Bharati Vidyapeeth’s Jawaharlal Nehru

Institute of Technology

Project on :-
MealsNow –
An Autonomous Mess Management System
Submitted by:-
Rohit P. Dare(35)
Pruthviraj K. Jadhav(47)
Dhiraj S. Joshi(50)
Dhiraj V.Yemul (66)

Class: TYCM-A

Guided by : Mr. A. R. Khanvilkar

 Introduction
MealsNow is a modern web platform designed to
simplify the management and display of daily menus
for multiple messes in institutions like universities,
hostels, and corporate campuses. The website provides
a centralized solution where users can easily access
lunch and dinner menus, search for messes, and view
meal options in real-time.
Built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript on the frontend,
MealsNow offers a responsive, user-friendly interface
optimized for both mobile and desktop devices. The
backend is powered by Node.js and Express, which
handles secure admin access and enables the addition
and update of mess information through a protected
admin panel.
MealsNow’s key features include a search bar for
finding messes quickly, a meal-time filter for lunch and
dinner selections, and a section displaying mess
addresses for easy location identification.
Administrators can manage menus efficiently via the
secure login system, ensuring that only authorized users
can update information.
 Abstract
The MealsNow Website is a user-friendly platform
designed to provide seamless access to daily meal
menus for multiple messes. The website caters to two
primary user groups: mess users who wish to view the
latest meal offerings, and mess administrators who
manage and update these menus on a daily basis. With
an interactive design inspired by leading food
platforms, the site allows users to search for specific
messes, filter menus by meal type (lunch or dinner), and
view detailed daily offerings.
For administrators, the platform offers a secure login
system, enabling them to easily add new messes and
update menus. This streamlined interface ensures
efficient management, while the intuitive design
provides a smooth user experience. The platform's
backend, developed using Node.js and Express, can be
further enhanced with database integration for scalable,
long-term use.
The project aims to bridge the gap between mess
management and user engagement, offering a modern
solution for mess menu display and updates.
 Objective
Centralized Mess Information: Provide a unified
platform where users, such as students and staff, can
easily access daily menus of various messes in their
institution or community.
User-Friendly Interface: Ensure a simple, intuitive
interface where users can quickly search for messes,
select meal times (lunch/dinner), and view detailed
menus.
Search and Filter Capabilities: Incorporate a search bar
and meal time filters to help users find messes quickly
and view their respective menus.
Admin Panel for Management: Offer a secure admin
panel where authorized personnel can log in, add new
messes, and manage and update menus efficiently.
Responsiveness Across Devices: Ensure that the
website is responsive and works seamlessly across
various devices like smartphones, tablets, and desktops.
Security and Access Control: Implement login
authentication to secure admin functionalities,
restricting menu updates and mess management to
authorized users only.
Time-Efficiency: Save users time by providing real-
time, digital access to daily menus instead of relying on
traditional methods like posters or phone calls.
3. System Overview
The system is divided into two parts: Frontend and
Backend.
3.1 Frontend
 Home Page (index.html):
o Features the mess name and an "Enter" button
in the center.
o Engaging and clean design inspired by
Zomato.com.
o Simple navigation to the menus page.
 Menus Page (menus.html):
o Displays a list of messes with their daily
menus.
o A search bar at the top allows users to search
for specific messes.
o A dropdown box allows users to select meal
time (lunch/dinner).
o Each mess shows the lunch and dinner menus.
 Admin Page (admin.html):
o Allows an authorized user to log in and access
the admin panel.
 o Admin can add a new mess and update menus
for lunch and dinner.
o Form validation to ensure proper data input.
3.2 Backend
 Node.js & Express.js are used for server-side
logic.
o Static file serving: Serves the frontend files
(HTML, CSS, JavaScript).
o Routes:
 /: Serves the homepage.
 /menus: Serves the menus page where all
messes and their menus are displayed.
 /admin: Admin login and management
functionalities.
o Admin Authentication: A basic form-based
authentication system is implemented for
admin access.
System Features

User Features
 Search Messes:
o Users can search for messes using a search bar
located at the top of the menu page.
 Meal Selection:
o A dropdown box allows users to filter menus
based on meal type (lunch or dinner).
 Responsive Design:
o The website is designed to be fully responsive,
ensuring accessibility across various devices
(mobile, tablet, and desktop).
 Admin Features
 Admin Login:
o Only authorized users can access the admin
panel via a login form.
 Add New Mess:
o Admin can add new messes and their
respective menus.
 Update Menus:
o Admin can update existing mess menus (for
lunch and dinner) daily.
 Form Validation:
o Proper validation to ensure the correct format
and input of data while updating or adding
menus.
Challenges Faced

