Connect an AI app

The Meal Plan Vault includes a built-in MCP server (Model Context Protocol). Once connected, you can ask Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, Goose, Zed, or any other MCP-compatible AI to read and update your meal plans, recipes, and grocery lists in plain language. It's included on every plan, including Free.

Your MCP server URL

Paste this into the AI app you're connecting. The app handles sign-in and approval automatically.

https://www.mealplanvault.com/mcp

Setup, by app

Claude Desktop & Claude.ai
Recommended

Open Claude Desktop and go to Settings → Connectors (or visit claude.ai/settings/connectors).
Click Add custom connector.
Paste https://www.mealplanvault.com/mcp as the server URL.
Sign in with your Meal Plan Vault account in the popup window and click Allow access.
Start a new chat and try: “What's on my meal plan this week?”

ChatGPT (Connectors)

Open ChatGPT and go to Settings → Connectors.
Click Create and choose Custom connector (MCP).
Paste https://www.mealplanvault.com/mcp.
Sign in and approve access.
Enable the connector in any conversation, then ask it to plan meals or build a grocery list.

Cursor, Goose, Zed, and other MCP clients

Most MCP clients accept a remote HTTP MCP URL plus OAuth. Add a new server with this configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "the-meal-plan-vault": {
      "url": "https://www.mealplanvault.com/mcp",
      "transport": "http"
    }
  }
}

When the client first connects, it will open your browser to sign in and approve the connection. No API keys to copy or paste.

Meta Muse and other API-token agents

Some agents can't add an MCP server or sign in with OAuth. Meta Muse is one: it builds a custom connector from an OpenAPI spec and authenticates with a token kept in its secure credential store. For those, The Meal Plan Vault offers the same 39 tools as a REST API.

Go to Settings → Connections, and under API access create a token. Choose Read only unless you want the agent to change your plan and lists.
Copy the token. It starts with mpv_pat_ and is shown only once.
Send Muse this message:

Create a custom connector for The Meal Plan Vault using the OpenAPI spec at https://www.mealplanvault.com/api/agent/v1/openapi.json. It uses a Bearer token — I'll add it to the credential store.

When Muse asks for credentials, paste the token into its credential store rather than the chat.
Ask for something, like “What's on the plan this week?”, to check the connection.

OpenAPI spec: https://www.mealplanvault.com/api/agent/v1/openapi.json

Auth: Authorization: Bearer mpv_pat_…. The same token also works on the MCP server URL for MCP clients that only take a static header.

What you can do

Once connected, your AI has access to the following tools. You don't need to memorize them. Ask in plain English.

list_recipesSearch recipes by title or tag

get_recipeRead a recipe in full — ingredients, steps, tags

find_recipes_with_ingredientsFind recipes you can make with what's in the fridge

create_recipeWrite a new recipe into the vault

import_recipe_from_urlImport a recipe from any link

update_recipe_notesAdd or update the notes on a saved recipe

list_recipe_sitesList the recipe sites you follow

get_recipe_site_feedSearch and filter recipes from the sites you follow

hide_recipe_from_site_feedHide a recipe from your followed-sites feed

add_recipe_siteFollow a recipe site by its address

remove_recipe_siteStop following a recipe site

save_recipe_from_siteSave a recipe from a site you follow

get_meal_plan_weekRead any week of the plan

get_day_nutritionRead a day's meals with calories and protein, to log in a calorie tracker

get_meal_plan_nutritionCalories and macros for each planned meal, per person

set_meal_plan_entrySchedule a meal into a day and slot

remove_meal_plan_entryClear a slot in the plan

copy_meal_plan_weekRepeat a past week into another week

plan_meal_prepBatch-cook once and spread it across the week's meals

list_meal_prepsSee what's been prepped and how many servings are left

get_prep_dayRead a prep day: every batch, scaled ingredients and steps, longest first

