Lighter: "Pandora for Food"

Want to eat healthier but don’t know where to start? Lighter, a Boston-based startup, is focused on shifting people’s diet toward more wholesome, plant-based options and away from meat and processed foods. Cofounder Alexis Fox calls it the “Pandora for food” where high tech software will eventually learn the user’s unique preferences through customized shopping lists and recommended recipes. When a user first begins using the site, Lighter will inquire after their goals, whether that’s to simply improve meal planning or get on track to with a healthier diet. As the user progresses, Lighter will customize itself according to how much they typically eat and how many people they are cooking for. 

Fox states, “When people are deciding they want to eat less meat, they’re often overwhelmed, they feel lost.” By utilizing the large network of information amassed from chefs, nutritionists, athletes, parents, and young working professionals, Lighter makes transitioning to a better diet vastly more accessible. With valuable tips, advice, and recipes all in one place, Lighter is sure to get you inspired. 

Fox says Lighter’s ultimate goal is to “help moms at 6:30 pm on a Wednesday night, when the kids are hungry and she’s had a long day at work, and she resolved to eat better weeks ago.” In light of this, the coming weeks, the company plans to add instructional demonstration videos on basic cooking skills.

Hoping to make a huge impact on the public, Fox puts it bluntly, “If the market doesn’t grow quickly, then the whole world is in trouble.” Lighter just might change a few people’s minds.

Written by Donna Chen