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Some of my friends use Claude on their phone. Some have never touched it. Some are developers who live in the terminal. Pick your path — all three are valid, and you can always upgrade later.

What is Claude? An AI assistant made by Anthropic. Think of it as a genuinely smart conversation partner you can use for planning, writing, research, building systems — basically anything you'd talk through with a very capable, very patient colleague who's available at 11pm on a Tuesday.
Pick your path

Where are you starting from?

Path 1

I've never used Claude.

Start free in your browser or phone. No download, no credit card. Up and running in five minutes.

Claude.ai Free
Get started → Path 2

I use Claude on my phone (or browser).

Already have an account? Here's how to get more out of it — and when it's worth upgrading to Pro.

Claude.ai Claude Pro
Level up → Path 3

I'm technical. Let's go deeper.

Claude Code runs in your terminal, reads files from your computer, and connects to apps like AnyList. This is the full system.

Claude Code
See the setup →

Path 1 — Brand New

Start free. No download needed.

Claude.ai works in any browser and on your phone. Free tier gets you a lot — you'll hit a daily message limit eventually, but it's plenty to try things out and decide if you want more.

Heads up: The free tier lets you try Claude, but for regular weekly use — like running the meal planning kit every Sunday — you'll want Pro ($20/month). The key feature is Projects, which saves your preferences so you don't re-upload your files every session. Free doesn't include Projects.
1

Go to claude.ai

Works in any browser. No app required, though there is one if you prefer it (iOS and Android).

Open claude.ai →
2

Create a free account

Sign up with your email or Google account. Two minutes, no credit card. You'll be on the free tier to start — which is fine for exploring.

3

Try a few conversations

Ask it something. Give it a task. Paste in a document and ask questions about it. The fastest way to know if it's useful is to just use it.

4

Upgrade to Pro for regular use

Claude Pro is $20/month and unlocks Projects — where you save your family preferences and schedule so Claude remembers them every session. Without it, you'd need to re-upload your files every Sunday. For the meal planning kit, Pro is what makes it actually smooth.

See Claude Pro pricing →

Path 2 — Claude.ai User

Getting more out of what you already have.

If you're already using Claude casually, a few habits make it significantly more useful. And if you're hitting message limits, Claude Pro is $20/month — worth it if you use it regularly.

The mobile app (iOS and Android) is great. If you mostly use Claude on your phone, download it — the experience is much better than a mobile browser.
1

Download the app if you haven't

Available on the App Store and Google Play. Search "Claude by Anthropic." The app supports file attachments, voice input, and works offline for reading previous conversations.

2

Use Projects to give Claude context

Claude's Projects feature lets you save instructions and background info that carry across every conversation. Set one up for meal planning: family preferences, dietary rules, what you usually cook. You won't have to re-explain every time.

3

Attach files directly

You can upload documents, spreadsheets, and text files right in Claude.ai. For the meal planning kit, you'll share your preferences and schedule files this way — just attach and run the prompt.

4

Upgrade to Pro if you're hitting limits

Claude Pro is $20/month. It gives you higher usage limits, access to the most capable models, and a longer context window — helpful when you're working with bigger files or longer conversations.

See Claude Pro →

Path 3 — Claude Code

The full system. For when you're ready.

Claude Code runs in your terminal and reads files from your computer directly. No copy-pasting. No context limits from file attachments. And it can connect to apps via MCP — which is how the full meal planning system works with AnyList.

You need to be comfortable opening a terminal. If that sounds fine, the rest of the setup is pretty straightforward — the docs are good.
1

Make sure Node.js is installed

Claude Code requires Node.js 18 or higher. Check by running the command below — if you get a version number back, you're good.

node --version
2

Install Claude Code

One command in your terminal. This installs the Claude Code CLI globally on your machine.

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
3

Run claude and log in

Navigate to your project folder and run claude. You'll be prompted to authenticate with your Anthropic account. Claude Pro or an API account required.

Full Claude Code docs →
4

Ready for the meal planning system?

Once Claude Code is running, the full system — AnyList MCP connection, folder structure, weekly prompts — is in the kit. The setup guide in the kit walks through the AnyList MCP connection specifically.

Get the full kit →

Quick questions.

Is Claude free?

Claude.ai has a free tier that's good for exploring. For regular use — especially the meal planning kit — you'll want Claude Pro at $20/month. The key reason is Projects: Pro lets you save your family preferences and files so Claude remembers them every session. Without it, you'd re-upload everything each time. Claude Code requires a Pro account or direct API access.

Is it safe to share personal information with Claude?

Claude doesn't use your conversations to train its models by default (you can check your privacy settings to confirm). For the meal planning kit, the most personal thing you're sharing is your grocery preferences and schedule — low stakes. Don't share passwords, financial account info, or anything you wouldn't say out loud in a coffee shop.

What's the difference between Claude and ChatGPT?

Both are AI assistants, but they have different strengths. Claude tends to be better at following detailed instructions, working with longer documents, and staying in a consistent voice. I use both — Claude is what I built my systems on because it handles structured, file-based workflows better. I've written more about this →

Do I need Claude Code for the meal planning kit?

No — the kit includes a simplified version that works entirely in Claude.ai (free or Pro). Claude Code is only needed if you want the full system with the AnyList MCP integration, where Claude reads your recipe library directly and pushes meals into your calendar.

What's MCP?

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is how Claude Code connects to external apps and services — like AnyList. Think of it as a plugin system that lets Claude read from and write to apps you already use. It sounds technical, but setting up an existing MCP mostly just means copying a configuration snippet. The setup guide covers it.

Ready to try it?

The meal planning kit is free and works at any level.

Beginner with a free Claude account, phone user, or full Claude Code setup — it's all in there.

Get the Kit — Free →