College students make food choices in the cafeteria every day, but knowing what is best for their health can be overwhelming. For senior Simon Bertolino, navigating these choices became a challenge of his own.
As Bertolino returned to working out, he knew he wanted to improve his eating habits, but was unsure what the cafeteria had to offer in order to meet his goals.
As he thought more about his eating habits, Bertolino began viewing nutrition as a form of stewardship to care for the body he had been given.
“How do I be a steward of my body with what I’ve been given in the cafeteria?” Simon asked.
This question led him to look for a simpler way to connect his nutritional goals with the meals available to him on campus.
“There has to be an easier way,” Bertolino said.
When he couldn’t find one, he decided to make it himself.
Bertolino began building the first model of an app by using AI coding tools. When senior Fletcher Stobaugh heard about his project through a mutual friend, he joined him in developing the idea. The two students quickly divided their roles, with Bertolino testing and refining the AI capabilities of the app while Stobaugh worked on the development and business side of the project.
Together, they developed MacroPeak, a meal-planning app designed to help students connect their nutritional goals with the food options available to them in the cafeteria. After students enter their age, height, weight, activity level and fitness goals, the app uses AI to generate a personalized meal plan based on the cafeteria’s menu.
“MacroPeak pulls the cafeteria menu, puts it into AI, and then feeds you what you should eat for the day,” Stobaugh said.
Rather than requiring students to navigate the endless food options themselves, the app acts as a meal sorter to help them determine which foods best fit their individual goals.
As Bertolino and Stobaugh continue developing MacroPeak, they sought feedback from other Harding students to determine how the app functions from a consumer perspective. Senior Abbi Crocker and junior Hilton Duncan helped the pair evaluate the app, test its feedback and offer improvements, while recognizing the apps’ strength to allow students to plan their meals before they enter the cafeteria.
“Any student can download the app onto their phone and use it while they’re in the cafeteria, while also seeing what‘s available before they even enter,” Crocker said.
For Bertolino, however, MacroPeak is more about making the cafeteria easier to navigate, but his motivation comes from his desire to take greater responsibility for his health.
“I want students to start taking their bodies more seriously because they are a God-given gift,” Bertolino said.
Stobaugh hopes that responsibility does not mean having to make complicated decisions about every meal. Instead, he wants MacroPeak to simplify the process so students can make healthier choices that align with their goals without overthinking them.
“Just click on the app, walk into the cafeteria, and turn your brain off,” Stobaugh said.
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