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Definitions

Terms used in Plated

Action

An action is a process for changing the state of a stock item. There are three possible actions: Store, Open, and Freeze. These put a stock item into a stored, opened, and frozen state, respectively. Actions are colour-coded: grey for Store, light-blue for Open, and dark-blue for Freeze.

Action date

An action date is a date assigned to a stock item during an action process.  For the Store action, it is the expiry date for the stock item. For the Open action, it is the date of opening, and for the Freeze action, it is the date of freezing.

Action information

Action information is a collective term for properties assigned to a stock item during an action process. For the Store action, it includes location, and expiry type. For the Open and Freeze actions, it includes location, expiry type, and lifespan.

Best-before date

The best-before date for a stock item is the date after which its quality may deteriorate. After this date, the stock item can still be used, but it may not be at its best.

Brand

A brand is a tag for distinguishing between similar products and stock items. The tag could be a food brand, e.g. Heinz , or a different identifier such as a food source, e.g. Homemade.

Expiry date

An expiry date for a stock item is a date when the stock item will expire. An expiry date is always associated with an expiry type of use-by or best-before. A stock item can have both a use-by date and a best-before date.

Expiry type

An expiry type specifies how a stock item will expire. For the Store action, there are three possible expiry types: use-by, best-before and never. For the Open and Freeze actions, there are also three possible expiry types: use-within, best-within, and never.

Freeze action

The Freeze action freezes a stock item, so that it is in a frozen state.

Lifespan

A lifespan is the length of time a stock item will last for, in an opened or frozen state. It is always associated with an expiry type of use-within, or best-within.

Location

A location is a place in your kitchen for keeping stock items. A location is always associated with a location type, and is colour-coded accordingly. Grey for a cupboard-type location, light-blue for a fridge-type location, and dark-blue for a freezer-type location.

Location type

A location type specifies the storage temperature for a location. There are three possible location types: cupboard, fridge, and freezer. Cupboard-type locations are where stock items can be kept at an ambient temperature, fridge-type locations are where stock items can be kept chilled, and freezer-type locations are where stock items can be kept frozen.

Open action

The Open action opens a stock item, so that it is in an opened state.

Product

A product is a stock item template, from which a stock item can be created using an action. It is similar to a stock item, but it does not actually exist. Instead, it specifies which states are possible for the stock item, and holds action information for each of those states.

State

State specifies the current condition of a stock item. There are three possible states: stored, opened, and frozen.

Stock

Stock is a collective term for all of the stock items in your kitchen.

Stock item

A stock item is an item of food located in your kitchen, in a stored, opened, or frozen state. It will probably have a use-by date and/or a best-before date.

Store action

The Store action stores a stock item, so that it is in a stored state.

Use-by date

The use-by date for a stock item is the date by which it needs to be used. After this date, the stock item should be thrown away.

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