Project Overview
Problem Space
HelloFresh is a meal kit service that simplifies home cooking with pre-portioned ingredients and guided recipes. In this project, we explored how to take the physical elements of cooking and integrate digital features into the cooking process.
Once the ingredients arrive, the HelloFresh experience shifts from a digital product to a hands-on cooking process. While the recipe and ordering process is well-optimized, there’s limited insight and measurement to how customers actually cook. As such, our project sought to implement digital support to improve the cooking experience without adding complexity.
We then defined the following challenges and constraints on understanding the physical cooking process:
Limited Baseline Data
Unclear Existing Cooking Behaviors
Undefined Success Metrics
We first started by outlining an overarching question:
"How might we measure & digitally enhance the meal kit cooking experience for at-home chefs?"
Research
Our research sought to answer these key objectives
Fitness & Health Apps
Grocery & Retail Tech
E-Learning Platforms
Smart Kitchen Tech
Initially, we performed a competitive analysis and adjacent industry research to familiarize ourselves on methods and features utilized by competitors.
We then conducted 6 ethnographies following beginner to experienced chefs utilizing existing physical and digital HelloFresh tools. Participants were asked to think aloud, allowing us to record user habits, challenges, and motivations for their cooking behaviors and actions.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
ADJACENT INDUSTRY
Explore opportunities to measure engagement and convenience
Understanding current cooking behaviors
Identify pain points in physical and digital interactions
An interactive meal curation solution adaptable to consumer cooking abilities
ROLE
Product Designer,
Prototyping Lead
TIMELINE
February - May 2025
TEAM
Christine Doan
Kayla Espinosa
Yash Saswade
SKILLS
Figma
Prototyping
UX Research
Hello Fresh
Product Design
Top Matches
Creamy Chicken Pasta
35 min
730 cal
100%
Italian Lemon Chicken
Pasta
30 min
760 cal
67%
Sun-Dried Tomato &
Chicken Pasta
25 min
750 cal
67%
Creamy Chicken Pasta
Bake
55 min
850 cal
100%
Creamy Chicken Pasta
Casserole
35 min
900 cal
100%
One-Pan Chicken Alfredo
50 min
800 cal
100%
Italian Chicken Spaghetti
30 min
760 cal
67%
Pasta Parmesan
35 min
830 cal
33%
One-Pan Pasta Primavera
30 min
720 cal
33%
Beef Ragù Spaghetti
45 min
990 cal
33%
Shrimp Farfalle
30 min
680 cal
33%
Spaghetti & Meatballs
45 min
1150 cal
33%
12 recipe matches
MY FRESH
9:41
Meal Selection
Back
What kind of meal sounds good?
Back
Next
Build & Bake
Meals where you build layers, bake, or grill for a complete dish.
Warm & Hearty
Cozy, cooked meals for comfort or colder days.
Fresh & Light
Meals focused on freshness, raw elements, and lighter feels.
Handhelds & Bowls
Meals you can eat easily or assemble — casual, mix-and-match.
MY FRESH
9:41
ETHNOGRAPHIES
SURVEY RESULTS
FOCUS GROUP
Key Takeaways
Users at all levels prefer scannable bullet points over long paragraphs
Unexpected tool expectations led to clutter and mid-cook improvising
Cooking confidence level shapes interaction with recipe (beginners follow them exactly, more experienced customize their experience)
4.8
4.8
4.8
Fruit Salad
$2
Yakitori Steak Skewers
4.8
Fruit Salad
$2
Greek Diner Spaghetti w/ Feta
4.8
Fruit Salad
$2
Street Cart Chicken Bowls
4.8
Fruit Salad
$2
Soy-Ginger Chicken Onigiri
4.6
Fruit Salad
$2
Smashed Black Bean Tostada
4.8
Fruit Salad
$2
Truffle Mushroom Risotto
4.8
4.8
2.3
4.8
3.7
4.9
Additionally, we conducted a survey to measure cooking behaviors with physical and digital tools. After accumulating insights from these methods, we held a focus group with 5 students to better characterize traits of different experience-level chefs.
Convenience > Exploration
Users default to familiar, easy options
Cooking habits vary
intuitive eating vs. meal-prepping
Meal Kit concerns
restrictive (perishable & pre-portioned)
lack of diverse options / personalization
Key Insights
Cooking Behaviors & Digital Engagement
How often do you use technology while cooking?
NO SCREENS
FREQUENTly
81%
9%
We then synthesized our research insights by creating beginner and advanced user personas and journeys, illustrating their struggles and experiences with a Hello Fresh meal kit.
Synthesis
Recipes are too wordy and hard to skim mid-cook
Desires a more customizable recipe
Digital interfaces disrupt optimal cooking flow
Prefers glanceable, visual instructions that align with multitasking and are easy to follow
Desires options to adjust serving sizes and quick reference recipe overview
Unlikely to order again, they feel HelloFresh is too limited or beginner-oriented.
