func getContext () -> NSManagedObjectContext {
        let appDelegate = UIApplication.shared.delegate as! AppDelegate
        return appDelegate.persistentContainer.viewContext
    }

    func storeDishesInfo (itemName: String, itemPrice: String, itemType: String) {
        let context = getContext()

        //retrieve the entity that we just created
        let entity =  NSEntityDescription.entity(forEntityName: "Dishes", in: context)

        let transc = NSManagedObject(entity: entity!, insertInto: context)

        //set the entity values
        transc.setValue(itemName, forKey: "itemName")
        transc.setValue(itemPrice, forKey: "itemPrice")
        transc.setValue(itemType, forKey: "itemType")

        //save the object
        do {
            try context.save()
            print("saved!")
        } catch let error as NSError  {
            print("Could not save \(error), \(error.userInfo)")
        } catch {

        }
    }

    func getDishesInfo () -> String {
        var info = ""

        //create a fetch request, telling it about the entity
        let fetchRequest: NSFetchRequest<Dishes> = Dishes.fetchRequest()

        do {
            //go get the results
            let searchResults = try getContext().fetch(fetchRequest)

            //I like to check the size of the returned results!
            print ("num of results = \(searchResults.count)")

            //You need to convert to NSManagedObject to use 'for' loops
            for trans in searchResults as [NSManagedObject] {
                let itemName = trans.value(forKey: "itemName") as! String
                let itemPrice = String(trans.value(forKey: "itemPrice") as! Double)
                let itemType = trans.value(forKey: "itemType") as! String
                info = info + itemName + " " + itemPrice + ", " + itemType + "\n"
            }
        } catch {
            print("Error with request: \(error)")
        }
        return info;
    }

    func removeRecords () {
        let context = getContext()
        // delete everything in the table Dishes
        let deleteFetch = NSFetchRequest<NSFetchRequestResult>(entityName: "Dishes")
        let deleteRequest = NSBatchDeleteRequest(fetchRequest: deleteFetch)

        do {
            try context.execute(deleteRequest)
            try context.save()
        } catch {
            print ("There was an error")
        }
    }

}