Younger people struggle to find the recipes that fits their time and lifestyle. As a result, they often turn to junk food, which is risking their health…
We set out to uncover their Real Challenges, and come up with a simple, reliable answer…

My Role

I conducted interviews, gathered data and insights after each step, participated in ideation, IA, and card sorting sessions, and also designed parts of the visual interface

Team

1 UX Designer, 1 UX Researcher, 1 Graphic Designer, and 1 UI Designer

Cookeasy is a smart, user-centered cooking assistant application designed to simplify the cooking process. It offers personalized and diverse recipes based on users’ preferences, helping them cook easily at home.

Where it all started…

Home Cooking Is Getting Replaced; Junk Food Has Become the Habit for Many in Their 20s…

As five friends in our 20s, we started to notice an unhealthy habit: our generation was slowly pushing home cooking aside. Fast food had become the quick, go-to option — simply because it was easier.

One of us asked, “What’s going to happen when we’re older? How long can we keep risking our health like this?”

That question sparked something in us. We decided to dig deeper and uncover the whys behind this:

Why are young people distancing themselves from home cooking?

Why aren’t they cooking more often at home and prefer Fast Food?

Why is this happening, and what obstacles are getting in the way?

We wanted to discover real expectations and struggles…

To understand young people’s daily food habits and to dig deeper into what exactly prevents them from eating healthy or home-cooked meals, we interviewed 10 people aged 20–30.

Interviews and affinity diagrams to group findings and identify patterns

Key Insights From Interviews

#1

Finding simple recipes users could make with ingredients they already had in their kitchen mattered most

We found that despite individual needs, users all shared one common expectation: finding recipes they could make with what they already had at home, without needing to spend extra time shopping.

#2

Their busy lifestyles and the need to get things done quickly often keep them away from cooking

Cooking takes time—and that’s exactly what most young people don’t have.
Between work, studies, and constant distractions, grabbing a quick bite feels easier. Many still enjoy home-cooked foods more, but they just don’t have the time to cook.

#3

Many have skills and passion for cooking, but their problem is lack of ideas

While many young people enjoy cooking and some even have quite good skills, consistently figuring out what to cook is challenging for them. They're often tired of repetitive meals and are eager to explore new experiences. This is also challenging for those with specific diets, as it narrows their options and makes finding suitable food even harder.

We also understood that the main source for finding recipes among our users is social media (Instagram, TikTok, etc.)

Using an affinity diagram, we grouped our users into two main categories:

A quick look at market

Existing platforms are not for everyone…

With limited filters and no real personalization options, users quickly lose interest, often assuming these platforms can’t meet their unique needs…

Crowded screens and unstructured content…

Even the most useful features can get lost in the noise, making it hard for users to know where to look or what to do next.

Young people grew up with technology and uses well-designed, structured apps every day, so they aren’t attracted to platforms that feel outdated or poorly organized…

Working together to brainstorm initial ideas

After gathering insights and data, we came together for a brainstorming session. We used dot voting to prioritize concepts based on how well they addressed user needs. This process helped us quickly filter out less relevant ideas and focus on solutions with the greatest potential to improve the user experience.

Brainstorming with sketches, notes, and finally dot voting

Key opportunities

Personalized content delivery

Implementing a customization system that shows content based on the user's past searches and preferences.

Scannable recipe structure

Structuring recipe pages to highlight key details (e.g., time, calorie, etc) at a glance before reading the full instructions.

Ingredient-based search

Allowing users to search for recipes using ingredients they already have at home.

Expanding categories

Offering diverse recipe categories and enabling users to suggest or contribute new ones.

Turning ideas to wireframes

But did we solve the core problem?

Will young users actually feel motivated to cook more and choose healthier food over quick, unhealthy ones?

#1

We knew that cooking at home has become easier for young people—but in our interviews while we tried to understand users needs and feelings, it became clear: what truly mattered wasn’t just functionality, but comfort. Young users wanted to feel “at home” in the experience itself—something familiar, warm, and easy to connect with.

#2

We also realized that showing too many filters all at once—ingredients, tools, meal type, level, ratings, and more—could overwhelm users and confuse them.

What we did to solve these…

_ One _

We decided to give users more than an app — a kitchen space where they truly feel at home

After further ideation, team discussions, and market analysis, we decided to build a “kitchen” within the app—a space that feels familiar, like real kitchen. The goal was to simulate a real-world atmosphere where users feel comfortable, connected, and encouraged to cook.