update_meal_prepChange a prep's day, servings, storage or use-by date

remove_meal_prepRemove a meal prep

list_grocery_listsList grocery lists

get_grocery_listRead a list and everything on it

find_recipes_on_saleFind recipes that use what's on sale at your stores

list_store_connectionsList your connected stores and what each can do

refresh_store_sale_itemsPull this week's sale items from your stores

price_grocery_listPrice a list at one of your stores

add_grocery_list_to_store_cartFill your cart at a store from a list (never checks out)

create_grocery_listBuild a new list, sorted by aisle

add_grocery_list_itemAdd an item to a list

check_grocery_list_itemCheck an item off while shopping

remove_grocery_list_itemRemove an item from a list

delete_grocery_listDelete a list and its items

list_pantry_itemsSee what's on hand, by shelf or by what expires soonest

add_pantry_itemAdd something you just bought

update_pantry_itemDraw an item down after cooking with it

remove_pantry_itemRemove an item once it's gone

Things to try

Plan dinners for next week using ground beef and chicken.

Generate a grocery list from this week's meal plan, sorted by aisle.

I'm batch-cooking chili on Sunday. Put it on lunch Monday through Thursday.

What's left from Sunday's meal prep?

Save this recipe (paste a URL) into my Pasta collection.

Add 'salmon fillets' and 'lemons' to my Sunday grocery list.

Check off everything I bought from my Sunday grocery list.

What do I have on Tuesday for dinner?

Security & privacy

Connection uses OAuth 2.1 with PKCE, so your password is never sent to the AI app.
OAuth access tokens expire every hour and are rotated on every refresh. API tokens are stored only as a hash, can be read-only, and expire on the date you choose.
The AI can only see data in households where you're a member, and operates with your role's permissions.
Revoke any connection instantly from Settings → Connected AI apps.

Troubleshooting

The AI says it can't find any tools

Make sure the connector is enabled in your current chat or workspace. In Claude Desktop, click the connector toggle in the chat input area. In ChatGPT, enable the connector for that conversation.

I'm getting “You don't belong to a household”

I want to disconnect an app

Go to Settings → Connected AI apps and click Revoke next to the app. Its tokens are invalidated immediately.

Connect your first app

Manage your connected AI apps and grab the MCP URL from your dashboard.

Open Connected AI apps

Setup, by app

Claude Desktop & Claude.ai
Recommended

Open Claude Desktop and go to Settings → Connectors (or visit claude.ai/settings/connectors).
Click Add custom connector.
Paste https://www.mealplanvault.com/mcp as the server URL.
Sign in with your Meal Plan Vault account in the popup window and click Allow access.
Start a new chat and try: “What's on my meal plan this week?”

ChatGPT (Connectors)

Open ChatGPT and go to Settings → Connectors.
Click Create and choose Custom connector (MCP).
Paste https://www.mealplanvault.com/mcp.
Sign in and approve access.
Enable the connector in any conversation, then ask it to plan meals or build a grocery list.

Cursor, Goose, Zed, and other MCP clients

Most MCP clients accept a remote HTTP MCP URL plus OAuth. Add a new server with this configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "the-meal-plan-vault": {
      "url": "https://www.mealplanvault.com/mcp",
      "transport": "http"
    }
  }
}

When the client first connects, it will open your browser to sign in and approve the connection. No API keys to copy or paste.

Meta Muse and other API-token agents

Go to Settings → Connections, and under API access create a token. Choose Read only unless you want the agent to change your plan and lists.
Copy the token. It starts with mpv_pat_ and is shown only once.
Send Muse this message:

Create a custom connector for The Meal Plan Vault using the OpenAPI spec at https://www.mealplanvault.com/api/agent/v1/openapi.json. It uses a Bearer token — I'll add it to the credential store.

When Muse asks for credentials, paste the token into its credential store rather than the chat.
Ask for something, like “What's on the plan this week?”, to check the connection.

OpenAPI spec: https://www.mealplanvault.com/api/agent/v1/openapi.json

Auth: Authorization: Bearer mpv_pat_…. The same token also works on the MCP server URL for MCP clients that only take a static header.

