Planning meals for groups with diverse dietary needs (like vegan, gluten-free, or nut allergies) is a stressful, time-consuming task. Hosts often juggle multiple recipes or unintentionally exclude guests when existing tools only filter by single dietary restrictions. A better solution could dynamically prioritize recipes that work for all attendees while factoring in ease of preparation and ingredient availability.

How It Would Work

Instead of requiring users to manually cross-reference filters (e.g., combining "vegan" and "nut-free" searches), the app could:

Let users input group-wide restrictions (e.g., "2 vegetarians, 1 lactose intolerance").
Rank recipes based on inclusivity (meeting all needs), practicality (few ingredients, scalable portions), and adaptability (e.g., "use coconut milk instead of dairy").
Generate integrated shopping lists or suggest grocery delivery options for ingredients.

For cases with no perfect matches, it might highlight near-matches with simple modifications, like suggesting gluten-free pasta for a vegan Italian dish.

Why It Stands Out

Unlike platforms like Allrecipes (single-filter focus) or Yummly (individual preferences), this approach tackles the combinatorial problem of group cooking. It could:

Save hosts hours of manual research by automating compromise-free meal planning.
Attract food bloggers and brands by tagging recipes for niche dietary overlaps.
Partner with grocery services for affiliate revenue or premium features (e.g., one-click ingredient orders).

Getting Started

A minimal version could begin with a curated recipe database and basic filtering. Testing with real-world scenarios (e.g., "Thanksgiving for 8 with 3 diets") would refine ranking logic. Later phases might add crowd-sourced recipes or AI-driven substitution tips—but the core value lies in solving the group-dynamic puzzle others ignore.

For hosts tired of cooking three separate dishes or guessing about allergies, this could turn a logistical headache into a seamless experience.