Reinventing the process of choosing what to eat
Reinventing the process of choosing what to eat
NUTRIO
NUTRIO
0-1 PRODUCT
0-1 PRODUCT
ROLE
ROLE
Founding Designer
Founding Designer
TIMELINE
TIMELINE
Summer 2025
Summer 2025
TEAM
TEAM
2 Product Managers
1 Product Designer
2 Developers
2 Product Managers
1 Product Designer
2 Developers
SKILLS
SKILLS
Product Thinking
UX Research
UI Design
Prototyping
User Interviews
Product Thinking
UX Research
UI Design
Prototyping
User Interviews
OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
Project Summary
Project Summary
Nutrio is a mobile app that helps people make confident, personalized food decisions — whether cooking at home or picking a restaurant — by combining tailored meal suggestions, nearby food recommendations, and simple nutrition logging. I identified decision and tracking fatigue as key challenges and designed Nutrio to support realistic, sustainable habits.
Nutrio is a mobile app that helps people make confident, personalized food decisions — whether cooking at home or picking a restaurant — by combining tailored meal suggestions, nearby food recommendations, and simple nutrition logging. I identified decision and tracking fatigue as key challenges and designed Nutrio to support realistic, sustainable habits.
Nutrio is a mobile app that helps people make confident, personalized food decisions — whether cooking at home or picking a restaurant — by combining tailored meal suggestions, nearby food recommendations, and simple nutrition logging. I identified decision and tracking fatigue as key challenges and designed Nutrio to support realistic, sustainable habits.
PREVIEW
PREVIEW
A Glimpse into Nutrio
A Glimpse into Nutrio
I worked towards ideating key features that would promote a smooth usage process.
KEY FEATURES
KEY FEATURES
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
It’s hard to track what you eat + eat the right things.
It’s hard to track what you eat + eat the right things.
Eating well consistently is hard — not because people don’t know what to eat, but because they struggle with choosing what to eat that fits their goals, health needs, and daily context.
Eating well consistently is hard — not because people don’t know what to eat, but because they struggle with choosing what to eat that fits their goals, health needs, and daily context.
MY GOAL: DISCOVER WHAT’S MISSING
MY GOAL: DISCOVER WHAT’S MISSING
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
Defining My Strategy
Defining My Strategy
Through research, I aimed to understand why users abandon nutrition apps even when they are motivated to eat healthier, and identify what prevents these tools from fitting into real daily decision-making.
Through research, I aimed to understand why users abandon nutrition apps even when they are motivated to eat healthier, and identify what prevents these tools from fitting into real daily decision-making.
THESE METHODS HELPED ME DECIDE WHAT TO FOCUS ON FOR THE PRODUCT
THESE METHODS HELPED ME DECIDE WHAT TO FOCUS ON FOR THE PRODUCT
THESE METHODS HELPED ME DECIDE WHAT TO FOCUS ON
KEY INSIGHTS
KEY INSIGHTS
Method 1: Competitive Analysis
Method 1: Competitive Analysis
I analyzed 10 apps across nutrition, fitness, and wellness, but narrowed my focus to 3 apps that better reflected Nutrio’s spirit of personalization and positivity.
I analyzed 10 apps across nutrition, fitness, and wellness, but narrowed my focus to 3 apps that better reflected Nutrio’s spirit of personalization and positivity.
Key Takeaways from these apps
Key Takeaways from these apps
Clean visuals make tracking approachable
Clean visuals make tracking approachable
Nutrition logging is done through photos, recipes, and ingredients
Nutrition logging is done through photos, recipes, and ingredients
Weak emotional engagement
Weak emotional engagement
KEY INSIGHTS
KEY INSIGHTS
Method 2: User Interviews
Method 2: User Interviews
I interviewed 8 different users, spanning across people who were incredible experienced in trying to stay on top of their health and others who had just started their health journey. Here are some takeaways from my interviews:
I interviewed 8 different users, spanning across people who were incredible experienced in trying to stay on top of their health and others who had just started their health journey. Here are some takeaways from my interviews:
Key Takeaways from Interviews
Key Takeaways from Interviews
Beginners feel intimidated by complex tracking flows
Beginners feel intimidated by complex tracking flows
Users stay more consistent when the app feels encouraging
Users stay more consistent when the app feels encouraging
Dietary restrictions and health needs are often neglected in food discovery
Dietary restrictions and health needs are often neglected in food discovery
USER STORIES I CREATED FROM MY RESEARCH
USER STORIES I CREATED FROM MY RESEARCH
SETUP
Focusing on usability & personalized user experiences
Focusing on usability & personalized user experiences
My research revealed three major needs: clarity in food choices, personalization for dietary needs, and supportive habit-building. While all were important, I focused on creating a usable app with positive feedback, as it offered the clearest opportunity to help users understand their nutrition status.
