CookOrDelete

Cook or Delete is an AI cooking copilot that turns any recipe link into a plan, smart grocery list, and guided cooking flow, so people stop hoarding recipes and actually cook them.

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Inspiration

We noticed a pattern in our own behavior and in Eitan Bernath’s audience: people save an enormous number of recipes from TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and almost never cook them.

The problem isn’t a lack of inspiration. It’s decision paralysis. Endless saved recipes create overwhelm, so people default to the same meals again and again.

We were inspired to build something that doesn’t add more content, but instead helps people commit, turning food inspiration into actual dinners.

What it does

Cook or Delete helps users actually cook the recipes they save.

Users import recipes from links or social media into a simple inbox. Once per week, the app prompts them to make a decision for each recipe: cook it this week or delete it.

If they choose to cook, the recipe is scheduled on a specific day, added to a weekly plan, and included in a grocery list. Timely reminders nudge users to follow through.

There’s no “maybe later.” The app is intentionally designed to reduce overwhelm and drive action.

How we built it

We built Cook or Delete as a real, production-ready mobile MVP.

The app is built with React Native and Expo, deployed to iOS via TestFlight. Supabase powers authentication, the PostgreSQL database, storage, and serverless edge functions. RevenueCat handles subscriptions and entitlements, and Expo Push Notifications drive cooking reminders.

We used edge functions to extract recipe metadata from shared links and scheduled background jobs to send reminders. Row-level security is enforced across all database tables, and the app follows a strict phase-gated implementation process with testing at every stage.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge was designing an experience that forces decisions without feeling frustrating.

Most productivity and food apps allow users to skip, save for later, or endlessly postpone. Removing those escape hatches required careful UX choices to make the flow feel supportive rather than punishing.

On the technical side, integrating subscriptions early while keeping the free experience useful required careful gating and testing to avoid breaking core flows.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • Shipping a fully working, monetized MVP, not a demo
  • Designing a behavior-change flow that actually reduces decision paralysis
  • Integrating RevenueCat cleanly with real entitlement gating
  • Building a secure backend with full row-level security from day one
  • Delivering a polished TestFlight build within the hackathon timeframe

Most importantly, the app solves a real problem in a simple, focused way.

What we learned

We learned that the hardest part of product design isn’t adding features, it’s deciding what to remove.

By saying no to social features, feeds, and endless options, we were able to create an app that feels calm, intentional, and effective.

We also learned that monetization works best when it aligns directly with user value. People are willing to pay when an app genuinely helps them follow through on something they already want to do.

What's next for Cook or Delete

Next, we plan to expand the planning experience with pantry-based suggestions and smarter grocery optimization.

We also see strong potential for creator-specific editions, where influencers like Eitan can tailor the experience to their audience with curated prompts and seasonal challenges.

Long-term, Cook or Delete can grow into a lightweight cooking companion focused on action, not content, helping people cook more and waste less.

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