A cup and bowl pair for young children. Tumi inspires a healthy diet in new parents and their children through ergonomics, materials and experience. The set consists of two items, a child size bowl and a "no spill" sippy cup.
Designing a dining set for a child, the dining set was meant to encourage fun and healthy eating. We were tasked with relying on the users sensory aspects in order to convey the dining sets message to both parent and child. The design had to be simple to use and easily blend into any kitchen environment. After having watched countless user experiences as well as conducted research into the issues faced when it comes to children's diets, I set out to create Tumi.
The issue at hand is the malnutrition of children which often leads to obesity. This is an unfortunate burden to bare on children since it can lead to both short -term and long-term health consequences. In my research I set out to find what caused unhealthy eating in children particularly in North America. In my findings I discovered a collection of issues both systemic and singular, however, I tackled two issues which I beleive can be solved through design.
Portion Size
Due to several socio economic factors it appears that overtime our portion sizes have increased past the recommended serving sizes, both for children and adults. This is apparent in most fast food options however it also translates to the plate sizes which are used in houses across North America.
Nutritional Value
In combination with overconsumption, it is important to observe the nutritional value of the food. Many of the options available to kids seem to be made of simple carbohydrates which provide too many calories and not enough nutrients. It is often the case that children aren't eating enough vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains etc.
The bowl is made out of birch wood and coated in food grade shellac in order for it to be water resistant. The wood finish is meant to inspire eating natural ingredients such as whole grains, beans as opposed to kraft dinner.
In order to discourage children from over eating, I reduced the bowl size to the recommended serving size for a child (Canadian Food Guide). I did this in order to eliminate the possibility of mistakenly over eating.
The angled bowl is a response to my observations of children eating. They often could not see what they were eating and struggled to aim their utensils. The angle allows for a child to see into the bowl without being on top of it.
Learnings
Initial concepts were made out of low density foam which was easy to carve and form into an organic shape. However, the final model was made out of solid birch wood which I milled and shaped into the desired shape. Spending countless hours in the shops taught me how to use milling machines, wood lathes, different types of sanders and saws.
Difficulties
The long term effect which food may have on Tumi was an important step which I initially failed to address. Therefore my final design had to adapt slightly and an extra resin was added to the manufacturing process. The resin protects Tumi from any moisture buildup and prolongs its life cycle.