# Create a weekly Mealie dinner plan and generate a smart shopping: n8n workflow

> Started by a clock, and works across Gmail. 14 steps, 1 branch: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/create-a-weekly-mealie-dinner-plan-and-generate-a-smart-shop (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Automation library](https://millionrounds.com/workflows) · [Integrations](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?category=Integrations#library)

# Create a weekly Mealie dinner plan and generate a smart shopping

Started by a clock, and works across Gmail. 14 steps, 1 branch: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fcreate-a-weekly-mealie-dinner-plan-and-generate-a-smart-shop)

**14 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**1** Branch: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**1** Service it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 1 Logic 6 Service 7

The steps in the order they run, from what starts it.

- 1 **Weekly Schedule Trigger** Schedule trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **Generate Upcoming Week** Code *Logic*
- 3 **Generate Random Meal Plan** Http Request *Service*
- 4 **Fetch Current Week Meal Plans** Http Request *Service*
- 5 **Prepare Meal Plan Email Data** Code *Logic*
- 6 **Send Meal Plan Email** Gmail *Service*
- 7 **Normalize User Response** Code *Logic*
- 8 **Check for Removals** If *Logic*
- 9 **Fetch Recipe By Slug** Http Request *Service*
- 10 **Split Removals Array** Split Out *Logic*
- 11 **Create Shopping List in Mealie** Http Request *Service*
- 12 **Delete Random Meal Plan** Http Request *Service*
- 13 **Normalize Recipe Data** Code *Logic*
- 14 **Add Ingredients To Shopping List** Http Request *Service*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** A clock
- **Steps:** 14, with 1 branch
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Gmail
- **Model:** None. This is plumbing, not judgement

## Questions

What does it need to run?

An n8n account, plus your own Gmail account. You connect your own accounts after importing it; none are included.

What starts it?

It starts on a clock.

Does it use AI?

No. Every step is fixed logic or a call to a service, so it does the same thing every time.

How long does it take to set up?

Plan an afternoon. 14 steps is enough that you should read each one before running it.

How do I import it?

Copy the workflow, open a new workflow in n8n and paste. The steps appear on the canvas, ready for your own accounts.

**Before you run it**

Nothing here has been tested by us. It is somebody's working automation, read and described from its own steps. Treat the connections it wants as a list of accounts it will touch, and read the 14 steps before you point it at anything that matters.

## Run it in n8n

- **Create your n8n account** Free to start. n8n is where the workflow runs. [Create an n8n account ↗](https://millionrounds.com/n8n)
- **Download the workflow** Free with a Millionrounds account. [Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fcreate-a-weekly-mealie-dinner-plan-and-generate-a-smart-shop)
- **Paste it into n8n** Open a new workflow in n8n and paste. Then connect your own accounts.

Stored with the author's traces removed: canvas notes, instance identifiers, saved credential names and any live document they had left behind.

## Connects to

Each opens the other workflows that use it.

[Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Gmail#library)

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