If you've ever used an app that generates recipes with AI — not just ours — you've probably noticed a pattern. "Step 1: Cook the chicken." "Step 2: Chop the vegetables." "Step 3: Mix and serve." Sentences all the same length, the same structure, the same "X with Y and Z" dish names. Technically correct, but it read like an instruction manual, not a recipe from someone who actually loves cooking.

We noticed it too — and heard similar feedback from some of you.

Why Our AI Recipes Sounded Robotic (and How We Fixed It)

Where that stiffness comes from

Language models, when given a prompt like "generate a recipe," default to the most predictable structure: numbered steps, similarly sized sentences, safe, generic dish names. That's not a model malfunction — it's simply the statistically "safest" answer. The problem is safe doesn't mean natural.

A real recipe — the kind a grandmother would write down, or an experienced cook jotting something for a friend — doesn't follow rigid numbering. It has sentences of varying length — sometimes a single line of instruction, sometimes a whole paragraph because a detail actually matters ("let it rest for 15 minutes so the flavors come together"). It has dish names that actually say something, instead of three ingredients stitched together with "and."

What we actually changed

We redesigned how we prompt the model to generate a recipe. Instead of the rigid "Step N" format, recipes in Swaplate now:

Read like a note from an experienced cook to a friend

No numbering every single stage — the steps flow naturally, the way someone would actually walk you through cooking it.

Vary in sentence and step length

One step might be short ("Sear over high heat"), another longer if it needs explaining — exactly like a real conversation about cooking.

Skip the marketing-speak

No more "perfect for any occasion" or "an explosion of flavor." We describe the dish concretely, not like an ad.

Vary dish names

Instead of the "Chicken with Rice and Vegetables" template every time, names are more descriptive and varied from recipe to recipe.

What this looks like in practice

Before:

Chicken and Vegetable Salad Step 1: Cook the chicken and dice it. Step 2: Mix lettuce, bell pepper, and tomato. Step 3: Add the chicken and drizzle with dressing.

After:

Grilled Chicken on Crisp Greens Marinate the chicken breast in olive oil, lemon juice, and a touch of garlic, then let it sit for 15 minutes. Sear it in a pan on both sides until golden and cooked through. Chop the bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and onion, and toss with the lettuce. Slice the chicken on top and finish with a simple olive oil and balsamic dressing.

Why this matters, and isn't just cosmetic

You might think this is a minor detail — after all, the ingredients and the cooking logic don't change. But how a recipe is written affects whether you actually want to cook it in the first place. Stiff, robotic text makes cooking feel like a box to check. A natural, specific description makes it feel like something you actually want to make.

The change applies to every newly generated meal plan and every meal you rebuild with the Swap feature — you don't need to do anything, just generate a new plan.

If you spot anything that still sounds stiff after this change, let us know. We read every message.

Generate a new meal plan at swaplate.pl