A Food Tracking App That Reduces Waste and Connects Communities.
A Food Tracking App That Reduces
Waste and Connects Communities.
1
"The fight against food waste is one of the biggest challenges we face today. In Italy, differences between urban and rural living, along with varied household structures, shape how food is managed."
"The fight against food waste is one of the biggest challenges we face today. In Italy, differences between urban and rural living, along with varied household structures, shape how food is managed."
1a
1b
1c
(4b)
2
(4a)
(4b)
(4a)
(4b)
3
"In cities like Milan, student dorms and shared apartments offered a chance to observe how groceries are consumed in fast-paced environments, and whether (and how), they’re shared among people with different relationships."
"In cities like Milan, student dorms and shared apartments offered a chance to observe how groceries are consumed in fast-paced environments, and whether (and how), they’re shared among people with different relationships."
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4a
4b
(1)
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5a
5b
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7a
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7f
Introduction
Tracknshare is a connected system designed to support students and young professionals in planning meals and food purchases, with the goal of minimizing food waste thanks to a simple concept: make it easier to track what you buy, use what you already have, and share what you won’t. Powered by RFID and computer vision, Tracknshare registers products purchased at the supermarket when placed in a dedicated tote bag and compare them with items already at home, detects duplicates or suggests food-grouping combinations. At home, users are notified when products are nearing expiration and can choose to share them with nearby users, turning potential waste into shared value.
Research insights
As an academic team project, the idea was originally inspired by our personal experiences living away from our families, with some of us struggling to reduce food waste/finding ways to connect with neighboring student households. Realizing we weren't alone on that, we conducted a survey to explore the food purchasing and consumption habits of students from our university and others in our city. Along the way, we ended up including a broader pool of potential users, mainly workers in the 25-35 age range sharing accommodations with students. We asked about their habits and routines to find out what a typical day in their life looked like. A clear pattern quickly emerged as many of them were facing the same nutrition-related challenges:
Frequent grocery trips with small purchases, often due to not having a car to enable less frequent but more intentional shopping.
Regular online food delivery orders.
Busy schedules that left little time to go home and plan meals before grocery shopping.
Without family responsibilities, many skipped meals or ate out instead.
In households with pre-set rules like “everyone eats their own food,” people were often reluctant to share.
Diverse backgrounds resulted in different tastes and eating habits.
Minimal or non-existent relationship with neighbors, making food sharing a new and unfamiliar concept.
The kit
We developed a system that combines established technologies like RFID scanning with the advancements of computer vision. The standard product includes a kit with a SmarTote, one or two cameras, and the app. The cost could be split between the household components or purchased upfront by homeowners as an added service in the lease. In the event of a commercial launch, the app would remain free to use without requiring the full kit; users could simply add and remove products manually.
The app
My contribution to the project included the and the development of Tracknshare's app along with its design language. The frames show how users can navigate the app’s sections, easily access and manage the broader Tracknshare system, and move smoothly between tracking and sharing modes.
Testing
To evaluate Tracknshare, we conducted a pilot study with a group of 25 students and young professionals over a four-week period. Participants integrated the system into their daily routines, using the RFID-enabled tote bag for grocery shopping and receiving notifications about items at home. The results were encouraging: users reported feeling more organized and less stressed about meal planning, while several discovered they were wasting significantly less food. Many participants also enjoyed the social aspect, sharing surplus items with neighbors and friends, which fostered a sense of community. Overall, the study suggested that Tracknshare not only helped reduce food waste but also made everyday meal management simpler and more enjoyable.
Conclusion
Tracknshare was built around a simple idea: reducing food waste starts with knowing what we have, what we need, and what we can share. By combining smart tracking with thoughtful design, the system supports more mindful habits in everyday life, especially in shared homes, where coordination is key. Whether it’s avoiding duplicate purchases, using ingredients before they expire, or offering them to others nearby, Tracknshare turns routine actions into opportunities to waste less and connect more.
Tracknshare is a connected system designed to support consumers in planning meals and food purchases, with the goal of minimizing food waste. Originally envisioned for student households and shared apartments, Tracknshare’s concept is simple: make it easier to track what you buy, use what you already have, and share what you won’t. Thanks to RFID and computer vision, Tracknshare can register products purchased at the supermarket when placed in a dedicated tote bag (a working prototype was built) and compare them with items already at home, detecting duplicates or suggesting combinations. At home, users are notified when products are nearing expiration and can choose to share them with nearby users, turning potential waste into shared value. As an academic team project, the idea was originally inspired by our personal experiences living away from our families, with some of us struggling to reduce food waste/finding ways to connect with neighboring student households.
We developed a system that combines established technologies like RFID scanning with the advancements of computer vision. The standard product includes a kit with a SmarTote, one or two cameras, and the app. The cost could be split between the household components or purchased upfront by homeowners as an added service in the lease. In the event of a commercial launch, the app would remain free to use without requiring the full kit; users could simply add and remove products manually.
My contribution to the project included the and the development of Tracknshare's app (frames 1-1c, 2, 5-5b) along with its design language (frames 7-7f). The frames illustrate how users navigate the app’s sections, easily access and manage the broader Tracknshare system, and move smoothly between tracking and sharing modes.
We conducted a survey to explore the food purchasing and consumption habits of students from our university and others in Milan. Along the way, we ended up including a broader pool of potential users, mainly workers in the 25-35 age range sharing accommodations with students. We asked about their habits and routines to find out what a typical day in their life looked like. A clear pattern quickly emerged as many of them were facing the same nutrition-related challenges:
Frequent grocery trips with small purchases, often due to not having a car to enable less frequent but more intentional shopping.
Regular online food delivery orders.
Busy schedules that left little time to go home and plan meals before grocery shopping.
Without family responsibilities, many skipped meals or ate out instead.
In households with pre-set rules like “everyone eats their own food,” people were often reluctant to share.
Diverse backgrounds resulted in different tastes and eating habits.
Relationships with neighbors were often minimal or non-existent, making food sharing a new and unfamiliar concept.
Tracknshare was built around a simple idea: reducing food waste starts with knowing what we have, what we need, and what we can share. By combining smart tracking with thoughtful design, the system supports more mindful habits in everyday life, especially in shared homes, where coordination is key. Whether it’s avoiding duplicate purchases, using ingredients before they expire, or offering them to others nearby, Tracknshare turns routine actions into opportunities to waste less and connect more.
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© 2025 Andrea Grilli
(4a)
"The fight against food waste is one of the biggest challenges we face today. In Italy, differences between urban and rural living, along with varied household structures, shape how food is managed."
(4a)
(4b)
(4a)
(4b)
(4a)
"In cities like Milan, student dorms and shared apartments offered a chance to observe how groceries are consumed in fast-paced environments, and whether (and how), they’re shared among people with different relationships."