Plan-Cook-Eat: A Meal Planner App with Optimal Macronutrient Distribution of Calories Based on Personal Total Daily Energy Expenditure

One essential factor of a balanced diet to prevent morbidity and mortality, and promote a good nutritional status is the consumption of nutrient-dense foods with an appropriate macronutrients dispersal (carbohydrates, protein, fat) and the right amount of calories based on personal energy expenditure. While the field of dietetics and nutrition has been bombarded with food recommender systems over the years, little research has been performed on meal planner applications grounded on macronutrients compliance. Drawing from a parallel-iterative design methodology, this paper proposed the development of a web-based meal planner app called ‘Plan-Cook-Eat’ that can generate tailored diet plans according to individual’s needs. Six Registered Nutritionists–Dietitians served as a panel of human expert validators and 24 regular users served as app testers for evaluation using mixed-methods approach. Study participants confirmed and concluded the potential of Plan-Cook-Eat web app as a personal meal planner to ensure the consumption of needed macronutrients. Suggestions and interpretations were made regarding the technical improvements that could be done to enhance the app as a complete virtual nutrition assistant.