Automating My Hostel Mess Menu Notifications with n8n

The Small Problem

The hostel mess menu changes every week.

Every day, I used to wonder what was being served for breakfast or dinner. Instead of checking the menu manually, I thought of a simple idea:

What if I received a WhatsApp message with the day's menu one hour before breakfast or dinner?

It wasn't a complicated problem, but it seemed like a good opportunity to try automation.

Building the Workflow

I decided to use three things:

• n8n: To connect the different steps and automate the workflow.
• Google Sheets: To store the mess menu in a structured format.
• WhatsApp Business API: To deliver the menu notification directly to WhatsApp.

The idea was straightforward. I stored the menu in a spreadsheet and created a workflow that would run at the scheduled time, retrieve the relevant menu, and send me a message with a greeting and the details for the upcoming meal.

Instead of opening a spreadsheet every day, I could receive the information automatically.

Learning How WhatsApp Messaging Works

The most interesting part wasn't the workflow itself. It was understanding how the WhatsApp Business API handles messages.

Initially, I assumed that an API would let me send any message whenever I wanted. But WhatsApp has rules for business-initiated messaging.

I learned that:

• Message templates need approval: When initiating a conversation outside the customer service window, you generally need an approved message template.
• The 24-hour window matters: When a user messages a business, a customer service window opens. Free-form replies are permitted during that window.
• APIs have rules and limitations: Integrating an API isn't just about making a successful request. You also need to understand the platform's policies and requirements.

These restrictions made me realize that using an API involves more than writing code or connecting nodes in an automation tool.

What I Learned from This Experiment

This was a small personal automation project, but it helped me understand how different services can work together.

I got practical exposure to workflow automation with n8n, retrieving structured data from Google Sheets, scheduling notifications, and working with the WhatsApp Business API.

More importantly, I learned to look at everyday inconveniences as potential automation problems.

The project didn't need a complex frontend or a full-stack application. A simple workflow was enough to explore the idea.

Final Thoughts

I started with one simple question: What if I could know today's mess menu without checking it manually?

That question led me to explore automation tools, APIs, and messaging policies.

It reminded me that learning doesn't always have to begin with a large project. Sometimes, a small problem in your daily routine is enough to teach you something new.

And that's exactly what this experiment did for me.