# Batch Cooking Planner MCP for AI Agents MCP > The Batch Cooking Planner takes a bunch of recipes and turns them into one organized shopping list. You select multiple meals, set the number of servings for each, and it handles all the ingredient math. It aggregates everything by food type—Proteins, Vegetables, Dairy—so you just walk into the store with one actionable list. ## Overview - **Category:** productivity - **Price:** Free - **Tags:** meal-prep, shopping-list, recipe-scaling, batch-cooking, automation ## Description Planning weeknight dinners shouldn't mean juggling a dozen separate grocery lists. This MCP solves that headache entirely. Instead of opening multiple recipes and writing down ingredients piece by piece, you feed your agent all your meal plans at once. The system automatically calculates ingredient amounts based on how many people you're feeding for each dish. It doesn't just dump names onto a list; it organizes everything into clear food categories like Proteins or Dairy. When your AI client processes this data through Vinkius, you get one consolidated shopping guide that’s ready to use. You can also check category breakdowns or adjust the portion sizes for any single recipe before generating the final list. ## Tools ### scale_recipe Changes all ingredients in one recipe so it matches your target serving size. ### generate_shopping_list Builds a consolidated list of every ingredient needed across several recipes. ### get_category_counts Tells you how many unique ingredients are in specific food groups like proteins or vegetables. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` I'm making chili for 8 people and some chicken stir-fry for 4. What ingredients do I need? ``` **Response:** ``` **🛒 Shopping List Generated** * **Proteins:** Ground Beef (1 kg), Chicken Breast (600g) * **Vegetables:** Onions (5 units), Bell Peppers (3 units), Corn (2 cans) * **Dairy:** Shredded Cheese (400g) (This list accounts for scaling both recipes correctly.) ``` **Prompt:** ``` How many unique ingredients are in the Protein section of my plan? ``` **Response:** ``` **Protein Ingredient Count:** There are 11 unique protein sources planned across all your meals. This is great variety! Key items include: Beef, Chicken, Black Beans, Ground Turkey, and Tofu. ``` **Prompt:** ``` I need to scale the pasta recipe from 6 servings down to 3. ``` **Response:** ``` **Scaled Recipe: Pasta Carbonara (for 3 people)** You'll now need: * Pasta: 200g * Eggs: 2 units * Pancetta: 75g * Cheese: 33g ``` ## Capabilities ### Consolidate a master shopping list It merges ingredients from several different recipes into one clean, organized grocery list. ### Adjust ingredient quantities for servings You can scale any single recipe to match a specific number of target portions. ### Count unique ingredients by category It provides a count of how many different ingredients are in each food group, like Proteins or Vegetables. ## Use Cases ### The weekend meal plan dump A user has 10 recipes saved for the week and needs a shopping trip list. They ask their agent to 'What's my grocery list?' The agent runs `generate_shopping_list`, providing one master document sorted by store aisle, saving hours of manual work. ### Sudden change in headcount The family has a surprise guest. A user asks their agent to scale 'taco night' for 2 extra people. The agent runs `scale_recipe` and updates the entire shopping list, ensuring no ingredient is forgotten. ### Checking dietary diversity A dietitian needs to check if a meal plan covers enough protein sources. They ask the agent for category counts. The agent runs `get_category_counts` and reports back that there are 15 unique proteins planned, confirming balance. ### Merging holiday recipes A user is planning a large potluck with multiple dishes from various people. They feed all the recipes into the agent, which uses `generate_shopping_list` to prevent buying two jars of mustard or three bags of flour. ## Benefits - Stop wasting time cross-referencing ingredients. Use `generate_shopping_list` to merge every item into one clear, categorized list. - Need to cut down on portions? Run the `scale_recipe` tool to instantly adjust ingredient amounts for any number of servings you need. - Know your inventory gaps before you shop. The MCP can use `get_category_counts` to quickly report how many unique ingredients are in, say, your protein section. - It saves trips back to the store. Because everything is consolidated and organized by food type (Dairy, Proteins, etc.), you hit all aisles efficiently. - You don't have to be a math whiz. The system handles calculating scaled quantities across multiple dishes, so you just focus on dinner ideas. ## How It Works The bottom line is: Instead of manual math and multiple lists, your agent handles the entire process in one go. 1. Give your agent the specific recipes you want to cook and the number of servings for every single one. 2. The MCP first uses this data to adjust amounts if needed, then processes all ingredients into a unified list. You can also ask it to count how many unique items fall under each category. 3. You get back a single, categorized shopping list that tells you exactly what needs buying. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How does the Batch Cooking Planner help me combine recipes into one shopping list?** It takes all your individual recipe lists and merges them into a single, organized document. You'll see everything sorted by food category (Proteins, Vegetables, etc.), so you can shop efficiently. **Can the Batch Cooking Planner adjust ingredients if I change my serving size?** Yes. If your plans suddenly change from feeding 6 people to 4, you just tell the agent and it automatically adjusts all ingredient measurements for every recipe in the list. **Is this MCP better than using a spreadsheet for meal planning?** It's much smarter. A spreadsheet requires manual math; this MCP uses its tools to calculate everything instantly, and it organizes the data into consumable shopping lists that are ready for the store. **Does Batch Cooking Planner track ingredient types like dairy and proteins?** Yes, absolutely. It doesn't just list ingredients; it groups them by food type. You can even ask how many unique items you have in a specific category, which is great for checking dietary balance.