Food Insecurity is a major issue in the world! OMG maybe people shouldn’t waste as much food.
We looked into the problem and discovered an organization that works with the Houston Food Bank that is taking action to assist families in creating healthy eating habits. This organization is Brighter Bites.
Insights
We gained many of our insights from preexisting research completed by past Brighter Bites interns. These research papers contained an abundance of data concerning Brighter Bites’ users’ eating and cooking preferences, kitchen environment, and overall opinions of their time with Brighter Bites.
Current Cooking Culture
Outside of the produce that Brighter Bites gives the families, families usually have most of the ingredients needed to cook substantial healthy meals, including olive oil, grains, eggs, and beans.
Also, as can be seen from the statistics in Picture A, most households have the necessary kitchen appliances (e.g. stove, microwave, cutting board). However, a significant number of families do not have measuring spoons and cups, which tend to be heavily relied on in recipes. In addition, few families cook from any type of cookbook.
Desired Cooking Culture
Ultimately, respondents felt it was their responsibility to continue their healthy eating habits after the Brighter Bites program ended.
Users requested alternative healthier versions of meals they cooked for their families, such as mac & cheese, lasagna, and tacos. They also desired more recipes for vegetables they were unfamiliar with, such as squash, zucchini, and eggplants.
Users also had interesting ideas for innovative recipes. Many requested “build-a-blank” recipes: recipes with a general structure but interchangeable ingredients, such as a stir-fry, smoothie, or salad. Another idea was “no-cook” recipes: recipes that require only preparation and no cooking.
How can we enable Brighter Bites families to expand their healthy meal preparation options within their current cooking culture?
