Recipe Check

Case study snapshot.

A mobile app build with real product constraints: AI behavior, backend privacy, native packaging, app-store readiness, and plain-English user guidance.

Business problem

Recipe Check needed to become more than an idea: it needed a mobile product, backend, AI analysis flow, admin tools, policy pages, and a path toward app-store launch.

Constraints

The app had to keep AI credentials private, support photo and text inputs, avoid medical claims, handle mobile permissions, and satisfy launch-readiness requirements.

Solution

We built a mobile-first PWA and native wrapper with food-quality grading, OpenAI-backed analysis, Supabase auth, usage controls, admin workflows, AdMob, and compliance pages.

Result

Recipe Check moved into a real launch foundation with Android release work, iOS readiness, store-support materials, and a product roadmap for personalization and subscriptions.

Stack

React, TypeScript, Vite, Capacitor, Supabase, OpenAI API, Node API routes, Vercel, AdMob, Android Studio/Gradle, and Xcode/CocoaPods.

CTA fit

This case study is useful for founders who need an app idea turned into a working product with backend, admin, AI, policy, and store-launch details handled together.

What we built.

Recipe Check is a Bluegrass-built mobile app for checking food quality before eating. It lets users grade recipe photos, ingredient photos, menus, snacks, drinks, and typed or pasted food text with simple A-F guidance.

The app is deliberately not a calorie tracker. It focuses on ingredient quality, protein, fiber, added sugar, fried foods, refined carbs, processing level, and practical changes users can make before the meal.

The build includes the consumer app shell, analyze API, Supabase account foundation, admin dashboard, compliance pages, AdMob launch path, Android release work, iOS readiness work, and store-submission support materials.

Core app features.

The app gives users a quick read on food quality while keeping the product simple enough for store review, mobile use, and future expansion.

Photo and text food checks

Users can take or upload recipe, ingredient, menu, snack, or drink photos, or type and paste food details for analysis.

Simple A-F grades

The app gives a clear food-quality grade with concise reasons so users can understand the result quickly.

Swaps and protein ideas

Results include practical better-swap suggestions and simple protein upgrade ideas instead of only pointing out problems.

Mobile-first app shell

The interface was designed as a focused phone experience with camera/photo flows, bottom navigation, and small-screen QA.

Accounts and usage controls

Supabase-backed auth, scan limits, unlimited account handling, and admin controls support a real launch path.

Admin dashboard

The owner dashboard supports user lookup, admin notes, deletion requests, recent API issues, and operational support workflows.

Store-ready compliance pages

Privacy, terms, support, delete-account, permission rationale, and store-submission copy were prepared for mobile review.

Native Android and iOS path

Capacitor wraps the app for Android and iOS, with Android release work completed and iOS signing dependent on Apple account approval.

Deliverables and stack.

Recipe Check combines consumer mobile UX, AI-backed analysis, a private backend, native app packaging, and launch operations.

Core deliverables

Mobile product buildout

Mobile-first PWA and Capacitor native wrapper.
Recipe, ingredient, menu, snack, drink, and typed-text grading flows.
AI-backed analyze API with offline rule-based fallback behavior.
A-F grade result cards with reasons, swaps, and protein suggestions.
Email authentication, account profile, recent history, and usage-cap handling.
Supabase-ready backend, migrations, and admin dashboard.
AdMob banner integration for the free ad-supported launch build.
Privacy, terms, support, delete-account, and store-review documentation.
Android build/release support, Play Console checks, and iOS readiness work.

Tech stack

Built for native launch

React
TypeScript
Vite
Capacitor
Supabase
OpenAI API
Node API routes
Vercel
AdMob
Android Studio / Gradle
Xcode / CocoaPods

Product and operations flows.

The app needed to feel light for users while still having the backend pieces required for launch, support, privacy, and future monetization.

Workflow

User flow

Open the mobile app and sign in or continue through the app shell.
Take a photo, upload an image, paste recipe text, or type food/menu details.
Run a Recipe Check and receive an A-F grade with a plain-English explanation.
Review better swaps, protein upgrade ideas, and recent checks.
Use profile and support screens for account, privacy, terms, and deletion access.

Workflow

Operations flow

Use Supabase-backed auth and backend routes for real account handling.
Monitor usage caps, unlimited-check users, and analyze API health.
Review user records, support notes, and deletion requests in the admin dashboard.
Ship native Android builds and prepare iOS archive/signing when Apple enrollment is ready.
Keep public web pages focused on compliance and product information, not the consumer app shell.

Implementation details

The product is positioned as general nutrition guidance, not medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, allergy detection, or calorie tracking.
The backend keeps OpenAI and Supabase service credentials off the client and mobile app.
The app supports photo-based and text-based checks, with result copy explaining confidence/detail levels based on available input.
Android camera capture was hardened for real Pixel-device behavior, including FileProvider URI handling and image downsampling.
Store-review artifacts include screenshots, privacy materials, permission rationale, and compliance URLs.
Android publication reached Google Play production availability; iOS remains dependent on Apple Developer enrollment/signing completion.

Future expansion options.

Recipe Check was built with a clear V1 and a practical path into richer personalization and subscriptions later.