Random Food Generator

How to use the random food generator

1. Choose a meal type: breakfast, main, side or snack, or dessert.
2. Pick a cuisine, from Canadian to Thai, or keep any cuisine.
3. Tick vegetarian only if you want meat-free dishes.
4. Press Pick my food to get 1, 3 or 5 random dishes.
5. Read what you should eat, with the cuisine and a short description.

Choose a meal type and a cuisine, or leave both on Any, and press Pick my food. The generator suggests one, three or five dishes, each with its cuisine, meal type, a vegetarian label where it applies and a short description. Not feeling it? Press the button again for a fresh pick. Tick Vegetarian only to hide dishes that usually contain meat, poultry or fish.

It is a quick answer to "what should I eat today?", a fun way to choose a takeout cuisine with friends, and a source of ideas for weekly meal planning.

What is on the menu

The list has 119 popular dishes from 15 cuisines, from Canadian classics such as poutine and butter tarts to Korean bibimbap, Indian chana masala and Trinidadian doubles. Each dish is written up in a short, plain description.

A dish is labeled vegetarian when its usual recipe has no meat, poultry or fish. Some vegetarian dishes still contain eggs or dairy, and some cheeses are made with animal rennet. Recipes vary between cooks and restaurants, so always check ingredients if you have an allergy or a strict diet.

How the random pick works

With 3 dishes from all 119, each dish has a 3 in 119 chance, about 2.5%. If you choose Dessert only, there are 17 desserts, so one pick gives each a 1 in 17 chance, about 5.9%. The list is shuffled with your browser's secure random source, so the generator has no favorites and no sponsored results.

Tips for deciding what to eat

• Narrow first, then randomize. Pick the meal type you need, then let the generator choose the cuisine.
• Use the three-pick rule. Generate three dishes and let everyone veto one. Whatever is left wins.
• Cook something new each week. Pick one random main every weekend and try making it at home.
• Plan a themed night. Choose a cuisine and generate five dishes for a shared dinner where each guest brings one.
• Check what you have. If a suggestion needs ingredients you do not have, generate again or save it for your shopping list.

Ideas by occasion

For a quick weeknight dinner, try mains such as egg fried rice, cheese quesadillas or chana masala. For a weekend brunch, choose breakfast for shakshuka, huevos rancheros or pancakes with maple syrup. For a party, sides and snacks such as samosas, guacamole and spanakopita are easy to share. And when only something sweet will do, desserts range from Nanaimo bars to mango sticky rice.

Frequently asked questions