Crunchsaver
Reducing food waste through fun sustainability challenges.
Crunchsaver
Crunchsaver
Managing finances with tools for tracking expenses and budgeting
Managing finances with tools for tracking expenses and budgeting
Overview
An app designed to help users reduce food waste and make the most of their groceries. The app offers a range of features, including expiration date tracking, meal planning, storage tips, recipe suggestions, and fun challenges to minimize waste and save money.
My Role:
UX/UI Designer
Service Provided:
Service Design, Mobile Design
Tools:
Figma
Duration:
4 months
About the Problem
The City of Vancouver estimates that the average Canadian household wastes 140 kg of food annually, costing over $1,100 each year.
Food waste is already a major issue, but for this project, the main challenge is raising awareness about how much food users are wasting each day. Many people aren’t motivated to change their habits, so by helping them become more conscious of their own consumption, we might be able to inspire them to take action and reduce waste.
About the Problem
The City of Vancouver estimates that the average Canadian household wastes 140 kg of food annually, costing over $1,100 each year.
Food waste is already a major issue, but for this project, the main challenge is raising awareness about how much food users are wasting each day. Many people aren’t motivated to change their habits, so by helping them become more conscious of their own consumption, we might be able to inspire them to take action and reduce waste.
Research Overview
For this phase, I started by researching the current food waste situation in the city to better understand the issue. I visited garbage sites and food charities to observe how food waste is being managed locally.
Key Insights
Shoppers often pick only the "perfect" produce, leaving behind items with minor blemishes, even though these blemishes don’t affect freshness or quality. As a result, many perfectly good fruits and vegetables are discarded.
Food is sometimes wasted due to improper storage, either at home or within the supply chain, leading to premature spoilage.
Food charities often don’t have enough resources or infrastructure, making it hard for them to save and distribute all the edible food that might otherwise go to waste.
Many people are unaware of the scale of food waste or don’t understand how much perfectly good food gets discarded due to superficial reasons.
Research Overview
For this phase, I started by researching the current food waste situation in the city to better understand the issue. I visited garbage sites and food charities to observe how food waste is being managed locally.
Key Insights
Shoppers often pick only the "perfect" produce, leaving behind items with minor blemishes, even though these blemishes don’t affect freshness or quality. As a result, many perfectly good fruits and vegetables are discarded.
Food is sometimes wasted due to improper storage, either at home or within the supply chain, leading to premature spoilage.
Food charities often don’t have enough resources or infrastructure, making it hard for them to save and distribute all the edible food that might otherwise go to waste.
Many people are unaware of the scale of food waste or don’t understand how much perfectly good food gets discarded due to superficial reasons.
Competitive Analysis
As part of CrunchSaver's development, I researched apps like Too Good To Go to see how they tackle food waste and savings. While Too Good To Go focuses on connecting users with surplus food from businesses, I noticed a gap in helping people manage their own groceries at home. This inspired ideas for CrunchSaver to stand out by offering personalized tips, recipes, and tracking tools to reduce waste and save money directly in users' kitchens. With a clearer understanding, I then conducted user interviews.
Competitive Analysis
As part of CrunchSaver's development, I researched apps like Too Good To Go to see how they tackle food waste and savings. While Too Good To Go focuses on connecting users with surplus food from businesses, I noticed a gap in helping people manage their own groceries at home. This inspired ideas for CrunchSaver to stand out by offering personalized tips, recipes, and tracking tools to reduce waste and save money directly in users' kitchens. With a clearer understanding, I then conducted user interviews.
User Persona
For CrunchSaver, I created a detailed user persona based on the interviews to ensure a user-centered design approach. This persona captured key demographics, goals, and challenges, providing insights into the needs of users like Jessica, a budget-conscious and sustainability-minded professional. The personas served as a foundation for aligning design solutions with user behaviors and motivations.
User Persona
For CrunchSaver, I created a detailed user persona based on the interviews to ensure a user-centered design approach. This persona captured key demographics, goals, and challenges, providing insights into the needs of users like Jessica, a budget-conscious and sustainability-minded professional. The personas served as a foundation for aligning design solutions with user behaviors and motivations.
Defining the Problem
Many don’t realize how much money they’re wasting on discarded food.
Meal planning can feel complicated, and users may struggle with finding recipes that fit what they already have.
People often forget about food expiration dates, leading to items being wasted.
Designing Solutions
🍽️ Waste Reduction Challenges: Encourage users to set goals and participate in challenges focused on reducing food waste, such as using up all ingredients before they expire or cutting down on grocery overbuying.
💰 Points and Discounts: Users earn points through completing challenges, which can be redeemed for discounts on groceries, making food waste reduction even more rewarding.
📊 Savings Tracker: Reward users by tracking the money saved from reducing food waste, turning it into a fun challenge to see how much they can save each month.
📖 Recipe Finder: Help users easily discover recipes they’ll love by suggesting meals based on what they already have at home. Streamline meal planning by allowing users to add ingredients directly to their grocery list.
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Defining the Problem
Many don’t realize how much money they’re wasting on discarded food.
Meal planning can feel complicated, and users may struggle with finding recipes that fit what they already have.
People often forget about food expiration dates, leading to items being wasted.
Designing Solutions
🍽️ Waste Reduction Challenges: Encourage users to set goals and participate in challenges focused on reducing food waste, such as using up all ingredients before they expire or cutting down on grocery overbuying.
💰 Points and Discounts: Users earn points through completing challenges, which can be redeemed for discounts on groceries, making food waste reduction even more rewarding.
