EasyPreps

Turn your ingredients into a plan, your prep into a win.

Overview

Duration: Jun 2024 (1 month)

Role: Research, Design, Testing

Organization: Springboard (Capstone)

The Problem

  • Busy individuals often struggle to plan meals, track their pantry items, and stay motivated.

  • Prepping feels like a chore, leading to reliance on unhealthy takeout.

  • EasyPreps was envisioned to transform this burden into a manageable and even enjoyable routine.

The Solution

  • EasyPreps was built using a research-driven approach.

  • User interviews, ideation sessions, and iterative testing led to features like:

    • AI meal playlists for personalized plans

    • Pantry scan for efficient inventory, and

    • Gamified challenges to boost motivation.

Secondary Research

Why We’re Always Too Tired to Meal Prep

Time Crunch & Its Consequences

  • 39% of US adults and 52% of 18-34 year-olds lack the time to cook, leading to increased takeout, waste, stress, guilt, burnout, and decision fatigue.

  • YouGov reports that 53% of people cite time as their primary concern when it comes to meal planning. 

  • The main issue isn’t just time but mental stress. People need meal-prep tools that keep them focused, help them decide faster, and support their daily habits.

Competitive Analysis

To understand how others solve meal prep struggles, I analyzed top apps like Mealime, Whisk, and Prepear.

Strengths

  • Intelligent recipe suggestions

  • Automated grocery list generation

  • Advanced diet-specific filtering

Weaknesses

  • Cater primarily to already motivated users.

  • Lack features to engage and energize those struggling with consistency.

  • Absence of gamification, reward systems, or mood-based suggestions.

Opportunity

Create a tool that organizes meal planning and motivates users to maintain their routine, tackling fatigue and disengagement.

Primary Research

Finding the Right Preppers: Screener Survey

To understand meal-prep habits better, I created a screener survey to find the right people to talk to.

Ideal Participants

  • Adults (25–45)

  • Working professionals or students

  • Cooks at least 2–3 times a week

  • Has considered and does meal-prepping, but faces challenges in the process

  • Wanting to make their meal prepping process more effective

  • Lack of motivation and guidance for meal prep

Results

4 participants who had struggles with staying consistent in meal-prepping and were open to using digital tools for support.

Even cooking enthusiasts often quit meal prep due to limited time, energy, or tools. They want plans that are flexible and enjoyable. EasyPreps must provide more than lists and calendars to keep them motivated.

“What’s Really Cooking?”: User Research Interviews

I interviewed 4 busy individuals with varying schedules, parents, professionals, and students. Each person had different goals, but all shared similar frustrations around meal-prepping.

Insights

People prep meals to stay in control.

“Meal planning is a big part of my self-care. But energy, time, and mood often get in the way.”