 Admin Authentication:
o Initially, local storage was used for storing
credentials, but it was later optimized to
remove local storage and ensure a basic
authentication system through a secure
backend.
 Dynamic Menu Handling:
o Ensuring the smooth update and display of
menus while making the UI responsive and
user-friendly required careful management of
HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
 Backend Integration:
o Setting up the backend using Node.js and
Express.js for admin functions and form
handling presented a challenge, particularly in
designing the routes and handling form data
efficiently.
Future Enhancements

 Database Integration:
o Implement a database (e.g., MongoDB,
MySQL) to persist mess and menu data for
scalability and data management.
 Advanced Admin Features:
o Add features such as viewing previous menus,
deleting messes, and editing existing mess
information.
 Improved Security:
o Enhance the authentication system by
implementing secure password hashing (e.g.,
using bcrypt) and session management for
admin users.
 API Development:
o Create a RESTful API to handle menu
management and allow future integration with
mobile apps or other systems.
Advantages of MealsNow Website:
 User-Friendly Interface: The website provides an
intuitive and easy-to-navigate design, allowing
users to quickly access mess menus and filter by
meal types.
 Multiple Mess Support: Users can view menus
from multiple messes, and administrators can easily
add or update messes, making it scalable for
various institutions.
 Search and Filter Options: The search bar and
meal dropdown filter improve usability by letting
users quickly find the information they need.
 Responsive Design: The site is optimized for
different screen sizes, ensuring a seamless
experience across devices like mobile phones,
tablets, and desktops.
 Admin Panel for Updates: The secure admin
panel allows mess managers to update menus daily
without needing extensive technical knowledge.
 Scalability with Backend Support: The website
can be enhanced with a scalable backend like
Node.js and Express for future growth, enabling
features like database integration.
Disadvantages of the MealsNow Website:
 Limited Functionality without Backend: Without
backend integration (e.g., a database), the website
relies on basic data handling, which may not be
efficient for large-scale operations or long-term
data storage.
 No Real-time Updates: Without backend systems,
real-time updates and notifications about menu
changes are not possible.
 Security Risks: As with any web application, the
admin login system needs proper security measures
like password encryption and session management
to prevent unauthorized access.
 Scalability Issues Without Backend: If the
number of messes grows significantly, handling
menu data with just a frontend approach could
become cumbersome without backend database
support.
 Maintenance Requirements: Updating and
maintaining the site for larger institutions may
require more resources, especially when integrating
advanced features or backend functionality.
Conclusion
The Mess Menu Management Website is a robust
platform that allows efficient and user-friendly
management of mess menus. By implementing a secure
login system for administrators and an interactive
interface for users, this project provides a practical
solution for daily mess menu management. With
planned future enhancements such as database
integration and improved security, the system is well-
positioned to scale and adapt to growing user needs.
Bibliography

1. Mozilla Developer Network (MDN Web Docs) –

Used as a reference for HTML, CSS, and
JavaScript best practices. MDN provides
comprehensive guides for web development and
documentation on web standards.
o Mozilla Developer Network. "HTML:
Hypertext Markup Language." MDN Web
Docs,
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/
HTML. Accessed 2024.
o Mozilla Developer Network. "CSS: Cascading
Style Sheets." MDN Web Docs,
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/
CSS. Accessed 2024.
o Mozilla Developer Network. "JavaScript
Documentation." MDN Web Docs,
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/
JavaScript. Accessed 2024.
2. W3Schools – A valuable online resource for quick
references and tutorials on HTML, CSS, and
JavaScript, used for developing the website
structure and interactivity.
 o W3Schools. "HTML Tutorial." W3Schools,
https://www.w3schools.com/html/. Accessed
2024.
o W3Schools. "CSS Tutorial." W3Schools,
https://www.w3schools.com/css/. Accessed
2024.
o W3Schools. "JavaScript Tutorial." W3Schools,
https://www.w3schools.com/js/. Accessed
2024.
3. Node.js Documentation – Consulted for server-
side scripting and setting up the backend of the
website.
o Node.js. "About Node.js." Node.js,
https://nodejs.org/en/docs/. Accessed 2024.
4. Express.js Documentation – Used as a guide to
implement routing, handling requests, and
responses for the backend of the website.
o Express.js. "Getting Started with Express."
Express,
https://expressjs.com/en/starter/installing.html.
Accessed 2024.
5. Google Fonts – The "Roboto" font family was
selected from Google Fonts to enhance the
website's typography.
 o Google Fonts. "Roboto." Google Fonts,
https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Roboto.
Accessed 2024.
6. ChatGPT – used for problem solving and
references required.
7. Youtube - used for learning nodejs and many basic
concepts

These resources helped guide the development and

troubleshooting of the MealsNow Website, ensuring a
smooth user interface and functioning backend system.