My research revealed three major needs: clarity in food choices, personalization for dietary needs, and supportive habit-building. While all were important, I focused on creating a usable app with positive feedback, as it offered the clearest opportunity to help users understand their nutrition status.
CONVERTING MY RESEARCH INTO DESIGN GOALS
CONVERTING MY RESEARCH INTO DESIGN GOALS
SOLUTION
SOLUTION
Feature 1: Food Discovery
Feature 1: Food Discovery
I designed food discovery to be fast and flexible, allowing users to toggle between restaurants and recipes in one seamless flow. Users can quickly save recipes, scan key nutrition details, and search using their specific dietary needs, reducing friction and uncertainty when deciding what to eat.
I designed food discovery to be fast and flexible, allowing users to toggle between restaurants and recipes in one seamless flow. Users can quickly save recipes, scan key nutrition details, and search using their specific dietary needs, reducing friction and uncertainty when deciding what to eat.
CREATING A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE IN FOOD DISCOVERY
CREATING A SEAMLESS EXPERIENCE IN FOOD DISCOVERY
SOLUTION
SOLUTION
Feature 2: Personalized Profile
Feature 2: Personalized Profile
I designed the profile page to centralize personalization, giving users one place to view their health information, saved recipes, daily nutrition goals, and logging streaks. By surfacing key details at a glance, the profile reinforces progress while keeping the experience simple and motivating.
I designed the profile page to centralize personalization, giving users one place to view their health information, saved recipes, daily nutrition goals, and logging streaks. By surfacing key details at a glance, the profile reinforces progress while keeping the experience simple and motivating.
FORMING PERSONAL, UNIQUE USER EXPERIENCES
FORMING PERSONAL, UNIQUE USER EXPERIENCES
SOLUTION
SOLUTION
Feature 3: Simplified Logging Process
Feature 3: Simplified Logging Process
I designed the logging page to be simple and flexible, allowing users to log meals from a recipe, a restaurant, or a photo they take of their food. By minimizing steps and offering multiple input options, the logging experience supports consistency without adding friction.
I designed the logging page to be simple and flexible, allowing users to log meals from a recipe, a restaurant, or a photo they take of their food. By minimizing steps and offering multiple input options, the logging experience supports consistency without adding friction.
STRAIGHTFORWARD TRACKING
STRAIGHTFORWARD TRACKING
SOLUTION
SOLUTION
Feature 4: Friendly Habit Support through Visual Streaks
Feature 4: Friendly Habit Support through Visual Streaks
We introduced a plant-collecting system tied to logging streaks to encourage consistency in a friendly, low-pressure way. As users log their meals, they grow a personal garden that appears on their profile, turning habit-building into a visual and motivating experience.
We introduced a plant-collecting system tied to logging streaks to encourage consistency in a friendly, low-pressure way. As users log their meals, they grow a personal garden that appears on their profile, turning habit-building into a visual and motivating experience.
GAMIFIED REWARDS FOR USER RETENTION
GAMIFIED REWARDS FOR USER RETENTION
TEST CASE 1
TEST CASE 1
Initial Logging Process Lofi
Initial Logging Process Lofi
Version 1 introduced a menu with four features: Eat, Move, Saved, and Profile. Users could log their meals and workouts in their respective sections and pages while exploring food and exercise recommendations.
Version 1 introduced a menu with four features: Eat, Move, Saved, and Profile. Users could log their meals and workouts in their respective sections and pages while exploring food and exercise recommendations.
INITIAL DESIGNS OF LOGGING WORKFLOW
INITIAL DESIGNS OF LOGGING WORKFLOW
However, during testing, I realized that logging both exercise and food overwhelmed users
However, during testing, I realized that logging both exercise and food overwhelmed users
During testing, 85% of users said that they would never log their exercise. Logging both food and restaurants made users feel less inclined/motivated to log.
During testing, 85% of users said that they would never log their exercise. Logging both food and restaurants made users feel less inclined/motivated to log.
A Challenge: How might we streamline/simplify the logging feature?