📊 Savings Tracker: Reward users by tracking the money saved from reducing food waste, turning it into a fun challenge to see how much they can save each month.
📖 Recipe Finder: Help users easily discover recipes they’ll love by suggesting meals based on what they already have at home. Streamline meal planning by allowing users to add ingredients directly to their grocery list.
Defining the Problem
Many don’t realize how much money they’re wasting on discarded food.
Meal planning can feel complicated, and users may struggle with finding recipes that fit what they already have.
People often forget about food expiration dates, leading to items being wasted.
Designing Solutions
🍽️ Waste Reduction Challenges: Encourage users to set goals and participate in challenges focused on reducing food waste, such as using up all ingredients before they expire or cutting down on grocery overbuying.
💰 Points and Discounts: Users earn points through completing challenges, which can be redeemed for discounts on groceries, making food waste reduction even more rewarding.
📊 Savings Tracker: Reward users by tracking the money saved from reducing food waste, turning it into a fun challenge to see how much they can save each month.
📖 Recipe Finder: Help users easily discover recipes they’ll love by suggesting meals based on what they already have at home. Streamline meal planning by allowing users to add ingredients directly to their grocery list.
Sitemap
Sitemap
Wireframes
Starting out with these low-fidelity wireframes, I focused on mapping out the app's core structure and user flow. These wireframes provided a basic visual layout to test functionality and navigation early on. By keeping the designs simple, I was able to prioritize usability, gather feedback, and make adjustments before moving to high-fidelity prototypes.
Wireframes
Starting out with these low-fidelity wireframes, I focused on mapping out the app's core structure and user flow. These wireframes provided a basic visual layout to test functionality and navigation early on. By keeping the designs simple, I was able to prioritize usability, gather feedback, and make adjustments before moving to high-fidelity prototypes.
Wireframes
Once I felt ready to create the hi-fi wireframes of my proposed solutions, I took my previous low-fi wireframes to develop hi-fi wireframes for my prototype.
Wireframes
Once I felt ready to create the hi-fi wireframes of my proposed solutions, I took my previous low-fi wireframes to develop hi-fi wireframes for my prototype.
Pain Point
Users may feel unsure about where to start or how to stay motivated to reduce food waste.
Solution
The Challenges page offers an easy way to find and join challenges to reduce food waste, with filters to help users select specific challenges based on their interests—such as recipes, leftover ingredients, or meal prep. This feature makes it easier for users to engage with relevant challenges and stay motivated while contributing to a sustainable food culture.
Pain Point
Users may feel unsure about where to start or how to stay motivated to reduce food waste.
Solution
The Challenges page offers an easy way to find and join challenges to reduce food waste, with filters to help users select specific challenges based on their interests—such as recipes, leftover ingredients, or meal prep. This feature makes it easier for users to engage with relevant challenges and stay motivated while contributing to a sustainable food culture.
Pain Point
Users may feel unsure about where to start or how to stay motivated to reduce food waste.
Solution
The Challenges page offers an easy way to find and join challenges to reduce food waste, with filters to help users select specific challenges based on their interests—such as recipes, leftover ingredients, or meal prep. This feature makes it easier for users to engage with relevant challenges and stay motivated while contributing to a sustainable food culture.
Pain Point
Users may lack motivation to participate in challenges without tangible rewards, making it harder to stay committed.
Solution
The Rewards page allows users to earn points for completing food waste reduction challenges, which can be redeemed for discounts or prizes at partnered stores. This system provides an incentive for users to continue engaging with challenges, offering a rewarding experience that aligns with their sustainability goals.
Pain Point
Users may lack motivation to participate in challenges without tangible rewards, making it harder to stay committed.
Solution
The Rewards page allows users to earn points for completing food waste reduction challenges, which can be redeemed for discounts or prizes at partnered stores. This system provides an incentive for users to continue engaging with challenges, offering a rewarding experience that aligns with their sustainability goals.
Pain Point
It’s easy to lose track of food in the pantry, leading to forgotten ingredients and unnecessary waste.
Solution
The My Pantry screen helps users track expiration dates for their ingredients and provides recipe suggestions tailored to leftover or soon-to-expire items. Filters make it easy to find recipes that suit specific needs, helping users minimize waste while creating meals effortlessly.
Pain Point
It’s easy to lose track of food in the pantry, leading to forgotten ingredients and unnecessary waste.
Solution
The My Pantry screen helps users track expiration dates for their ingredients and provides recipe suggestions tailored to leftover or soon-to-expire items. Filters make it easy to find recipes that suit specific needs, helping users minimize waste while creating meals effortlessly.
Reflection
Working on Crunchsaver was one of the most challenging projects I’ve ever tackled. Balancing practicality with engaging design pushed me to rethink how I approach user-centered solutions. It was tough to make features feel intuitive while addressing such a complex issue like food waste.
Despite the struggle, it taught me so much, not just about design, but also about my own habits. I had to constantly question whether what I was creating would actually help people or just add to their stress. I hope these tools, like tracking ingredients and finding recipes, make managing food waste easier for users and inspire positive change.
Reflection
Working on Crunchsaver was one of the most challenging projects I’ve ever tackled. Balancing practicality with engaging design pushed me to rethink how I approach user-centered solutions. It was tough to make features feel intuitive while addressing such a complex issue like food waste.
Despite the struggle, it taught me so much, not just about design, but also about my own habits. I had to constantly question whether what I was creating would actually help people or just add to their stress. I hope these tools, like tracking ingredients and finding recipes, make managing food waste easier for users and inspire positive change.
