Satiating and Conscious Snacks

Abstract

This report is the graduation thesis for the Master of Design for Interaction, Faculty of Design Engineering at Delft University of Technology. The report presents a set of guidelines showing the relationships between food textures and conscious and satiating snacking experiences. As a designer, food textures can be considered as tools to shape people’s snacking experiences. Textures of food have impact on both consciousness and satiation: the aforementioned factors play the most significant roles in termination of eating. Thus by unfolding the relationships between the perceived textures and conscious and satiating snacking, more opportunities to control calories intake can be proposed.

A series of qualitative research and literature review were conducted to discover the determinants for conscious and satiating snacking experiences. Objective oral exposure time, Perceived efforts and time, Changes and fills up the mouth, and Surprise are the four determinants relevant for conscious and satiating snacking experiences.

The relationships were discovered with quantitative research methods. To summarize, Gumminess, Hardness and Stickiness contribute to conscious snacking experience; while Dryness is strongly associated with satiation.

The outcome of the project is a set of interactive and digital guidelines for the food designers. The guidelines not only exhibit the relationships between the perceived textures and conscious and satiating snacking, but also provide guides and know-hows for texture manipulation.