Culinaide

Inspiration

We noticed how much food gets wasted and how hard it can be for people to plan meals that fit their dietary needs. Existing apps either track groceries or suggest recipes, but few combine sustainability, inclusivity, and personalization. We wanted to make something that helps people eat smarter, waste less, and discover recipes they actually enjoy.

What it does

Culinaide is an app that helps users track their groceries, reduce food waste, and find recipes that fit their dietary needs or preferences. You can scan items, log expiration dates, get recipe suggestions based on what you already have, and receive tips on how to use ingredients before they go bad.

How we built it

• React Native - built the mobile app
• Expo – for fast prototyping and testing
• TypeScript – for safer, organized code
• Voiceflow – added conversational AI features
• OpenFoodFacts API – for food data (mocked for now)
• Barcode Scanner – to easily log groceries
• AsyncStorage – to save user data locally
• Google Gemini API, ElevenLabs API, CO₂ Estimator

Challenges we ran into

• Balancing inclusivity with simplicity
• Making the app work for different diets and preferences without making it complicated.
• Getting the AI to suggest recipes that actually reduce waste while still being practical.
• Handling real-time tracking of groceries and expiration dates without slowing down the app.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

• Built a working AI-powered recipe suggestion system during the hackathon.
• Made the app inclusive for different dietary needs and preferences.
• Created a food tracker that helps users plan smarter and reduce waste.

What we learned

• Inclusive design is crucial
• People respond better to tools that respect their dietary and cultural preferences.
• Even a simple prototype can show the potential of AI in solving real-world problems.
• Tackling sustainability through tech requires thinking about both usability and practicality.

What's next for Culinaide

We want to add features like real-time grocery tracking, AI-powered waste reduction tips, voice interactions, and a community sharing space for recipes and tips. Ultimately, we aim to make Culinaide the go-to app for sustainable, personalized, and inclusive eating.

Built With

• asyncstorage
• elevenlabs
• expo.io
• googlegemini
• openfoodfacts
• react
• typescript
• voiceflow