System and method for generating personalized meal plans

Abstract

A system for personalized meal planning is provided which includes a client device and a meal planning center configured to communicate with the client device and to receive a customer's information, including a weight designator, a gender designator, a goal designator, and an activity level designator. The meal planning center includes a storage device and a processing unit. The storage device is configured to store recipe template files having an ingredient designator and a plurality of recipe rule factors, which include a nutrient contribution value, a minimum ingredient value, and a maximum ingredient value. A plurality of recipe rule factors are each assigned to each ingredient designator. The processing unit is configured to determine a nutritional allowance based upon the customer information and to create a recipe that satisfies the nutritional allowance by using the recipe rule factors assigned to the ingredient. The meal planning center is further configured to transmit the recipe to the client device.

1 . In a meal planning system, a method of meal planning comprising: 
 receiving client information including designators denoting weight and gender;    assigning at least one nutritional allowance of a nutrient based on the client information;    selecting a recipe template having, 
 at least one ingredient designator, and  
 a plurality of recipe rule factors assigned to each ingredient designator to include at least one contribution value of the nutrient per unit measurement of ingredient, a minimum allocatable amount of ingredient, and a maximum allocatable amount of ingredient;  
   setting a recipe allocation amount for each ingredient within a range bounded by the minimum allocatable amount and a maximum allocatable amount for the ingredient that satisfies the nutritional allowance within a predetermined range; and    delivering a recipe having the recipe allocation amount assigned to each corresponding ingredient.    
   
   
       2 . A method of meal planning as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the customer information further includes designators denoting goal, activity level, and lean body mass.  
   
   
       3 . A method of meal planning as defined in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the recipe template has a plurality of ingredient designators; and    the plurality of recipe rule factors further includes a nutritional priority value assigned to each ingredient of the plurality of ingredient annotating priority of use in satisfying the nutritional allowance.    
   
   
       4 . A method of meal planning as defined in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the at least one nutritional allowance is a plurality of nutritional allowances, each corresponding to a distinct nutrient; and    the at least one contribution value is a plurality of contribution values, each corresponding to a distinct nutrient    
   
   
       5 . A method of meal planning as defined in  claim 4 , wherein: 
 the plurality of nutritional allowances comprise allowances of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats; and    the plurality of contribution values comprise contribution values of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.    
   
   
       6 . In a meal planning system, a method of meal planning comprising: 
 receiving client information including designators denoting weight, gender, goal, activity level, and lean body mass;    assigning nutritional allowances for a plurality of nutrients comprising carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, the plurality of nutritional allowance based on the client information;    selecting a recipe template having, 
 at least one ingredient designator, and  
 a plurality of recipe rule factors assigned to each ingredient designator to include, 
 at least one contribution value per unit measurement of ingredient for at least one of the plurality of nutrients,  
 a minimum allocatable amount of ingredient, and  
 a maximum allocatable amount of ingredient;  
 
   setting a recipe allocation amount for each ingredient within a range bounded by the minimum allocatable amount and a maximum allocatable amount for each ingredient to satisfy the plurality of nutritional allowances within a predetermined range for each nutritional allowance; and    delivering a recipe with each ingredient and corresponding recipe allocation amount to the client device.    
   
   
       7 . A method of meal planning as defined in  claim 6 , wherein: 
 the recipe template has a plurality of ingredient designators;    the plurality of recipe rule factors further includes a nutritional priority value assigned to each ingredient designator annotating priority of use in satisfying one of the plurality of nutritional allowances; and    the nutritional priority value assigned to each ingredient denotes priority along an ordinal range having a first priority and subsequent priorities through to a lowest priority for at least one of the plurality of nutrients.    
   
   
       8 . A method of meal planning as defined in  claim 7 , the step of setting a recipe allocation amount for each ingredient further comprising: 
 (a) determining if the nutritional allowance of a selected nutrient from the plurality of nutrients is satisfied with the plurality of ingredients set at default values and proceeding to following steps if no;    (b) selecting an ingredient assigned the highest priority value for the selected nutrient;    (c) attempting to satisfy the nutritional allowance of the first nutrient by adjusting the recipe allocation amount of selected ingredient from the minimum allocatable amount up to the maximum allocatable amount, proceeding to step (d) if not satisfied and if satisfied skipping to step (f);    (d) selecting a subsequent ingredient assigned a subsequent priority along the ordinal range for the first nutrient;    (e) attempting to satisfy the nutritional allowance of the selected nutrient by adjusting the recipe allocation amount of the subsequent ingredient from the minimum allocatable amount up to the maximum allocatable amount, repeating step (d) if not satisfied and if proceeding following steps; and    (f) repeating steps (a) through (e) for all of the plurality of nutrients.    
   
   
       9 . A meal planning system for automated meal planning comprising: 
 a communications device configured to receive client information from a client device, the client information including designators denoting weight, gender, goal, activity level, and lean body mass;    data storage device configured to store recipe template files having, 
 at least one ingredient designator, and  
 a plurality of recipe rule factors assigned to each ingredient designator to include 
 at least one contribution value per unit measurement of ingredient for at least one of the plurality of nutrients,  
 a minimum allocatable amount of ingredient, and  
 a maximum allocatable amount of ingredient; and  
 
   at least one processing unit configured to assign a recipe allocation amount for each ingredient within a range bounded by the minimum allocatable amount and a maximum allocatable amount for each ingredient to satisfy the plurality of nutritional allowances within a predetermined range for each nutritional allowance, wherein the recipe includes each of the at least one ingredient and the corresponding recipe allocation amount.    
   
   
       10 . A meal planning system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein: 
 the recipe template has a plurality of ingredient designators;    the plurality of recipe rule factors further includes a nutritional priority value assigned to each ingredient designator annotating priority of use in satisfying one of the plurality of nutritional allowances; and    the nutritional priority value assigned to each ingredient denotes priority along an ordinal range having a first priority and subsequent priorities through to a lowest priority for at least one of the plurality of nutrients.    
   
   
       11 . A meal planning system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the communications device is further configured to transmit the recipe to the client device.  
   
   
       12 . A meal planning system as defined in  claim 9 , wherein the at least one processing unit comprises a plurality of processing units.  
   
   
       13 . A meal planning system as defined in  claim 12 , wherein each processor of the plurality of processing units is configured to assign a recipe allocation amount for each ingredient within the range bounded by the minimum allocatable amount and the maximum allocatable amount for each ingredient to satisfy the plurality of nutritional allowances within a predetermined range for each nutritional allowance, wherein the recipe includes each of the at least one ingredient and the corresponding recipe allocation amount.  
   
   
       14 . A meal planning system as defined in  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of processing units in the aggregate is configured to assign a recipe allocation amount for each ingredient within the range bounded by the minimum allocatable amount and the maximum allocatable amount for each ingredient to satisfy the plurality of nutritional allowances within a predetermined range for each nutritional allowance, wherein the recipe includes each of the at least one ingredient and the corresponding recipe allocation amount.