The "Snappy Meals" Prep System
Surrounded by a food system saturated with high-processed foods, for most families preparing healthy food consistently is an uphill battle. Moreover, few models of how to eat well address the demands of daily life like commuting and long work hours that constrain the feasibility of preparing healthy meals daily. In this context, a family of three struggles to find the time, money and energy to produce the 63 meals per week, much less nutritious meals it needs to survive. Our solutions to daily meal prep barriers will make it feasible for individuals and families to build a personal, healthy food system.
Our Solutions:
As public health and engineering scientists we developed a quick prep meal system that motivates and equips people to prepare low cost, quick prep, tasty, healthy meals more consistently. This system provides the tools and resources for people to build a personal system that meets their basic daily nutritional needs in the context of the demands and constraints of their daily lives. It is flexible and modular allowing individuals and families to use components that meet their specific needs. We are in the pilot testing and research phase of this project.
The Approach:
This project has both a research component and a development component.
The research component identifies barriers and solutions to healthy meal prep using a community engaged research framework including:
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Interactive, hands-on, six-week meal prep workshops to facilitate discussion on food preferences, challenges to consistent healthy meal prep; use iterative feedback and development cycle
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Interviews with community health organizations and food banks
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Focus groups with specific populations (seniors, teenagers, etc.)
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Surveys
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The development component takes what we learn from research to create effective tools to motivate and sustain healthy meal preparation.
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Develop meal starters: working with a chef and local food suppliers to develop pre-prepped healthy food kits, sauces and seasonings
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Develop quick-prep tools: working with engineers to develop a quick cook countertop oven (accessible), and a manual chopper, temperature-sensitive food storage labels
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Develop quick-prep learning tools: working with public health specialists to develop meal cards, video demonstration (on app/website/social media), live weekly communal prep virtual meet-ups (‘prep crew’)
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