︎ SmartBite
An on-the-go healthy solution for today’s food ordering routines.
By Garrett Dee ︎
Hypothesis
If busy young adults use a plug-in that compiles healthy options from popular food and grocery delivery apps, then they will be more likely to develop healthier eating habits and maintain a lower BMI compared to those who rely solely on standard delivery app options.
If busy young adults use a plug-in that compiles healthy options from popular food and grocery delivery apps, then they will be more likely to develop healthier eating habits and maintain a lower BMI compared to those who rely solely on standard delivery app options.
- Why
Busy young adults are statistically more likely to choose a delivery app for their food needs, and are therefore more likely to be exposed to unhealthy options. A 2019 study conducted by Zion et. al. and reported by the NIH shows that approximately 40% of Americans had used a food delivery app in the past 90 days, and 63% of those users were young adults aged 19-29. While healthy options are available on these apps, GrubHub reported that as many as 70% of food orders were for quick service or fast casual restaurants, which have been previously linked by the NIH to higher BMIs in consumers.
- How
SmartBite seeks to curate existing food and grocery delivery services using emerging AI technology via personal devices such as smartphones and computers. The aim is to appeal to the tech-savvy young adult demographic, who are also the most statistically likely to utilize said delivery apps.
- What
The SmartBite intervention exists primarily within the information phase on the design continuum. This is a digital intervention- an AI curator of healthy eating options that embeds itself into popular food and grocery delivery apps and sites for a seamless experience. SmartBite’s AI curator can create meal plans based on calorie and macro goals, and use these plans to suggest restaurants, meals, recipes, and shopping lists, and even notify users of the nutrition facts of their orders before they check out, and how it f its into their custom meal plan.
- So What
Obesity rates among young adults in the US continue to rise, and delivery apps are more popular than ever before among the same demographic. SmartBite seamlessly integrates into the existing food-ordering routines of busy young adults to promote healthy eating options and habits while still offering the same time- and effort-saving appeal.
The Link Between Design and Outcomes
SmartBite exists as a website, app, and browser plug-in that integrates itself with the user’s food and grocery delivery services. The user can input their calorie and macronutrient goals to SmartBite to receive a custom AI-generated diet and meal plan recommendation. This plan can dynamically update based on the user’s progress, eating habits and preferences, and budget.
This custom plan is used for several SmartBite functions. The user can search for meals through popular delivery services that f it their plan and goals. This can also work the opposite way- SmartBite will offer a pop-up at checkout of any connected delivery service, notifying the user of the nutrition facts of their order, and how it fits into their plan. SmartBite can also search the web and save recipes to cook at home and generate a shopping list based on the user’s selected meals. This shopping list can then be sent to popular grocery delivery services, or exported for personal use.
SmartBite aims to be a one stop shop for healthy eating on the go in a digital world. It seamlessly integrates with popular delivery services to curate healthy food options and encourage smart habits, while still offering the appeal of saving on time and effort for busy young adults.
︎︎︎Download Smart Bite Poster