Docs/Features/Staples Management

Staples Management

Periodic rescanning of long-lasting items to maintain 95% accuracy. Takes 60 seconds per week.

What Are Staples?

Staples are long-lasting pantry items that don't expire quickly but are consumed gradually over weeks or months. Unlike fresh produce or dairy (which trigger automatic reconciliation when they expire), staples need periodic manual rescanning to keep the mass conservation model accurate.

Common Staples:

Dry Goods:
  • Rice, pasta, quinoa, couscous
  • Flour, sugar, baking powder
  • Lentils, beans, chickpeas
Condiments & Oils:
  • Cooking oils (olive, vegetable, coconut)
  • Soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, mustard
  • Peanut butter, jam, honey
Canned Goods:
  • Canned tomatoes, beans, tuna
  • Soup, stock, coconut milk
Spices & Seasonings:
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder
  • Cumin, turmeric, paprika
  • Dried herbs (basil, oregano, thyme)

Why Rescanning Matters

The Mass Conservation Problem

The reconciliation engine tracks depletion through your logged meals. For staples, the system estimates consumption over time: "User logged 3 curries this week → deducted 45g oil from pantry."

But these are estimates based on calibrated portions. Without periodic rescanning, estimation errors compound over weeks, reducing accuracy. Rescanning provides ground truth checkpoints that recalibrate the model.

When to Rescan

Automatic Prompts

The system prompts you to rescan staples when all three conditions are met:

  • Item has been in pantry for 7+ days
  • Estimated consumption is >20% of remaining quantity
  • Item has >7 days until expiry (not about to expire naturally)

Notification Badge

When staples need rescanning, you'll see an unobtrusive badge on the "Scan Receipt" button on your home screen: "Rescan ready" or "X items need reweighing".

The Rescan Flow

1

Tap Rescan Button

Tap the "Scan Receipt" button when you see the rescan badge. The system opens the Rescan Staples modal showing all items that need reweighing.

2

Review Items List

The modal displays each item needing rescan with:

  • Item name: "Basmati Rice 5kg"
  • Brand: "Tesco Finest"
  • Storage location: Pantry
  • Days since last scan: "14 days ago"
  • Estimated remaining: "~2.8kg remaining" (system estimate)
3

Weigh and Update

For each item:

  1. Place the item on your kitchen scale (WITH container/bag)
  2. Enter the current gross weight (item + packaging) in grams
  3. Tap "Update" to save the new weight

The system compares your measured weight to its estimate, calculates the actual consumption, and recalibrates the depletion model for that ingredient.

Complete!

"All Staples Rescanned!" confirmation appears. The badge disappears from your home screen. The reconciliation model is now recalibrated with accurate ground truth data.

Time Investment

60 Seconds Per Week

Most users have 3-10 staples that need rescanning each week. At 6-10 seconds per item:

  • 5 items × 10 sec = 50 seconds
  • 10 items × 6 sec = 60 seconds

This small time investment unlocks easy accuracy wins without the hassle of tracking every meal ingredient.

How Rescanning Improves Accuracy

Ground Truth Recalibration

When you rescan a staple, the system:

  1. 1. Calculates actual consumption:
    Previous weight (3.5kg) - Current weight (2.7kg) = 0.8kg consumed
  2. 2. Compares to estimate:
    System estimated 0.9kg consumed → 0.1kg (11%) overestimate
  3. 3. Recalibrates model:
    Adjusts future consumption estimates for this ingredient based on the error
  4. 4. Validates historical meals:
    Retroactively corrects meal logs that used this ingredient

Pantry View

You can also manually manage staples anytime from the Pantry view:

Pantry Features:

  • Storage tabs: Filter by Fridge, Freezer, or Pantry
  • Search bar: Find items by name or brand
  • Category grouping: Collapsible sections (Grains, Oils, Condiments, etc.)
  • Item actions: Edit weight, change location, mark as wasted, delete
  • Expired items: Red warning banner for items past expiry
  • Low stock alerts: Items expiring in next 7 days

Common Questions

What happens if I ignore the rescan notification?

Accuracy gradually degrades as estimation errors compound. The system will keep prompting you, but rescanning is optional. However, for 95% weekly accuracy, we recommend rescanning staples as prompted.

Can I rescan items before the system prompts me?

Yes! Go to Pantry view, find the item, and tap "Edit Weight" to manually update the weight anytime. This is useful if you notice a staple is running low or if you want to recalibrate early.

Why do I need to weigh WITH the container?

Gross weight (item + container) is easier to measure consistently and eliminates the need to transfer items to another container. The system tracks container weight (tare) from the initial scan and calculates net contents automatically.

Next Steps

Last updated: March 2026