PAIN POINTS
Background: Emma is a senior at UC Berkeley. She cooks meals daily and aspires to learn a wider range of recipes
Cooking Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Skims and adjusts steps while cooking
Substitutes ingredients based on preference
Uses both digital and physical recipe cards
Treats meal kits as inspiration, not strict instruction
Goal: Emma wants to confidently cook flexible, high-quality meals without needing to reference the recipe.
EXPERT EMMA, 21
BEHAVIORS:
INSIGHTS:
Difficulty managing counter space
Multiple pots on the stove top induced anxiety
Instructions for certain styles of prep were unclear
Meal prepping is a major barrier, Nona likes that HelloFresh can alleviate that
HelloFresh increases Nona’s motivation to cook
Cooking feels more manageable
Likely to order again
PAIN POINTS:
Background: Nona has cooked a few times under her parent’s supervision. Now, she uses her apartment kitchen.
Cooking Level: Beginner
Hesitant to deviate from the recipe
Referencing instructions multiples times each step
Exact measurements are helpful for guidance
Lack of appliance leads to a recipe block
Goal: Nona wants to learn the fundamentals of cooking so that she can attempt to take on recipes solo.
NOVICE NONA, 19
BEHAVIORS:
INSIGHTS:
USER STEPS
ACTIONS
PAIN POINTS
SET-UP & PREP
“This is so much sugar to this much rice, the ratio doesn’t seem right.”
“Finishing this was the most fun, having little onigiris, I wouldn’t be as satisfied if I had a bowl of rice seaweed and chicken”
“I have to read through everything to find what I’m looking for...”
“This is so much sugar to this much rice, the ratio doesn’t seem right.”
Mild Confusion
Very Confused
Suspicious
Frustrated
Slightly Discontent
MEASUREMENT
MEASUREMENT
COOKING EXECUTION
ADJUSTMENT
REFLECTION
Quickly cuts and measures ingredients without rechecking recipe, using visual cues instead of precise measurements for seasonings
Multi-tasked, cooking multiple components on the stove at once, using sensory cues rather than timers to measure doneness
Adds extra ingredients based on personal preference and modifies recipe for efficiency by re-using a pan to avoid extra clean-up
Finished by plating portions from the recipe, but also storing leftover ingredients (i.e. leftover meat and veggies fom skewers in tupperware)
Recipe over-explains simple, easy steps
Unclear cooking equipment requirements needed for recipe
Ingredient measurements are restrictive
Prefers to cook intuitively
No recommendations for optimization techniques
Recipe is overly sequential, without tips for multitasking
Overestimated intuition and chicken was undercooked, so they had re-cook it
Recipe doesn’t include potential add-ons ingredient recommendations
Meal kits feel restrictive
Recipe doesn’t suggest shortcuts
Felt confident to deviate, thought it was easier than following the recipe
Questioned the wording of recipe, especially for portion sizes and seasoning
EMOTIONS
Digital recipes allow for customization between detailed and more general instructions
Recipe can include more optimization techniques to streamline the time-consuming prep process
Adaptive recipe guidance would help give real-time advice and reminders to a busy chef
Recipe can suggest ingredients that might enhance the meal and include “one-pot” or cleanup efficient tips
Taste is good, time might not be as worth it... transparent on how long the prep time takes I would look at recipes that takes less.”
OPPORTUNITY
Skims the recipe to understand the key ingredients, necessary cooking tools, and steps while mentally mapping out the cooking process.
Cooking Level: Intermediate/Advanced
EXPERT EMMA, 21
Background: Emma is a senior at UC Berkeley. She cooks meals daily and aspires to learn a wider range of recipes
Goal: Emma wants to confidently cook flexible, high-quality meals without needing to referencing the recipe.
“Why would I put 2 tsp of chicken, I’m just gonna do it on my own now”
x
😅
🤨
😬
😓
😐
EXPERIENCE AFFECTS COOKING PROCESS
PHYSICAL CARDS PREFERRED OVER APP
TIME AFFECTED BY SPACE AND PORTIONS
Although we initially thought cooks would prefer the digital app, people preferred the physical recipe card due to convenience. The app would experience frequent malfunctions such as crashing, large paragraphs, and lack of pictures.
Cooks experienced longer cooking times mostly due to lack of kitchen space and dishes, along with confusion regarding portions of ingredients (which affected prep time)
Experienced cooks are more likely to prefer adaptable, more flexible recipes, while beginner cooks might prefer more detailed instructions and are less likely to deviate from the recipe.
AFFINITY MAPPING
KEY INSIGHTS
Utilizing the Crazy 8's method, we cultivated ideas targeting pain points of both advanced and beginner chefs. After multiple rounds of 8 ideas in 8 minutes, we evaluated our ideas based on impact and feasibility.
Ideation
INITIAL TOP IDEAS
FINALIZED SOUTIONS
Spearheading the prototyping sprint, I led the team in creating 4 prototypes including in-app social features, an AI-chatbot design, and a recipe curation model.
Specifically, I worked on implementing features for users to curate recipes.
This create your own recipe idea allows chefs to build their meal from scratch for a meal kit experience that’s both flexible and structured.
