How convenient food delivery helps support healthy eating habits for multifamily residents & commercial tenants

Two numbers have trended steadily upwards in recent years: 

1. The percentage of people who regularly order food for delivery 
2. The percentage of people who are focused on healthy eating 

These patterns of behavior overlap in more ways than people realize and intelligent food locker solutions like the Minnow Pickup Pod can help facilitate better nutrition and environmental sustainability.  

For multifamily and commercial building owners, implementing technological amenities that help building occupants achieve their goals is a great way to improve their experience and retain their business.  

There’s more focus now on healthy eating than ever before 

After major changes in the way we all work, live, and eat, people are acutely focused on consuming a healthier diet.  

According to a recent survey by Nextbite, 46% of consumers are focused on eating healthier this year. And, as the National Academy of Sciences reported, these sorts of behavioral shifts sparked by the pandemic will likely prove “sticky,” meaning they will persist into the future. 

The fact that more people are thinking about healthy eating these days makes perfect sense because, in the past, one of the leading causes of unhealthy eating and overeating has been a lack of planning.  

In 2022, on the heels of so much uncertainty, people are eager to reclaim control of their lives wherever they can, including their diet.  

Eating healthier at work, no matter where people are working from 

For many people, it’s much easier to control what they eat now than it was several years ago because they’re spending significantly more time at home. Here, in their domicile, they’re the office manager.  

They decide what snacks go in the pantry, what produce goes in the fridge, and what local eateries deliver lunch.  

People’s desire to improve their nutritional habits was aided by a timely surge in healthy eating and wellness technology, including healthy eating apps and other wellness trackers. 

The Minnow Pickup Pod was introduced during this period of technological innovation. Especially as the hybrid work schedule was taking off in popularity, it was important for health-conscious eaters to have access to convenient food delivery at home and at work.  

By optimizing the delivery of healthy food to hybrid workers, the Minnow Pickup Pod makes it easy for today's professionals to feel confident knowing they can access clean, fresh food. It removes the confusion surrounding delivery and the uncertainty that might otherwise push them toward unhealthy choices. 

Healthy diet, healthy environment—all made easier with more efficient food delivery 

This enhanced focus on clean dieting was naturally complemented by a similarly increased commitment to addressing sustainability & waste reduction. The pursuit of a healthy body and a healthy environment went hand-in-hand.  

These two issues share a number of key characteristics. For example, like overeating, a huge portion of food waste can be traced back to a lack of planning. People either order too much food for delivery, or they buy too many groceries and things go bad. Being more strategic and deliberate about portion sizes is an effective way to combat both of these issues.  

Fortunately, problems related to dietary and environmental health also share a few common solutions. On the tech side, one sustainable way to increase nutrition and decrease waste is to optimize the systems and mechanisms by which people purchase and store food.  

For the millions who regularly order delivery, smart food locker systems like the Minnow Pickup Pod prevent food orders from being misplaced, thrown out, or otherwise wasted by protecting them inside of a secure, insulated, temperature-controlled cubby. 

More people are ordering delivery... and trying to keep things healthy 

The average American consumer spends as much as 13% of their income on food. Of that money being allocated towards daily sustenance, the USDA reported that, at the start of the pandemic, over 51% was “at-home” spending, the highest level since the 2008 recession.  

People were (and still are) spending more money on goods to be consumed at home. In response to this shift in economic behavior, over 54% of restaurateurs – including fine dining restaurants – are now investing more resources in off-premises delivery services. 

This was a wise investment since roughly 60% of consumers currently say that they order food for delivery at least once a month or more, and 49% plan on ordering healthier delivery food in 2022. 

This planning is an important step in the right direction because healthy eating habits begin with impulse control and thinking ahead. By simply setting the intention to eat better, a person is making progress towards improving their diet. Having the right tools and support to actually follow through on that intention is the next piece of the puzzle. 

Stressful food pickup & delivery can lead people to make poor food choices 

When people have the ability to plan their meals without sacrificing quality for convenience, they tend to make better choices. When they’re uncertain about the quality of their delivery, for example, it triggers impulsive behavior.  

According to Door Dash, the top two most popular delivery orders in 2020 were a fried chicken sandwich and macaroni & cheese. Not exactly “healthy eating,” but undeniably fast and easy to get delivered just about anywhere. 

Smart delivery solutions like the Minnow Pickup Pod remove uncertainty and allow consumers to slow down and really think about what they’re ordering. I.e., more salads, fewer fried chicken sandwiches.  

Knowing that their food will be safe and fresh gives consumers much-needed peace of mind, which quells their instinct to panic-order fast and unhealthy food simply because it’s easy. 

The crux of the matter is when accessing good, healthy food is difficult, more people turn to familiar favorites—including junk food and food high in fat and sodium.  

Long delivery times and delays perpetuate these poor food habits, since – without proper insulation between delivery and pickup – fresh food can easily spoil or go bad. For busy people, this need for quick pick up could push them to choose less healthy, more shelf-stable foods. 

Conversely, when access to healthy food becomes steadier and more reliable, more people will take advantage of it. As we’ve seen, a substantial percentage of consumers want to eat healthily. Now, building owners can provide them with the tools to realize that goal. 

How convenient food pickup facilitates healthier food decisions 

People are generally less reasonable when they’re hungry, but they’re not unreasonable. It’s when you compound their lack of clear thinking with a lack of confidence in the freshness of healthy food that they order apocalypse-proof junk food. Our goal is to boost their confidence and, in doing so, allow clearer heads to prevail. 

An article published by DoorDash stated that optimized delivery (for faster delivery times) and safer food handling (like insulated storage of deliveries) can all help boost consumers’ understanding of their healthy food choices—and could encourage them to choose healthier, more nutritious options. 

Another factor that often compels people to order familiar, unhealthy favorites is a lack of confidence in smaller (but healthier) restaurants' ability to deliver their food quickly and efficiently. Fast chains are like well-oiled machines that usually get you your food within an hour. Local mom-and-pop eateries can’t match this level of speed and efficiency because their food takes longer to prepare, and their delivery systems aren’t as well-established yet.  

With Minnow Pickup Pods, these concerns become far less concerning because customers don’t have to watch the clock and be prepared to rush to the lobby as soon as their food arrives. They can just go about their day knowing that, whenever the delivery arrives, it will be protected and intact.  

In short, giving multifamily and commercial tenants stress-free food delivery and pickup options help support a nutritional diet because they know that they can pick up their food safely and on their own schedule. Whether it’s at their apartment or their office, the whole experience becomes much easier when you remove the unknowns from the equation. 

A Minnow Pickup Pod makes healthy food pickup & delivery easier for everyone 

Building tenants aren’t the only ones who benefit from reducing the chaos and uncertainty surrounding the delivery experience. Couriers’ lives are also made easier by having a secure, centralized location to leave customers’ orders. They’re not hurriedly wandering the lobby of an apartment building wondering where to drop off food or if it will even reach its intended recipient. 

The locked, insulated Pickup Pod is easy to find and protects orders until residents are ready to go get them. Over time, as these sorts of amenities become a standardized fixture in multifamily communities and office buildings, people will order fresh, healthy food with increasing regularity. All it takes is to build up their confidence and assure them that their order will be safe every time.  

If you’re interested in implementing a system that is built for convenient food pickup and delivery, then we encourage you to reach out to us and discuss whether a Minnow Pickup Pod is right for you. The answer is most likely yes, but we’d still love to chat. Contact our team today to get started.