A Challenge: How might we streamline/simplify the logging feature?
Although recipes and restaurants offered flexibility, the added steps introduced unnecessary friction during logging.
Although recipes and restaurants offered flexibility, the added steps introduced unnecessary friction during logging.
Version 2 Lofi: Creating a page solely for logging meals
Version 2 Lofi: Creating a page solely for logging meals
I created an accessible tab on the navigation bar to allow users to log their meals conveniently with minimal clicks. I also decided to focus solely on logging meals for a simplified process.
I created an accessible tab on the navigation bar to allow users to log their meals conveniently with minimal clicks. I also decided to focus solely on logging meals for a simplified process.
A PAGE FOR LOGGING
A PAGE FOR LOGGING
Successful in User Testing!
Successful in User Testing!
Users expressed that it was significantly easier to log their meals since it was a clear, accessible feature.
Users expressed that it was significantly easier to log their meals since it was a clear, accessible feature.
TEST CASE 2
TEST CASE 2
Version 1 Lofi: User Discovery of Restaurants and Recipes
Version 1 Lofi: User Discovery of Restaurants and Recipes
Version 1 introduced a page where users could discover recipes and restaurants within the “Eat” page. Users are able to explore different options through a filtering system,
Version 1 introduced a page where users could discover recipes and restaurants within the “Eat” page. Users are able to explore different options through a filtering system,
HELPING USERS FIND RECIPES AND RESTAURANTS
HELPING USERS FIND RECIPES AND RESTAURANTS
However, during testing, I discovered that users had an additional decision to make: were they in a mood to cook or go out?
However, during testing, I discovered that users had an additional decision to make: were they in a mood to cook or go out?
During testing, users expressed that they also were making decisions of whether or not they were in the mood to make something or go out. They were frustrated with the excessive scrolling needed in order find the restaurants section.
During testing, users expressed that they also were making decisions of whether or not they were in the mood to make something or go out. They were frustrated with the excessive scrolling needed in order find the restaurants section.
A Challenge: How might we make recipes and restaurants equivalently accessible and easy to locate?
A Challenge: How might we make recipes and restaurants equivalently accessible and easy to locate?
While the recipes and restaurants section was accessible through the same section, users found it inconvenient to scroll up and down between restaurants and recipes. The challenge was finding a way to support users' decision processes of deciding whether they wanted to cook or to get something from a restaurant.
While the recipes and restaurants section was accessible through the same section, users found it inconvenient to scroll up and down between restaurants and recipes. The challenge was finding a way to support users' decision processes of deciding whether they wanted to cook or to get something from a restaurant.
A Flexible Solution: A toggle option for recipes and restaurants
A Flexible Solution: A toggle option for recipes and restaurants
I created a streamlined process where users could seamlessly switch between exploring restaurant and recipe options, allowing them to see what they were in the mood to do and support their decision making.
I created a streamlined process where users could seamlessly switch between exploring restaurant and recipe options, allowing them to see what they were in the mood to do and support their decision making.
ALLOWING USERS TO SEAMLESSLY SWITCH BETWEEN RECIPES AND RESTAURANTS
ALLOWING USERS TO SEAMLESSLY SWITCH BETWEEN RECIPES AND RESTAURANTS
Successful In User Testing!
Successful In User Testing!
All the users responded positively to the toggle layout. They appreciated the flexibility to reopen the recipes and restaurants sections while making decisions. This new system also significantly sped up the decision process of choosing what to eat.
All the users responded positively to the toggle layout. They appreciated the flexibility to reopen the recipes and restaurants sections while making decisions. This new system also significantly sped up the decision process of choosing what to eat.
REFLECTION
REFLECTION
Personal Learnings from the project
Personal Learnings from the project
I analyzed 10 apps across nutrition, fitness, and wellness, but narrowed my focus to 3 apps that better reflected Nutrio’s spirit of personalization and positivity.
I analyzed 10 apps across nutrition, fitness, and wellness, but narrowed my focus to 3 apps that better reflected Nutrio’s spirit of personalization and positivity.
Here are my biggest takeaways from this project:
Here are my biggest takeaways from this project:
Align product decisions with clear user goals to maintain focus
Align product decisions with clear user goals to maintain focus
Prioritize clarity when presenting complex information to users
Prioritize clarity when presenting complex information to users
Balance visual aesthetics with usability to avoid overwhelming users
Balance visual aesthetics with usability to avoid overwhelming users