get_households_shopping_items_by_itemFetch a single household shopping item by its unique ID. Use this endpoint to look up item details or confirm whether a specific shopping list entry exists in Mealie.
Get One
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| item_id | Yes | ||
| accept-language | No |
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||
Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.
v3.20.1Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?
There are no annotations, and the description discloses nothing about read-only behavior, authentication, error handling, or response behavior. The only hint of non-mutating behavior comes from the tool name, not the description.
Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.
Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?
Two words is concise, but this is under-specification rather than effective conciseness. The description contains no informative content and does not earn its place.
Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.
Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?
With no annotations and no descriptive context, the agent cannot determine what this endpoint returns, when to invoke it, or how it differs from alternatives. Even for a simple lookup, the description is far too thin.
Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.
Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?
Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description needed to explain the purpose of item_id and accept-language. It adds no meaning whatsoever beyond the raw schema.
Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.
Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?
The description 'Get One' simply restates what the tool name already encodes and identifies no resource, operation scope, or differentiation from list_households_shopping_items or update_households_shopping_items_by_item. It is effectively a tautology.
Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.
Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?
No guidance is provided on when to use this tool versus the many related shopping-items and by_item siblings. It does not even state that it retrieves a specific household shopping item by item_id.
Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.