Yesterday, I opened the refrigerator and found it packed with various ingredients, some of which had even gone moldy. I suddenly realized how much food is wasted each year due to poor management. As a food lover who enjoys programming, I decided to solve this problem with Python. Let’s save those poor ingredients with code!
Ingredient Data Structure: The Magic of Dictionaries
We need a suitable data structure to store ingredient information. The dictionary (dict) is simply made for this!
food_inventory = {
'eggs': {'quantity': 10, 'expiry_date': '2023-05-20'},
'milk': {'quantity': 2, 'expiry_date': '2023-05-15'},
'bread': {'quantity': 1, 'expiry_date': '2023-05-10'}
}Look how simple and clear it is! Each ingredient has a quantity and an expiry date. This way, I no longer have to worry about accidentally drinking expired milk.
Friendly reminder: Don’t forget to check the date format, or one day you might find that your eggs can last until 3023!
Adding New Ingredients: A Blessing for Shoppers
Always forget to update your inventory after grocery shopping? Let Python help you keep track!
def add_food(name, quantity, expiry_date):
if name in food_inventory:
food_inventory[name]['quantity'] += quantity
else:
food_inventory[name] = {'quantity': quantity, 'expiry_date': expiry_date}
print(f"Added {quantity} of {name}, expiry date is {expiry_date}")
add_food('bananas', 5, '2023-05-25')Now you don’t have to worry about buying duplicates. But then again, buying too many bananas isn’t a good thing unless you’re planning to turn into a gorilla.
Using Ingredients: A Handy Assistant for the Chef
Always forget to update your inventory when cooking? Don’t worry, Python will help you keep track!
def use_food(name, quantity):
if name in food_inventory:
if food_inventory[name]['quantity'] >= quantity:
food_inventory[name]['quantity'] -= quantity
print(f"Used {quantity} of {name}")
else:
print(f"Insufficient stock! Currently only {food_inventory[name]['quantity']} of {name}")
else:
print(f"No {name} in stock")
use_food('eggs', 2)Now you don’t have to worry about running out of ingredients halfway through cooking. If you really run out of eggs, it might be time to consider a trip to the supermarket or just switch to instant noodles?
Checking Soon-to-Expire Ingredients: The Food Rescue Plan
Don’t let those soon-to-expire ingredients rot away in the corner; let’s rescue them with Python!
from datetime import datetime, timedelta
def check_expiring_soon(days=3):
today = datetime.now().date()
expiring_soon = []
for food, info in food_inventory.items():
expiry_date = datetime.strptime(info['expiry_date'], '%Y-%m-%d').date()
if 0 < (expiry_date - today).days <= days:
expiring_soon.append((food, info['expiry_date']))
if expiring_soon:
print(f"The following ingredients will expire in {days} days, please consume them soon:")
for food, date in expiring_soon:
print(f"- {food} (expiry date: {date})")
else:
print("No soon-to-expire ingredients, great!")
check_expiring_soon()With this feature, you can timely discover those ingredients that are about to turn into ‘biological weapons’. Who knows, one day you might create a stunning “leftover stew” because of this!
I must say, managing food inventory with Python is incredibly satisfying! It not only saves money and effort but also helps avoid food waste. Just think, in the future when you open the fridge, all ingredients will be orderly, and expiry dates will be clear at a glance. You could even automatically generate shopping lists or weekly menus based on your inventory. The usefulness of this code is far broader than you might imagine, and perhaps one day you’ll thank yourself for this little idea today.
But then again, even with such a powerful tool, whether you can truly consume all the ingredients depends on your appetite and cooking skills. Wishing you to become a Python master in the kitchen, bon appétit!