What you can do

Once connected, your AI has access to the following tools. You don't need to memorize them. Ask in plain English.

list_recipesSearch recipes by title or tag

get_recipeRead a recipe in full — ingredients, steps, tags

find_recipes_with_ingredientsFind recipes you can make with what's in the fridge

create_recipeWrite a new recipe into the vault

import_recipe_from_urlImport a recipe from any link

update_recipe_notesAdd or update the notes on a saved recipe

list_recipe_sitesList the recipe sites you follow

get_recipe_site_feedSearch and filter recipes from the sites you follow

hide_recipe_from_site_feedHide a recipe from your followed-sites feed

add_recipe_siteFollow a recipe site by its address

remove_recipe_siteStop following a recipe site

save_recipe_from_siteSave a recipe from a site you follow

get_meal_plan_weekRead any week of the plan

get_day_nutritionRead a day's meals with calories and protein, to log in a calorie tracker

get_meal_plan_nutritionCalories and macros for each planned meal, per person

set_meal_plan_entrySchedule a meal into a day and slot

remove_meal_plan_entryClear a slot in the plan

copy_meal_plan_weekRepeat a past week into another week

plan_meal_prepBatch-cook once and spread it across the week's meals

list_meal_prepsSee what's been prepped and how many servings are left

get_prep_dayRead a prep day: every batch, scaled ingredients and steps, longest first

update_meal_prepChange a prep's day, servings, storage or use-by date

remove_meal_prepRemove a meal prep

list_grocery_listsList grocery lists

get_grocery_listRead a list and everything on it

find_recipes_on_saleFind recipes that use what's on sale at your stores

list_store_connectionsList your connected stores and what each can do

refresh_store_sale_itemsPull this week's sale items from your stores

price_grocery_listPrice a list at one of your stores

add_grocery_list_to_store_cartFill your cart at a store from a list (never checks out)

create_grocery_listBuild a new list, sorted by aisle

add_grocery_list_itemAdd an item to a list

check_grocery_list_itemCheck an item off while shopping

remove_grocery_list_itemRemove an item from a list

delete_grocery_listDelete a list and its items

list_pantry_itemsSee what's on hand, by shelf or by what expires soonest

add_pantry_itemAdd something you just bought

update_pantry_itemDraw an item down after cooking with it

remove_pantry_itemRemove an item once it's gone

Things to try

Plan dinners for next week using ground beef and chicken.

Generate a grocery list from this week's meal plan, sorted by aisle.

I'm batch-cooking chili on Sunday. Put it on lunch Monday through Thursday.

What's left from Sunday's meal prep?

Save this recipe (paste a URL) into my Pasta collection.

Add 'salmon fillets' and 'lemons' to my Sunday grocery list.

Check off everything I bought from my Sunday grocery list.

What do I have on Tuesday for dinner?

Security & privacy

Connection uses OAuth 2.1 with PKCE, so your password is never sent to the AI app.

OAuth access tokens expire every hour and are rotated on every refresh. API tokens are stored only as a hash, can be read-only, and expire on the date you choose.

The AI can only see data in households where you're a member, and operates with your role's permissions.

Revoke any connection instantly from Settings → Connected AI apps.

Troubleshooting

The AI says it can't find any tools

Make sure the connector is enabled in your current chat or workspace. In Claude Desktop, click the connector toggle in the chat input area. In ChatGPT, enable the connector for that conversation.

I'm getting “You don't belong to a household”

I want to disconnect an app

Go to Settings → Connected AI apps and click Revoke next to the app. Its tokens are invalidated immediately.

Your MCP server URL

Setup, by app

Claude Desktop & Claude.aiRecommended

ChatGPT (Connectors)

Cursor, Goose, Zed, and other MCP clients

Meta Muse and other API-token agents

What you can do

Things to try

Security & privacy

Troubleshooting

Connect your first app

Your MCP server URL

Setup, by app

Claude Desktop & Claude.aiRecommended

ChatGPT (Connectors)

Cursor, Goose, Zed, and other MCP clients

Meta Muse and other API-token agents

What you can do

Things to try

Security & privacy

Troubleshooting

Connect your first app

Claude Desktop & Claude.ai
Recommended

Claude Desktop & Claude.ai
Recommended