Inspiration
Before we know it groceries we buy can expire in our fridge. People are looking to save money on food costs, but uneaten groceries and leftovers remain a major source of food waste.
What if there was way to get alerted when groceries are soon to go, and easily offer them to people in our network?
What it does
With a simple scan of your receipt, FriendlyFridge estimates the expiration dates, quantities, and items that you bought, loads them into your inventory, and alerts you when they are nearing the end of their freshness.
You can then quickly add these items to a community fridge, that everyone in your network can pull from and search. Overcooked? Add extra meals to your community fridge too!
Then, if you or a friend need something in a pinch, they can claim anything that is there.
Users also get points for sustainable practices: eating a meal instead of letting it go to waste, saving an item while it is still fresh, sharing an item with neighbors.
How we built it
React + Firebase + OpenAI API
Challenges we ran into
Trust and Distance. Will people really want food from people that they don't know well? Are they willing to drive far away to pick up a grocery item?
We've addressed this by allowing people to select friends within the app, instead of receiving offers from strangers. Also, we expect that an app like this would serve people who already live close together: college students, apartment communities, etc. Extended family members and those who prioritize sustainable eating may also find it useful.
Accomplishments that we're proud of
We are proud of the simplicity and utility of the application. We think that the flow of the app is easy for newcomers, the AI delivers reliable results, and the leaderboard encourages engagement and sustainable habits.
What we learned
The process that you present to user's can be more important the capabilities you offer them. We spent a lot of time thinking about the flow of the app, which screens you see and when, how notifications work, whether the purpose of different buttons was clear, etc.
What's next for FriendlyFridge
Built in Communities Groups - Join Built in Groups in your area such as College Campuses Expanding the AI - Take Pictures of Grocery Items themselves along with receipts User Login and Notifications - Flesh out the Notification and Login System
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