We also rethought how filters were presented: instead of showing everything at once, we highlighted key filters like ingredients first, and organized the rest—such as tools, meal types, and difficulty—into chips and categories to keep things clean and user-friendly.

_ Two _

Speaking the User’s Language

To truly connect with young users, we tried to speak their language—simple, friendly, and relatable. From microcopy to visual cues (cartoon illustrations mostly), we designed everything to feel less like an app and more like a friend helping you in the kitchen.

Creating Style Guide

We chose orange as the primary color to make the app feel friendly and energetic—just like a real kitchen. Green tones hint at freshness and healthy choices, while neutral grays keep things clean and easy to read.

We went with the Yekan Bakh typeface because it feels modern, clear, and familiar to our users. Overall, everything was picked to feel natural, comfortable, and easy to use.

Here are a few interfaces from the app where we expanded the experience and added features young people are more likely to connect with…

We designed kitchen to simulate real-world elements

Young people felt more engaged and encouraged, but there's still more to do...

While our usability testing showed that young users felt more encouraged and connected, we realized the surface-level ease of use is only part of the picture.

The challenges they face—balancing health, time, and motivation—are rooted in deeper emotional and lifestyle patterns. Addressing these needs calls for continued empathy, deeper research, and collaboration with specialists like therapists, nutritionists, and behavioral experts. Their lives, shaped by fast-changing technologies and evolving habits, require thoughtful, ongoing updates that move with them.

What we would have measured

Recipe Completion Rate (The percentage of users who start a recipe and finish it)

Using this metric, we could understand whether users only browse and give up or actually complete cooking a recipe from start to finish (since each recipe had steps).

Saved or Personalized Recipes per User (How many recipes each user saves, adds to a meal plan, or customizes)

Using this metric, we could understand if users were connecting with the content and wanted to make it part of their lifestyle, actually getting closer to home cooking.

Thanks for following along :)

Younger people struggle to find the recipes that fits their time and lifestyle. As a result, they often turn to junk food, which is risking their health…
We set out to uncover their Real Challenges, and come up with a simple, reliable answer…

My Role

I conducted interviews, gathered data and insights after each step, participated in ideation, IA, and card sorting sessions, and also designed parts of the visual interface

Team

1 UX Designer, 1 UX Researcher, 1 Graphic Designer, and 1 UI Designer

Younger people struggle to find the recipes that fits their time and lifestyle. As a result, they often turn to junk food, which is risking their health…
We set out to uncover their Real Challenges, and come up with a simple, reliable answer…

My Role

I conducted interviews, gathered data and insights after each step, participated in ideation, IA, and card sorting sessions, and also designed parts of the visual interface

Team

1 UX Designer, 1 UX Researcher, 1 Graphic Designer, and 1 UI Designer

Cookeasy is a smart, user-centered cooking assistant application designed to simplify the cooking process. It offers personalized and diverse recipes based on users’ preferences, helping them cook easily at home.

Where it all started…

Home Cooking Is Getting Replaced; Junk Food Has Become the Habit for Many in Their 20s…

As five friends in our 20s, we started to notice an unhealthy habit: our generation was slowly pushing home cooking aside. Fast food had become the quick, go-to option — simply because it was easier.

One of us asked, “What’s going to happen when we’re older? How long can we keep risking our health like this?”

That question sparked something in us. We decided to dig deeper and uncover the whys behind this:

Why are young people distancing themselves from home cooking?

Why aren’t they cooking more often at home and prefer Fast Food?

Why is this happening, and what obstacles are getting in the way?

We wanted to discover real expectations and struggles…

To understand young people’s daily food habits and to dig deeper into what exactly prevents them from eating healthy or home-cooked meals, we interviewed 10 people aged 20–30.

Interviews and affinity diagrams to group findings and identify patterns

Key Insights From Interviews

#1

Finding simple recipes users could make with ingredients they already had in their kitchen mattered most

We found that despite individual needs, users all shared one common expectation: finding recipes they could make with what they already had at home, without needing to spend extra time shopping.

#2

Their busy lifestyles and the need to get things done quickly often keep them away from cooking

Cooking takes time—and that’s exactly what most young people don’t have.
Between work, studies, and constant distractions, grabbing a quick bite feels easier. Many still enjoy home-cooked foods more, but they just don’t have the time to cook.

#3

Many have skills and passion for cooking, but their problem is lack of ideas

While many young people enjoy cooking and some even have quite good skills, consistently figuring out what to cook is challenging for them. They're often tired of repetitive meals and are eager to explore new experiences. This is also challenging for those with specific diets, as it narrows their options and makes finding suitable food even harder.

