diff --git a/cooperative_cuisine/configs/study/level1/level1_config.yaml b/cooperative_cuisine/configs/study/level1/level1_config.yaml
index 0a6b785cdb6c874271052400629ebac79aaab120..c46f38eb934564e140dfd13dac1e1301a66e76fc 100644
--- a/cooperative_cuisine/configs/study/level1/level1_config.yaml
+++ b/cooperative_cuisine/configs/study/level1/level1_config.yaml
@@ -14,8 +14,7 @@ meals:
   # if all: false -> only orders for these meals are generated
   # TODO: what if this list is empty?
   list:
-    - Salad
-    - TomatoSoup
+    - Burger
 
 layout_chars:
   _: Free
diff --git a/cooperative_cuisine/orders.py b/cooperative_cuisine/orders.py
index 0bb26170726813b31d6e0a2becfec3880fb61cb2..71c3d0fee28c966e1e799b165b356e43c5ea47e7 100644
--- a/cooperative_cuisine/orders.py
+++ b/cooperative_cuisine/orders.py
@@ -379,11 +379,15 @@ class RandomOrderGeneration(OrderGeneration):
         self.number_cur_orders = self.kwargs.num_start_meals
         if not self.kwargs.sample_on_serving:
             self.create_random_next_time_delta(now)
-        return self.create_orders_for_meals(
-            self.random.choices(self.available_meals, k=self.kwargs.num_start_meals),
-            now,
-            self.kwargs.sample_on_serving,
-        )
+        if self.available_meals:
+            return self.create_orders_for_meals(
+                self.random.choices(
+                    self.available_meals, k=self.kwargs.num_start_meals
+                ),
+                now,
+                self.kwargs.sample_on_serving,
+            )
+        return []
 
     def get_orders(
         self,
@@ -392,6 +396,8 @@ class RandomOrderGeneration(OrderGeneration):
         new_finished_orders: list[Order],
         expired_orders: list[Order],
     ) -> list[Order]:
+        if not self.available_meals:
+            return []
         self.number_cur_orders -= len(new_finished_orders)
         self.number_cur_orders -= len(expired_orders)
         if self.kwargs.sample_on_serving:
diff --git a/cooperative_cuisine/validation.py b/cooperative_cuisine/validation.py
index f4e8420435b89b03b3df85e3a6bc5a2b36a2d216..07c4f6617b45f87af38de69bd7f1423a8db9e4a2 100644
--- a/cooperative_cuisine/validation.py
+++ b/cooperative_cuisine/validation.py
@@ -265,6 +265,8 @@ class Validation:
         # print("FINAL MEALS:", meals_to_be_ordered)
 
     def get_recipe_graphs(self) -> list[MealGraphDict]:
+        if not self.order_manager.available_meals:
+            return []
         os.makedirs(ROOT_DIR / "generated", exist_ok=True)
 
         # time_start = time.time()