Why Setup Pantry Matters

Setup Pantry is the foundation of Eatomate's research-grade accuracy. By scanning your existing pantry once during onboarding, you enable the mass conservation reconciliation engine to validate your meal logs against ground truth.

The Physics Model

consumed = purchased - remaining - waste
By tracking what you buy (receipts) and what you have (pantry), the system can validate what you actually ate. This is how Eatomate achieves 93% weekly accuracy by Week 4—through physics, not guessing.

The Complete Setup Flow

Welcome Screen

Explains the one-time setup process. You'll scan barcodes, enter non-barcoded items, and select your spices and seasonings.

Time investment: 20-30 minutes now = lifetime 93%+ accuracy

Staples Explainer (Critical!)

This screen explains the mass conservation model and critical weighing instructions. Read this carefully!

DO:

Weigh items WITH their container/packet
Include EVERY consumable item in your pantry
Enter the total gross weight (contents + packaging)

DON'T:

Transfer items to another container before weighing
Use kitchen scale tare function (we need gross weight)
Skip items thinking they're "too small to matter"

Barcode Scanning

Scan all barcoded items: packaged groceries, condiments, beverages, canned goods, etc. Each scanned product appears in the list at the bottom of the screen.

For Each Scanned Product:

Quantity & State Management:

If you have multiple of the same item (e.g., 3 milk cartons), tap the chevron to expand instance details. Each instance can be in a different state.

Unopened items:
- • Select "Unopened" radio button
- • Enter gross weight WITH packaging (required)
- • Example: "1000g" rice bag → enter 1015g (includes bag weight)
Opened/partially consumed items:
- • Select "Opened" radio button
- • Weigh the item with its container using kitchen scale
- • Enter remaining gross weight (required)
- • Example: Half-full 1L milk carton weighs 580g → enter 580g

Storage location: Fridge, Freezer, or Pantry (auto-suggested based on product type, you can override)
Multiple instances: If you scanned 3 milk cartons, you might have 2 unopened (1000g each) and 1 opened (580g remaining)—manage each separately

Unknown barcode? The system will launch a 3-step photo capture workflow:

1. Front label (product name & brand)
2. Nutrition label (can skip if not visible)
3. Quantity label (can skip if not visible)

The product will be processed in the background and auto-updated with nutrition data.

Split storage locations? If you store an item in multiple places (e.g., rice in both pantry and freezer), you must add a separate entry for each location. The system will automatically sum the quantities.

Non-Barcoded Items

For items without barcodes (fresh produce, bulk items, homemade items), use the search interface to find ingredients from the database. Tap the search button to open the item search modal.

For Each Item:

Search for ingredient: Tap the search button and type the item name (e.g., "banana", "rice", "chicken breast")
Select from results: Choose the correct item from the search results list
Weight entry: Weigh the item WITH container and enter gross weight in grams
Storage location: Select where you store this item (Fridge, Freezer, Pantry, or Other)

Tip: The search database includes thousands of common ingredients. If you can't find an exact match, select the closest equivalent.

Spices & Seasonings

Select all spices, herbs, and seasonings you have. This is mandatory for accurate micronutrient tracking.

Complete!

"X items added to your pantry"
You're now ready to start logging meals. The reconciliation engine will use this pantry baseline to validate your nutrition tracking against ground truth.

Key Concepts

Barcoded vs Non-Barcoded Items

Barcoded Items:

System knows package weight from database
Unopened: use label weight
Opened: weigh and enter current gross weight

Non-Barcoded Items:

Search database to find ingredient
Always requires manual weight entry
Gross weight (item + container)

Gross Weight Entry

Why gross weight? The system needs to track the entire item lifecycle—from purchase to consumption. By recording gross weight (contents + packaging), the reconciliation engine can accurately calculate consumption when the item is depleted.

Example: A 500g rice bag weighs 515g with packaging. Enter 515g as the gross weight. When you rescan later and it weighs 215g, the system knows you consumed exactly 300g.

Storage Locations

Items are organized by storage location for easy management and expiry tracking:

Fridge: Short-term perishables (milk, yogurt, vegetables)
Freezer: Frozen goods (meat, frozen vegetables, ice cream)
Pantry: Long-term staples (rice, pasta, canned goods, condiments, spices, baking supplies)

Common Questions

Do I need to scan EVERYTHING in my pantry?

Yes, for best accuracy. The reconciliation model requires complete inventory. Skipping items creates gaps in the mass conservation equation, reducing accuracy.

Can I skip this and start logging meals?

No. Setup Pantry is blocking during onboarding. Without pantry data, the reconciliation engine cannot validate your meal logs, and you'll only achieve ~70% accuracy instead of 93%.

What if I buy new groceries after setup?

Use the Scan Receipt feature after each shopping trip to add new items to your pantry automatically.

Next Steps

→After setup, use Scan Receipt to add groceries after each shopping trip
→Start logging meals to calibrate your portion sizes
→Learn about Staples Management for periodic rescanning

Setup Pantry