Scan and Cook
Overview:
Scan & Cook is a concept mobile app designed to help users make better use of the ingredients they already have. By scanning items or selecting them manually, users can quickly discover recipes tailored to what’s available to them.
The goal of the project was to reduce food waste, simplify meal planning, and create a fast, intuitive experience for users who don’t know what to cook.
My Role:
Product Designer
I led the end-to-end design of the product, from initial concept through to high-fidelity designs.
My responsibilities included:
- Defining the product concept and user problem
- Designing user flows and core interactions
- Creating wireframes, UI, and prototypes
- Exploring ways to simplify decision-making in the cooking process
Tools:
- Adobe XD
- Illustrator
The Problem:
Many users struggle with deciding what to cook:
- Ingredients are often forgotten or unused
- Meal planning can feel time-consuming and overwhelming
- Users lack inspiration when working with limited ingredients
- Food waste increases due to poor planning
There is a need for a simple way to turn available ingredients into practical meal ideas.
The Challenge:
- Designing a fast and low-effort way to input ingredients
- Making recipe suggestions feel relevant and useful
- Reducing decision fatigue in the cooking process
- Creating an experience that works for both quick and exploratory use
Approach:
- Explored how users currently plan meals and search for recipes
- Identified friction in ingredient input and decision-making
- Mapped key journeys from ingredient input to recipe selection
- Iterated on flows to reduce steps and improve clarity
Solution:
Scan & Cook enables users to:
- Scan or input ingredients they already have
- Receive tailored recipe suggestions instantly
- Explore meals based on available items
- Reduce food waste by using what’s already at home
The experience is designed to be quick, intuitive, and helpful in everyday situations.
Impact:
- Encourages better use of existing ingredients
- Reduces food waste through smarter meal planning
- Simplifies decision-making for everyday cooking
- Demonstrates strong mobile UX and interaction design
My Design Process:
- Problem definition and concept exploration
- User flow mapping
- Wireframing and interaction design
- High-fidelity UI design
- Prototyping and iteration
Product:
Scan & Cook is a mobile-first application designed for everyday home cooking.
Key features include:
- Ingredient scanning and manual input
- Recipe recommendations based on available ingredients
- Simple browsing and selection experience
- Visual, easy-to-follow recipe layouts
The product focuses on convenience, speed, and reducing friction in meal planning.
Wireframe:
To see the full user journey and wireframe, please use the scroll on the embedded pdf below or click to enlarge. To see the full high fidelity prototype created using Adobe XD please click on the button at the end of the PDF or by clicking here.