We also understood that the main source for finding recipes among our users is social media (Instagram, TikTok, etc.)

Using an affinity diagram, we grouped our users into two main categories:

A quick look at market

Existing platforms are not for everyone…

With limited filters and no real personalization options, users quickly lose interest, often assuming these platforms can’t meet their unique needs…

Crowded screens and unstructured content…

Even the most useful features can get lost in the noise, making it hard for users to know where to look or what to do next.

Young people grew up with technology and uses well-designed, structured apps every day, so they aren’t attracted to platforms that feel outdated or poorly organized…

Working together to brainstorm initial ideas

After gathering insights and data, we came together for a brainstorming session. We used dot voting to prioritize concepts based on how well they addressed user needs. This process helped us quickly filter out less relevant ideas and focus on solutions with the greatest potential to improve the user experience.

Brainstorming with sketches, notes, and finally dot voting

Key opportunities

Personalized content delivery

Implementing a customization system that shows content based on the user's past searches and preferences.

Scannable recipe structure

Structuring recipe pages to highlight key details (e.g., time, calorie, etc) at a glance before reading the full instructions.

Ingredient-based search

Allowing users to search for recipes using ingredients they already have at home.

Expanding categories

Offering diverse recipe categories and enabling users to suggest or contribute new ones.

Turning ideas to wireframes

But did we solve the core problem?

Will young users actually feel motivated to cook more and choose healthier food over quick, unhealthy ones?

#1

We knew that cooking at home has become easier for young people—but in our interviews while we tried to understand users needs and feelings, it became clear: what truly mattered wasn’t just functionality, but comfort. Young users wanted to feel “at home” in the experience itself—something familiar, warm, and easy to connect with.

#2

We also realized that showing too many filters all at once—ingredients, tools, meal type, level, ratings, and more—could overwhelm users and confuse them.

What we did to solve these…

_ One _

We decided to give users more than an app — a kitchen space where they truly feel at home

After further ideation, team discussions, and market analysis, we decided to build a “kitchen” within the app—a space that feels familiar, like real kitchen. The goal was to simulate a real-world atmosphere where users feel comfortable, connected, and encouraged to cook.

We also rethought how filters were presented: instead of showing everything at once, we highlighted key filters like ingredients first, and organized the rest—such as tools, meal types, and difficulty—into chips and categories to keep things clean and user-friendly.

_ Two _

Speaking the User’s Language

To truly connect with young users, we tried to speak their language—simple, friendly, and relatable. From microcopy to visual cues (cartoon illustrations mostly), we designed everything to feel less like an app and more like a friend helping you in the kitchen.

Creating Style Guide

We chose orange as the primary color to make the app feel friendly and energetic—just like a real kitchen. Green tones hint at freshness and healthy choices, while neutral grays keep things clean and easy to read.

We went with the Yekan Bakh typeface because it feels modern, clear, and familiar to our users. Overall, everything was picked to feel natural, comfortable, and easy to use.

Here are a few interfaces from the app where we expanded the experience and added features young people are more likely to connect with…

We designed kitchen to simulate real-world elements

Young people felt more engaged and encouraged, but there's still more to do...

While our usability testing showed that young users felt more encouraged and connected, we realized the surface-level ease of use is only part of the picture.

The challenges they face—balancing health, time, and motivation—are rooted in deeper emotional and lifestyle patterns. Addressing these needs calls for continued empathy, deeper research, and collaboration with specialists like therapists, nutritionists, and behavioral experts. Their lives, shaped by fast-changing technologies and evolving habits, require thoughtful, ongoing updates that move with them.

What we would have measured

Recipe Completion Rate (The percentage of users who start a recipe and finish it)

Using this metric, we could understand whether users only browse and give up or actually complete cooking a recipe from start to finish (since each recipe had steps).

Saved or Personalized Recipes per User (How many recipes each user saves, adds to a meal plan, or customizes)

Using this metric, we could understand if users were connecting with the content and wanted to make it part of their lifestyle, actually getting closer to home cooking.

Thanks for following along :)

Younger people struggle to find the recipes that fits their time and lifestyle. As a result, they often turn to junk food, which is risking their health…
We set out to uncover their Real Challenges, and come up with a simple, reliable answer…

My Role

I conducted interviews, gathered data and insights after each step, participated in ideation, IA, and card sorting sessions, and also designed parts of the visual interface

Team

1 UX Designer, 1 UX Researcher, 1 Graphic Designer, and 1 UI Designer

Create a free website with Framer, the website builder loved by startups, designers and agencies.