Prototyping
MyFresh :
FEATURES
Customization for dietary restrictions and nutrition
Preserves organized convenience of a meal kit with more flexibility
Introduces pride and creativity to showcase recipes and get inspiration
My Fresh prioritizes the following features:
PAIN POINTS
Lack of flexibility that made meal kits feel restrictive
Burden of ingredient shopping and organizing ingredients
Isolated cooking experience with low motivation or inspiration
My Fresh addresses user pain points such as:
After many iterations between the low-fidelity sketch and screens to high-fidelity, I finalized the My Fresh prototype with 4 different recipe curation models.
By inputting a base, protein, and vegetable, HelloFresh recommends a tailored set of recipe templates, offering flexible decision-making without a fixed recipe in mind.
Pain Points Addressed:
Lack of flexibility in predetermined recipes
Stagnation for experienced chefs
Burden of recipe planning and ingredient shopping
Pain Points Addressed:
Users overwhelmed by thousands of recipes
Desire for personalization without starting from scratch
Pain Points Addressed:
Struggle to search for recipes based on flavor profile
Limited opportunity to cook diverse recipes
Inconvenience of tedious search filters
Pain Points Addressed:
Disconnect between digital inspiration and in-person cooking
Limited creative recipe options
Difficulty recreating online recipe inspiration
Final Deliverables
This idea allows chefs to build their meal from scratch for a meal kit experience that’s both flexible and structured.
9:41
Create From Scratch
Inspiration Kits
By selecting flavor profiles and recipe preferences, users are offered curated recipe templates suited to their flavor cravings, with the convenience of a meal kit.
Curate By Flavor
9:41
Curate By Ingredient
9:41
The inspiration kit takes a meal from digital to physical, inspiring users to cook trendy recipes as a meal kit
9:41
Our team created a simple project recap poster to showcase our design process and the deliverables we created!
This project was a group effort, with each of the design consultants contributing to each of the research, synthesis, ideation, and prototyping processes. We each created prototypes of our proposed solutions, working with each other for feedback and cohesive design.
Final Project Poster
HelloFresh Team
LOW-FIDELITY SCREENS
MID-FIDELITY PROTOTYPE & SCREENS
HELLOFRESH
My Recipes
View All
Create from Scratch
Start Your Recipe
Find Inspiration
Use a Template (?)
Browse by Cuisine
Community Recipes
MY FRESH
Who’s eating?
Serving Size
2 plates
Create Your Recipe
Name
Name
Add profile
Next
MY FRESH
Rice
Choose Your Base
Next
Back
MY FRESH
Chicken
Choose Your Protein
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Back
Suggested for You
Browse more options
MY FRESH
Add Some Seasoning!
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Back
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Suggested for You
More Seasoning
Chicken Breast
Salt and Pepper
MY FRESH
Choose Your Side
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Suggested for You
Browse Categories
See more
Vegetables
MY FRESH
Review Your Recipe
Create Recipe
AI-generated Name
Ingredients
Wild Rice
Base
Protein
Chicken Breast
Sides
Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes
Seasoning
Southwest,
*AI-generated photo that can be replaced with their photo
MY FRESH
Recipe Type
Dietary Preferences
Create Your Recipe
Quick & Easy
Vegetarian / Vegan
High Protein
Pescatarian
Low-Carb / Keto
View More
Fit & Wholesome
Family Friendly
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MY FRESH
Rice
Grains
Bread-based
Pasta
Choose Your Base
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MY FRESH
Pasta Options
Zucchini
Choose Your Base
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Back
Macaroni
Spaghetti
MY FRESH
Sauce Options
Add Some Flavour!
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Marina Sauce
Alfredo Sauce
Feta Cheese & Dill
Marina Sauce, Garlic Powder, Paprika, Basil
Butter, Heavy Cream, Garlic, Italian Seasoning
Feta Cheese, Dill, Lemon, Tomato, Spinach
Spaghetti
MY FRESH
Chicken
Pork
Legumes
Tofu
Beef
Choose Your Protein
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MY FRESH
Beef Options
Ranch Steak
Choose Your Protein
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Ground Beef
Sirloin Steak
MY FRESH
Seasoning Options
Add Some Flavour!
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Italian Seasoning
Garlic & Herbs
Spicy Paprika Blend
Oregano, basil, thyme
Garlic powder, parsley, basil, black pepper
Smoked paprika, crushed red pepper, cayenne
Ground Beef
MY FRESH
Broccoli
Kale
Carrots
Green Beans
Choose Your Vegetable
Next
Back
MY FRESH
Mashed Potatoes
Couscous
Garlic Bread
Gyoza
Potatoes, Chopped Parsley, Butter, Sour Cream,
Couscous, Lemon, Herb
Italian Bread, Garlic Powder, Butter, Herbs
Gyoza, Soy Sauce, Vinegar
Choose Your Sides
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MY FRESH
Review Your Recipe
Create Recipe
Edit Name
Add image
Ingredients
Spaghetti
Base
Protein
Ground Beef
Vegetable
Green Beans
Sides
Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Bread
Seasoning
Marina Sauce, Italian Seasoning
Edit Ingredients