COOK ONCE WEBSITE
Summary
Mission
Cook Once was designed to simplify weekly meal prep by giving users a centralized platform to browse, save, and organize recipes built specifically for bulk cooking. Many recipe platforms focus on one-time meals or endless scrolling for inspiration, which can make meal planning feel overwhelming and inconsistent. Cook Once focuses on structure, repeatability, and efficiency by helping users discover recipes based on protein type, meal category, dietary preferences, and preparation time. The goal was to create a modern and approachable cooking experience that encourages users to cook more consistently while simplifying grocery planning and recipe organization.
Client
My Contribution
As the designer and developer for Cook Once, I created the full UI/UX system, branding, responsive layouts, and website structure for the platform. The project included research, wireframing, prototyping, visual identity development, and front-end website design. I designed the experience to prioritize usability and easy recipe discovery through filtering systems, structured navigation, and responsive layouts optimized for both desktop and mobile devices. Alongside the website experience, I also developed supporting branding materials including digital advertisements, print advertisements, and promotional mockups to create a complete visual identity for the platform.
Services
Process
Discover
The project began with research into meal-prep habits, recipe platforms, and the frustrations users experience when planning meals throughout the week. Many existing recipe websites prioritize endless browsing rather than helping users build repeatable routines. I explored how filtering systems, simplified navigation, and structured content could improve the experience for users focused on bulk cooking and weekly meal preparation. Moodboards and visual research helped establish a clean and modern design direction centered around simplicity, accessibility, and food-focused imagery.
Planning/Structure
During the planning phase, I developed the site architecture and navigation system for the platform. Recipes were organized by protein categories such as chicken, beef, pork, fish, and vegetarian options, while additional filters allowed users to sort recipes by diet, meal type, prep time, and base ingredients. The structure was designed to make recipe discovery feel fast and intuitive while supporting larger content systems as the platform expanded. Responsive layouts and reusable design components were also planned to create consistency across desktop and mobile experiences.
Sitemap/Wireframes
Once the structure was finalized, I created wireframes to plan the layout and flow of the platform across both desktop and mobile devices. The wireframes focused on improving usability through simplified navigation, recipe filtering, and organized content presentation. After refining the layouts, I developed a full high-fidelity prototype in Figma featuring responsive recipe pages, category systems, profile pages, and search functionality. The final visual system combined clean typography, structured layouts, and modern food-focused imagery to create a polished and approachable user experience.
User Testing & Redesign
A major focus of Cook Once was improving how users organize and access recipes throughout the week. Features such as categorized recipe browsing, filtering systems, saved recipes, and grocery-planning functionality were designed to reduce friction and simplify meal prep routines. The platform emphasizes clarity, consistency, and ease of use while creating a more structured alternative to traditional recipe browsing experiences.