Date

12-16-2025

Department

School of Communication and the Arts

Degree

Master of Fine Arts in Graphic Design (MFA)

Chair

Sarah Lynn Jackson

Keywords

sustainability, food, sustainable eating, food waste reduction, young professionals, behavior change, human-centered design, UX design, sustainability communication, food-tech app, AI-assisted meal planning, sustainable consumer behavior

Disciplines

Art and Design

Abstract

Young professionals want to eat more sustainably– but life gets in the way. Between long hours, limited budgets, and an overwhelming stream of content, sustainable choices often fall apart in favor of convenience. This research explores that gap between values and behavior, asking: How do young adults actually make food decisions, and how can we help those decisions become more sustainable without demanding perfection? To answer that, I grounded my work in a literature review focused on food literacy, convenience culture, digital media, and behavioral psychology. I also conducted three case studies of food-tech companies (Too Good To Go, Misfits Market, and OLIO) and three visual analyses of apps and websites (Too Good To Go, Imperfect Foods, and OLIO) that promote sustainable eating. These helped me understand how businesses communicate their values, how design affects consumer behavior, and what makes a tool actually feel useful in real life. What I found wasn’t surprising, but it was important: sustainable eating feels inaccessible to a lot of young people. It’s either too expensive, too complicated, or too judgmental. Social pressure, inconsistent labeling, and algorithmic overwhelm only make it harder. But I also found hope—when tools are intuitive, educational, and built around real-life routines, people are more likely to stick with better habits. My visual deliverable is a concept for a sustainable eating app (SustainaBite: Eat Well. Waste Less.) designed for busy young professionals. The app would help users build habits around what they already have, reduce food waste, save money, and feel like sustainability is something they can actually do—on their terms. Instead of pushing perfection, this project offers a new mindset: one rooted in flexibility, accessibility, and progress over pressure.

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