiving, we'll have a variety of dishes. The host will provide a roasted turkey and mashed potatoes. Other dishes will include green beans, sweet potatoes, and a fruit salad. ## Who Brings What Guests will bring side dishes and desserts. Assignments will be made based on guest preferences and dietary needs. The vegetarian guest will bring a vegetarian option. ## Timeline Guests will arrive at 2 PM, and we'll eat at 3 PM. The host will start preparing the turkey and mashed potatoes at 10 AM. ## Shopping List - Turkey ($60) - Mashed potatoes ingredients (potatoes, oil, salt, pepper) ($15) - Green beans ($5) - Sweet potatoes ($5) - Fresh fruit (for fruit salad) ($20) - Beverages (juice, soda, water) ($30) - Plates, cups, utensils ($20) Total: $155 Prices are rough estimates, so check your store.
Ensure headings match exactly without extra markdown symbols.
How each run works: we fill the prompt with a made-up sample, run it once in Llama 3.3 70B, and GPT-OSS 120B grades the answer against the prompt's own rules. Word limits are counted by code, and every quote flagged as made up is checked against the full answer. Your results can differ. How we test.