ScarletPlates | Devpost

Inspiration

Our concept originated from observing friends struggle with dietary issues, either overeating or undereating, due to lack of understanding about their meals. This negatively affected their relationship with food. Motivated by this, we set out to develop a tool that enhances knowledge about food and improves the overall dining experience. Ultimately, we aim to foster improved mental wellbeing through healthier, more informed eating habits

What it does

ScarletPlates seamlessly integrates Python-based web scraping techniques and JavaScript-driven queries to deliver an intuitive and dynamic search tool for Rutgers' dining hall menus. It provides detailed nutritional information for every food item served on a specific day at a campus selected by the user. This innovation empowers students with valuable knowledge about their daily food intake, assisting them in achieving their dietary goals effectively and sustainably.

How we built it

Initially, we implemented web scraping techniques to gather all the pertinent data for our food display section, encompassing food names and their respective macronutrient details. We also neatly organized this information into Python dictionaries, utilizing key-value pairs to systematically store both the name of the dish and its corresponding macronutrient components.

Further leveraging our comprehensive database, we classified the food items into distinct categories, such as entrees, sides, and desserts. This refined classification facilitated the seamless retrieval of data through queries, effectively streamlining its deployment to the front end.

In terms of improving the user interface and enhancing user experience, we integrated Framer-motion to animate our UI/UX components, injecting an element of dynamic interactivity into the front-end design.

Challenges we ran into

We faced several obstacles in the process of this project. Among them was getting our server to run efficiently with Flask and ensuring that our code functioned effectively. We also grappled with the task of transferring parameters between the front and back end and ensuring that our web page was both aesthetically pleasing and formatted correctly.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

We successfully completed a comprehensive full-stack project that demonstrates our diverse technical abilities. This project entailed effective use of various programming languages including Python and JavaScript. We seamlessly deployed server technology and employed libraries such as Next.js and Flask. With BeautifulSoup, we extracted and managed data dynamically. Furthermore, our project displays our skills in rendering dynamic content, handling complex querying parameters, and utilizing hashmaps effectively.

What we learned

We enhanced our skills by building a full-stack project utilizing various technologies, including Flask, Next.js, and BeautifulSoup. This process also improved our knowledge of querying, git commands for file management, and our teamwork abilities.

What's next for ScarletPlates

Moving forward with ScarletPlates, our goal is to evolve and perfect our platform. We're planning to develop a mobile app using Swift that conveniently delivers comprehensive food information at one's fingertips. This application will simplify the dining experience, providing swift and straightforward access to meal information.