Safeats
Problem
As a parent, I know how overwhelming it can feel when a child has food allergies. Even the smallest mistake can trigger reactions that range from mild discomfort to severe, life-threatening emergencies. Every meal becomes a moment of caution, and the constant worry about what your child eats never truly fades.
That’s why allergy-safe meals are so much more than food — they’re reassurance, comfort, and the peace of mind that comes with knowing your child is safe, protected, and cared for with every bite.
Goals
Solution
Safeats is a mobile app designed to help families plan and prepare allergy-safe meals, ensuring that every child—regardless of dietary restrictions—can enjoy food with a sense of belonging and inclusivity. By organizing and prepping meals in advance, parents can simplify their daily routine, reduce the stress of last-minute decisions, and make grocery shopping and cooking more efficient. Safeats makes healthy, allergy-conscious meal prep personal, easy, and genuinely supportive for every family.
Safeats brings together user needs, business objectives, and technical capabilities to create a seamless, supportive experience for families managing food allergies. Users want quick, healthy, allergy-safe meal ideas and simple grocery guidance. The business aims to deliver consistent, trustworthy recipes, build a strong brand, and ensure high customer satisfaction. Technical goals support both by providing high-quality visuals, reliable video features, and efficient content creation tools.
At their intersection is the shared mission of helping families feel confident, supported, and included at mealtime. The alignment of all three goals ensures that Safeats is user-centered, sustainable for the business, and technically achievable.
My Process
My Process
Research
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Define
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Ideate
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Design
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Prototype
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Test
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Iterate
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Research * Define * Ideate * Design * Prototype * Test * Iterate *
I frequently search online for suitable dairy free substitutes ~ Cher
Research
My research for Safeats is rooted in a combination of comprehensive competitor analysis and meaningful user interviews.
Competitive Analysis
Safeats stands out by filling gaps competitors miss:
Allergy-safe options built into meal planning.
AI-powered leftover-to-meal conversion, helping reduce food waste and support busy parents.
A focus on kids’ dietary restrictions, where competitors are either too broad (Tasty) or lack tech-enabled solutions (Yummy Toddler Food).
A structured planning approach (grocery checklist, substitutions, allergen filters).
My child has a seafood allergy, so I have to avoid anything with even a hint of fish. It’s stressful with hidden ingredients ~ Yumi
Wireframes
Interview Data
Link below for wireframes
Link below for portfolio
Final Thoughts
By studying existing allergy-focused and meal-prep apps, I was able to identify gaps in the market—such as limited substitution options, repetitive meal choices, and insufficient allergy-safe guidance.
Parents expressed a strong desire for short, simple recipe videos, easy allergy-friendly meal ideas, and clear substitution options for common allergens. They also want time-saving recipes, meals they can prepare together with their children, and colorful, visually appealing dishes that encourage kids to eat and enjoy a wider variety of foods.
My child has a nut allergy, so I constantly worry about cross-contamination ~ Nate
Key findings
Parents expressed a strong desire for short, simple recipe videos, easy allergy-friendly meal ideas, and clear substitution options for common allergens. They also want time-saving recipes, meals they can prepare together with their children, and colorful, visually appealing dishes that encourage kids to eat and enjoy a wider variety of foods.
Define
Who is my persona ?
Safeats is designed with Irene in mind — a parent who needs clear guidance, reliable allergy-safe recipes, and simple, efficient tools that reduce her daily stress while ensuring her children feel included, healthy, and cared for at every meal
Test
One of my biggest challenges is getting my child to eat vegetables and he has milk allergies. ~ Nina
From the feedback I received, several key improvements were identified to make Safeats even more intuitive and kid-friendly. These updates help Safeats become even more supportive, organized, and personalized—making allergy-safe meal planning simpler and more enjoyable for families
Key Iterations:
Categorized Meals
Meal Personalization Filter
Search Funtionality
AI Recommendations
Next Steps
Expanded Recipe Library
Add more kid-friendly, allergy-safe recipes with diverse cultural options to support a wider range of families.
Grocery Store Integration
Connect shopping lists with local grocery stores or delivery services to make purchasing ingredients faster and more convenient.
Community Features
Introduce parent-to-parent reviews, shared meal ideas, and allergy-safe tips to build a supportive, trusted community.
Accessibility Enhancements
Ensure all screens meet accessibility standards with easy navigation, readable text, and compatibility with assistive tools.
In Safeats, users begin by logging in or creating an account through a simple onboarding process. Once on the homepage, they view personalized meal suggestions and select a meal plan. After choosing a recipe—such as breakfast ideas—they can review ingredients and decide which items to add to their shopping list. Safeats then provides clear nutritional information and generates a curated list of allergy-safe ingredients the user can confidently shop for.
This streamlined flow ensures parents quickly move from planning to purchasing with clarity, confidence, and ease.
This sketch shows the early flow of Safeats: a warm welcome screen, quick dietary and allergy setup, simple sign-up, and personalized recipe recommendations. After onboarding, users are greeted with tailored meal ideas and daily inspiration, keeping allergy-safe meal planning easy and reassuring for busy parents.
Ideate
The high-fidelity wireframes showcase Safeats as a playful, kid-friendly app that helps families prepare allergy-safe meals with ease. Parents can quickly set dietary preferences, explore colorful recipe ideas, view simple step-by-step instructions, and create safe shopping lists in one tap. Overall, the design emphasizes a fun, safe, and reassuring experience for children with food allergies.
Total participants : 8 (5 adults and 3 kids)
Goal : Evaluate how users easily start a meal plan process for kids with allergy and complete it without frustrations. Identifying pain points for user satisfaction.
Overall Satisfaction: Users found the app visually clean and attractive with healthy colorful food options looking delicious to eat.
Success rate: Average satisfaction score of 88%
Desired Features: Utilizing AI to recommend recipies based on available pantry ingredients.
Feedback:
Meals should be categorized into breakfast, lunch and dinner
Include filter to personalize meals
Create a search bar to find recipies
Total participants : 8 (5 adults and 3 kids)
Goal : Evaluate how users easily start a meal plan process for kids with allergy and complete it without frustrations. Identifying pain points for user satisfaction.
Overall Satisfaction: Users found the app visually clean and attractive with healthy colorful food options looking delicious to eat.
Success rate: Average satisfaction score of 88%
Desired Features: Utilizing AI to recommend recipies based on available pantry ingredients.
Feedback:
Meals should be categorized into breakfast, lunch and dinner
Include filter to personalize meals
Create a search bar to find recipies
They would like to see AI features added for easy meal planning.
Safeats represents my commitment to designing with empathy, especially for families navigating the daily challenges of food allergies. Through research, testing, and iteration, I created an experience that is colorful, kid-friendly, and reassuring for parents who want safe, nutritious meals their children will enjoy. By integrating clear meal categories, personalized filters, search functionality, and AI-powered recommendations, Safeats transforms mealtime from a source of stress into a moment of confidence and connection.
This project strengthened my ability to turn real user needs into thoughtful, accessible design solutions—and it reaffirmed the power of UX to make everyday life easier, safer, and more joyful for families.
My child is allergic to beef, so I constantly have to find alternative protein options that are safe for them - Aser
