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PantryPal

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Overview

Pantry Pal is a full-stack application designed to help roommates and households manage pantry items efficiently, reduce food waste, and make meal planning easier. By keeping an accurate inventory of what’s available and suggesting recipes based on existing ingredients, the app prevents double buying and ensures food gets used before it spoils. Built as my capstone project in just one week, Pantry Pal showcases my ability to deliver a complete, functional solution under a tight deadline.

Tech Stack

    Frontend: React, Sass

    Backend: Node.js, Express

    Database: MySQL (with Knex.js for query building)

    API Calls: Axios

Problem Statement

Living with roommates, we often forgot what was in the pantry, which led to double buying and food spoiling before it could be used. Pantry Pal addresses this issue by providing a shared, easy-to-use inventory system, helping roommates track pantry items, reduce food waste, and suggest recipes based on what’s available.

Key Features

    Pantry Inventory Management

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    Add, edit, and delete items to keep an accurate, shared view of the pantry.

Get in Touch

Need a developer? I'm available for freelance and job inquiries!

navneel-444

navneel-444

navneel-nandran

navneel-nandran

navneel.nandran@gmail.com

navneel.nandran@gmail.com

Recipe Suggestions

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Generate recipes based on the ingredients currently available, helping reduce waste.

Search & Filter

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Quickly find items by name, category, or expiration date.

Responsive Design

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Works seamlessly on both desktop and mobile for easy access in the kitchen.

Architecture

Pantry Pal is a full-stack application built with React and Sass on the frontend, Node.js and Express on the backend, and MySQL with Knex.js for data storage. The frontend communicates with the backend via Axios, enabling seamless CRUD operations for pantry items, including adding, editing, deleting, and searching. The app also includes recipe suggestions based on available ingredients and is fully responsive for both desktop and mobile devices.

While the project is relatively basic, focusing on core CRUD functionality, it demonstrates my ability to structure a full-stack application, manage state efficiently, and handle database queries safely. Pantry Pal represents an early stage of my growth as a full-stack developer and laid the foundation for more complex projects in my portfolio.

What I learned

    Rapid Full-Stack Development

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    Delivered a complete CRUD application by moving quickly from initial concept to a working full-stack implementation while maintaining clear structure and functionality.

    Frontend Structure & Styling

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    Organized a React-based frontend using Sass to create modular, maintainable, and scalable styles across the application.

    Backend & Database Integration

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    Built a Node.js and Express API layer connected to a MySQL database, using Knex.js to manage queries and enforce consistent data access patterns.

    Client–Server Communication

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    Implemented Axios to handle frontend-to-backend API requests, enabling reliable data flow and real-time UI updates.

    Responsive Interface Design

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    Designed layouts that adapt across desktop and mobile devices to ensure usability in different environments.

    Problem-Driven Feature Design

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    Implemented core features such as pantry tracking, expiration monitoring, and recipe suggestions to translate real-world needs into practical software solutions.

Future Improvements

    Barcode Scanner

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    Quickly add items to the pantry by scanning product barcodes.

    Meal Planning Calendar

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    Plan meals in advance using available pantry items to further reduce food waste.

    Household Accounts

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    Allow multiple users to join a shared pantry, similar to Google Home, using Auth0 for authentication and secure access.

    Enhanced Recipe Suggestions

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    Generate more personalized recipe ideas based on pantry contents and user preferences.

    Improved UI & UX

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    Redesign the interface to make it more visually appealing and user-friendly.