Meal Master

Smart Meals Simplified

Project Type

Mobile App
Fridge Screen

Tools Used

Figma
Photoshop
Google forms

My Role

Product Designer

Duration

13Month

Project overview

Meal Master simplifies meal planning by leveraging technology to identify available ingredients, suggest recipes, and reduce food waste. The app aims to inspire cooking, streamline the planning process, and help users make the most of their groceries.

Results

Simplified Meal Planning

Smart fridge integration simplifies meal planning by reducing decision fatigue and optimizing ingredient use.

Time Saved

Helps users save an average of 30 minutes per week on meal planning and grocery preparation.

Reduced Food Waste

Anticipated to reduce household food waste by 20% within the first six months of consistent app usage.

Problem Statement

In today’s fast-paced world, individuals often struggle with meal planning due to a lack of inspiration or knowledge about what to cook with the ingredients available in their fridge. Additionally, food waste is a growing concern, as many perishables are forgotten until they expire. Meal Master addresses these issues by leveraging technology to suggest recipes based on scanned ingredients, minimizing waste and simplifying the cooking process.

Phone screen

Home screen for recipe suggestion

Recipe categories

Food ingredient list

Recipe detail

GOAL

Create an intuitive and user-friendly interface that allows easy navigation and interaction, especially on a smart fridge screen.

Create an intuitive and user-friendly interface that allows easy navigation and interaction, especially on a smart fridge screen.

Create an intuitive and user-friendly interface that allows easy navigation and interaction, especially on a smart fridge screen.

Project Timeline

April

May

June

Research
User Persona
Empathy Mapping
User Flow
Lo Fi Sketching
Hi Fi Sketching
Prototyping
User Flow

Competitive Analysis

User Personas

Sofia Ramirez

The Health-Conscious Mom

"I hate wasting food. I need a quick way to plan meals for my family using what we already have."

Age: 38    |   Occupation: Fitness Instructor Location: Austin, TX | Tech Savviness: Moderate | Household: Married, one child

Personality & Background

A dedicated mom managing family meals while trying to reduce food waste. Values convenience and nutrition. Sophia enjoys trying new recipes but often feels overwhelmed by the sheer number of meal options.

Goals

Ensure nutritious meals for her family with minimal effort.
Reduce food waste by tracking perishables.
Make kid-friendly, healthy meals without compromising nutrition.

Pain Points

Juggles between work, family, and meal prep.
Finds it hard to track what’s in the fridge before shopping.
Wants diverse meal options but doesn’t always have time to plan.

Motivation

Wants to instill healthy eating habits in her child.
Prefers structured meal plans that fit her lifestyle.
Avoids eating out frequently to save money and stay healthy.

What she’s Looking For

Health-conscious recipe suggestions based on her ingredients.
Meal prep assistance to keep her on track.
Food expiry tracking to avoid waste.

User Personas

Mitra Deshmukh

The Busy Professional

 "I need a simple solution to cook with what I already have, without spending extra time deciding."

Age: 32 | Occupation: Marketing Manager | Location: San Francisco, CA | Tech Savviness: High | Household: Lives with partner

Personality & Background

A career-driven marketing manager juggling tight deadlines. Loves efficiency and prefers quick, no-fuss meal solutions. She values products that help her save time without sacrificing quality or convenience.

Goals

Save time on meal planning while ensuring healthy, balanced meals.
Reduce food waste by utilizing all fridge ingredients efficiently.
Avoid last-minute grocery runs by maintaining an organized grocery list.

Pain Points

Struggles to find time for meal planning amidst her busy schedule.
Often forgets what she has in the fridge, leading to expired items.
Gets frustrated when she has ingredients but doesn’t know what to cook.

Motivation

Wants to maintain a healthy lifestyle without extra effort.
Prefers structured organization in all aspects of life.
Aims to cut down unnecessary spending on groceries and takeout.

What she’s Looking For

A quick and efficient way to plan meals.
A seamless grocery list feature to track missing ingredients.
Automated ingredient management to prevent unnecessary waste.

User Personas

Robby Fond

The Home Chef

"I love experimenting with food, but I need something that helps me plan quickly with what’s in my fridge."

Age: 45 |  Occupation: IT Consultant & Food Enthusiast |  Location: Chicago, IL | Tech Savviness: High  | Household: Married, two kids

Personality & Background

A software engineer who enjoys cooking as a creative outlet but struggles with meal planning. Loves smart tech solutions. Rajesh looks for ways to integrate technology into every aspect of his life, especially when it comes to cooking.

Goals

Experiment with new and creative meals without extra effort.
Keep track of ingredient expiration to avoid waste.
Plan meals in advance for his family without stress.

Pain Points

Buys duplicate ingredients because he forgets what’s at home.
Finds it frustrating when ingredients expire before use.
Wants more diverse meal options but doesn’t always have time to research recipes.

Motivation

Loves cooking and wants to keep meals interesting.
Wants to teach his kids to cook by involving them in the process.
Prefers home-cooked meals over takeout to save money and eat healthily.

What she’s Looking For

Smart fridge integration that reminds him of expiring ingredients.
Customized recipe suggestions based on available ingredients.
Meal planning tools to balance work and home life.

Fridge screen

Home screen for recipe suggestion

Recipe categories

Food ingredient list

Recipe detail

User study analysis

Struggle with meal inspiration

Many users lack ideas on what to cook with the ingredients they have on hand.

Experience food waste

Users often forget about perishable ingredients, leading to waste

Frequently cook at home

Most users cook at home and are open to trying new recipes if they are easy and accessible

Use apps or online tools

Some users rely on existing meal-planning apps but find them lacking in features like fridge integration or real-time suggestions.