Study abstract: Balancing Goals, Health, and Cost: A Food Information System for Managing Complex Choices and Fostering Sustained Food Agency
A new tech-driven tool is changing how people shop for groceries-especially in communities where healthy food can be hard to access.
Researchers from the University of Michigan, University of Notre Dame and Purdue University developed a system that combines real-time store prices, nutrition data and personal dietary goals to help shoppers make smarter choices in the aisle.
Unlike typical apps that evaluate foods one at a time, the Food Information System looks at the entire shopping cart-recognizing that grocery decisions are a balancing act between cost, nutrition and personal preferences. The research is important because by capturing how choices interact, the tool offers more realistic, practical recommendations that reflect how people actually shop.
In an eight-week study with participants from a low-income community, the tool did more than suggest items-it helped users feel more informed and in control of their decisions. Researchers say the findings highlight a key shift: technology can support not just what people buy, but how they think about food.
"Most designers assume people want decisions made for them; however, tools that help develop our capacity to become better decision-makers were most preferred," said study co-author Tawanna Dillahunt, professor at the U-M School of Information.
The study tracked participants ages 23 to 65 over eight weeks. During the first half, they shopped without the tool. In the final weeks, they used the app while receiving grocery stipends and feedback on their purchases. Researchers found that participants were more likely to choose recommended staple foods-such as fruits, vegetables, dairy and proteins-while preferences for snacks and sweets were harder to change.
While overall diet scores remained largely unchanged, participants reported greater nutritional awareness and more intentional shopping habits-key indicators of long-term behavior change.
"Users want a deliberative tool, not a prescriptive one," said lead author Annalisa Szymanski, doctoral student at Notre Dame. "They don't want the app to decide for them-they want it to help them make better decisions."
Researchers say that distinction is critical. Tools that are too rigid can undermine the very independence they aim to support, while those that emphasize transparency, personalization and user control can strengthen it.
The research will be presented April 15 at the Association for Computing Machinery CHI conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Barcelona.
In addition to Dillahunt and Szymanski, other co-authors are Heather Eicher-Miller of Purdue and Jeongwon Jo, Michelle Sawwan, Ann-Marie Conrado, Danielle Wood, and Ronald Metoyer, all from Notre Dame.
