helping college students cook on a budget
A reimagined food pantry website built for accessibility and inclusion. Introducing budgeting tools, resource transparency, and a modern interface that helps students plan and save.
what’s the problem?
The UTD Comet Cupboard website looked outdated and offered limited budgeting or food access information. Students, especially commuters and off-campus residents, struggle to find help or plan meals efficiently.
my plan
Redesign the pantry site to centralize food aid, introduce budgeting tools, and integrate SNAP and coupon resources to support both awareness and financial planning.
steps to my conclusion
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1. 8.45/10: Students rated “Enhanced Access to Campus Food Resources” as the most useful feature in a survey of 20 participants.
→ This directly supported redesigning the website for clarity and centralization.2. 70% of students said they budget weekly or biweekly for food but find it “stressful” or “confusing.”
→ The site needed an interactive budgeting tool.3. Quote from Rebbit user:
“Apply for SNAP benefits. Seriously though, poor college students, apply for SNAP. They temporarily changed their eligibility to allow more college students to apply. You get about $200 a month, and any money you don't use rolls over to the next money.”
→ Inspired the Food Resource feature.4. “Awareness is the issue, not resources.”
→ Improved site visibility and content hierarchy became a top design priority. -
It all begins with an idea. The new design emphasized clarity, warmth, and function:
Hero Section: “Find food. Plan smarter. Save more.”
Budget Calculator Widget: Estimates weekly costs and suggests recipes based on budget.
Resource Map: Displays SNAP offices, local pantries, and grocery discounts.
Typography was modern and legible; illustrations softened the topic of financial strain. a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
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Goal: Evaluate accessibility and comprehension.
Participants: 8 students from different backgrounds.Findings:
“I love how it’s not overwhelming. Everything’s right where I expect it.”
“Could the budget tool remember my last entry?”
“This looks more like a student space, not a government site.”
Actions Taken:
Added local data save for returning users.
Reduced page scroll length.
Simplify data entry to make it more user-friendly.
the final product
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interactive budgeting tool
Make every dollar stretch a little further.
Weekly Expense Tracker: Log grocery or meal costs to visualize weekly spending, with color-coded bars showing when you’re within or over budget.
Smart Budget Goals: Set weekly or monthly spending limits and receive friendly reminders before you overspend, and suggestions for cheaper ingredient swaps using pantry data.
Visual Spending Dashboard: Track your savings over time through simple graphs and see how much you’ve saved by using the pantry.
→ Empowers students to build healthy financial habits and make budgeting feel achievable.
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food aid resource hub
All your food support, all in one place.
Interactive Resource Map: Find nearby pantries, SNAP offices, and community fridges, complete with hours, distance, and directions.
Aid Program Comparison Cards: Easily compare benefits, eligibility, and application steps with concise, icon-based cards.
Personalized Resource Alerts: Get notified about restocks, food drives, and SNAP deadlines to stay informed.
→ Simplifies food aid access and connects students to real, timely help.
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nutrition & savings insights
Learn to eat well without spending more.
Meal Cost Analyzer: Calculates the cost per serving of each recipe and suggests affordable substitutions.
Nutrition Snapshot: Shows quick, visual nutrition summaries with clear labels for calories, protein, and fiber.
Smart Suggestions Feed: Recommends recipes and tips like “5 Meals Under $10” based on your budget and preferences.
→ Turns healthy eating into an approachable, data-driven daily habit.