Changing the Context of Experience: Applying Designed Sensory Elements Towards Mindful Eating

Designers are broadening their practice to encompass the field of food and food consumption. Food design has expanded from food itself to include the environment surrounding food, as it found to impact eating behaviour. In the field of design, interactions with a product can be considered multisensory activities; they can invite the user to engage all of their senses. This research draws from expertise in food design research to create sensory-heightened food products that may evoke positive emotional responses and mindfulness. To investigate this, a methodological triangulation was utilized: interviews with experts in the field of sensory design and food research, experiment and interview with participants. The findings resulted in: establishing a preliminary framework for studying sensory responses to edible containers, identifying unexpected sensory relationships, and recognizing the importance of the designer/researcher using empathic design processes. The contributions include recommendations for creating sensory incongruity in the design of edible containers.