"My work requires driving long distances everyday, which often means bringing a packed lunch."
A necessary but often dreaded task
People have negative attitudes towards in-car eating, and it's often a struggle to eat a complete meal in their cars with existing food containers. The messiness and the need for separate napkins and utensils often results in frustration, skipped meals, and unhealthy choices like granola bars or eating out.
How might we design an in-car lunch experience that feels effortless, comfortable, and dignified for everyday use?
Research
Eating lunch in a car is only one moment within a larger daily routine. By observing meal preparation, transport, and cleanup—not just in-car eating—I identified friction points across the full journey, leading me to further simplify the system to reduce effort in everyday use and cleaning.
The Process
Prototypes
Equipped with insights from user interviews, I created low fidelity prototypes to explore new possibilities. Through user testing, these models further revealed underlying user behavior which helped narrow my solutions.
Changes after testing
I observed that users had no way to isolate dirty utensils after eating, which led me to redesign the utensils to be stored internally while also accommodating a napkin.
The Tab System
A subtle flange on the side of the insert provides a comfortable ledge for the thumb, so that holding the lunchbox up while eating feels much more secure—at any wrist angle.
Molded silicone mat increases footprint of the lunchbox, preventing spills while driving and enabling stacking of up to three lunchboxes.
