FridgeChef AI is an interactive, Node.js-based Slack Bot that helps users figure out what to cook with whatever ingredients they have left in their fridge. Powered by the high-performance Groq API (Llama 3.3) and built using the Slack Bolt SDK in Socket Mode, this application serves as an excellent submission for college projects or showcase portfolios.
@Aleena_Wariya
on
FridgeChefAI Slack Bot
What did you make?
I built FridgeChef AI. It is a friendly Slack bot that acts like your personal kitchen helper. Imagine you just got home from a long day, you are starving, and your fridge only has some eggs, cheese, and a random onion. Instead of spending money on takeout, you tell the bot what you have, and it suggests a real recipe you can cook. It also analyzes the health score of your meals and makes interactive shopping checklists you can tick off right inside Slack.
What was challenging?
Getting the bot to run smoothly without cluttering Slack was a big puzzle. At first, we had too many different commands, so we had to consolidate everything into three main portals. We also ran into errors when trying to send messages in private direct messages, but we fixed that by writing code that routes the messages to the user ID. Setting up the bot to host twenty-four hours a day on the Nest servers using systemd was also new to us, but we figured it out and got it running.
What are you proud of?
We are really proud of how interactive the bot is. Instead of just sending back plain text, it opens pop-up windows and lists checkable options. We are also proud that it runs all day on the Nest server, so it is always online even when our laptops are closed.
What should people know so they can test your project?
You can test the bot by opening Slack and typing the slash command /fridgecook. If you run the command by itself, a window will pop up where you can check off common items and choose dietary options. You can also use /fridgehealth to score your meals or /fridgeshop to check your pantry list.
@Aleena_Wariya
on
FridgeChefAI Slack Bot
30m logged
Date: July 18, 2026
Developer: Kingnawaz786
Tech Stack: Node.js, Git, Nest (Hack Club Cloud), systemd
Version 1.5.0 marks the transition of FridgeChef AI from a local development environment into a fully production-ready, cloud-hosted instance. We deployed the bot directly to Nest and configured it as a managed background daemon using systemd.
The bot is now fully online 24/7 and no longer relies on local terminals staying open!
.env containing Slack Socket Mode credentials (SLACK_BOT_TOKEN, SLACK_APP_TOKEN) and the GROQ_API_KEY./etc/systemd/system/slackbot.service.WorkingDirectory and ExecStart targeting the verified app.js entry point.FridgeChef AI is now fully operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, serving recipes and nutrition advice directly to Slack users.
@Aleena_Wariya
on
FridgeChefAI Slack Bot
22m 36s logged
WebSocket Integration: Refactored app.js to initialize Bolt using socketMode: true and an App-Level Token (xapp-).
Developer Experience: The bot now connects directly to Slack using web sockets. This completely eliminates the need for public webhook tunnels (like ngrok or tunnelmole) during local development.
Express Compatibility: Maintained a parallel Express server listening on PORT to return 200 OK on health routes, keeping the app compatible with cloud hosting deployment checks (like Render).
/fridgecook — The Recipe Hub:
Integrates baking, smoothies, kid-friendly meals, air fryer recipes, and party sizes.
Adds a Leftover Optimizer checkbox that prompts the Groq API to creatively combine odd ingredients.
Dynamically queries your saved inventory if run with no arguments.
/fridgehealth — The Wellness Hub:
Displays a personalized dashboard showing daily water progress, calorie logs, and active allergies.
Adds quick-click buttons to log water (+250ml, +500ml), reset stats, and search healthy substitutes.
Includes a Vitamin Fridge Audit analyzing your pantry list for mineral deficiencies.
/fridgeinventory — The Pantry & Shopping Hub:
Renders a dashboard displaying your current stock, items in the freezer, and expiration warnings.
Integrates Expiration Reports (categorizing items into Expired, Expiring, and Fresh) with quick-discard buttons.
Integrates Fridge Audits which prompt users to verify if older ingredients have been eaten.
Handles Food Share Alerts with a 🍴 I want this! claiming system.
/fridgehelp)/fridgehelp to get a clean, ephemeral Block Kit manual outlining all the features and tricks of the 3 portals.channel_not_found Errorchannel_not_found errors when the bot tried to post messages.D...) and automatically routes the messages to the User’s ID (U...). Slack automatically maps User ID targets to the appropriate private DM conversation.message_not_found ErrorProblem: Updating messages in DMs using chat.update threw message_not_found because the bot attempted to update using the User ID target instead of the mapped DM channel ID.
Solution: Updated the message updater to target infoMessage.channel (the actual channel ID returned by Slack’s post response) instead of the input channelId.
@Aleena_Wariya
on
FridgeChefAI Slack Bot
1h 14m 52s logged
FridgeChef AI is an interactive, Node.js-based Slack Bot that helps users figure out what to cook with whatever ingredients they have left in their fridge. Powered by the high-performance Groq API (Llama 3.3) and built using the Slack Bolt SDK in Socket Mode, this application serves as an excellent submission for college projects or showcase portfolios.
