Meal Prep
Reduce the drop off while the users are preparing for the ingredients
Posha
Company
Project Overview
Objective. Reduce drop-off in the prep phase of cooking apps, from choosing a recipe to starting on the stove.
- Industry
- Consumer · Food tech
- Platform
- Mobile app
- Tenure
- 48 hours
- Tools
- Team
Devesh (me)Solo Designer
SmitaInterviewed
NeelamInterviewed
What I delivered
- Interviewed 2 home cooks who follow YouTube recipes.
- Found 4 problems that make cooks drop off during prep.
- Compared 3 recipe apps, and where each falls short.
- Designed 2 ways in: recipe first or ingredients first.
- Delivered 6 final screens and a clickable Figma prototype, in 48 hours.
01Problem Framing
The Brief: Reduce Drop-Off While Users Prep Ingredients
Reduce the drop off while the users are preparing for the ingredients
Propose a design for the PREP part of these apps. The PREP part of the App workflow STARTS when a user has chosen a recipe and ENDS when they start cooking on a stovetop.
02User Research
Interviewing 2 Home Cooks Who Follow YouTube Recipes
As part of the research exercise, I interviewed two women in my family who regularly use YouTube to discover and follow recipes. During the COVID-19 lockdown, I also spent a lot of time cooking with my mother, which helped me observe several pain points firsthand.
Smita (mom)
Find recipes matching available ingredients & equipment.
Cooks daily and frequently uses YouTube. Values clear instructions, and recipes that fit into her existing kitchen setup.
Goals
- Finding recipes containing available ingredients.
- Cook reliable meals without surprises
- Follow recipes without repeatedly touching the phone
Pain Points
- Manually noting ingredients
- Rewinding videos with messy hands
- Discovering hidden prep or marination time
Neelam (aunty)
Understand time & tool commitment upfront
Enjoys experimenting with new dishes but prefers recipes that are easy to follow and compatible with the tools she already has.
Goals
- Find recipes based on available appliances
- Understand total cooking time upfront
- Share ingredient lists with family members
Pain Points
- Recipes requiring unavailable equipment
- Unclear time commitment
- Scattered information across long videos
4 Problems That Make Cooks Drop Off During Prep
Reduce drop-off during the prep phase by solving four specific problems:
- Recipes requiring equipment the user doesn’t own.
- Prep/marination time hidden until mid-cook.
- Ingredient lists that had to be manually noted elsewhere.
- Rewinding video with dirty hands.
03Competitor Analysis
What 3 Recipe Apps Already Do, And Where They Fall Short
I studied three apps to understand what already exists and where the gaps were.
04Solution Design
Two Ways In: Recipe First Or Ingredients First
Two entry points, one coherent experience.
Recipe First
Ingredients First
Final Design: 6 Screens, From Discovery To Hands-Free Cooking 
- Tap to place voice guide
- Big text for better readability
- Demo videos
- Trivia widgets
Product in action
Experience the product described in this case study.