Inside Food Dice, Lingjie Guo Finds Joy in the Act of Choosing

Blending play and practicality, Lingjie Guo’s Food Dice brings ease and imagination to one of life’s simplest yet hardest choices.

Dinner indecision is almost universal as society is faced with endless options, most people scroll through delivery apps or recipe lists, only to end up frustrated and hungry. Designer Lingjie Guo saw this daily hesitation as an opportunity to make decision-making enjoyable. Her concept, Food Dice, transforms the familiar “What should I eat?” dilemma into a playful, guided experience that feels as intuitive as rolling a die.

Rather than offering another conventional food app, Food Dice introduces a moment of spontaneity into everyday routines. A single tap activates a digital dice roll that suggests either a nearby restaurant or a recipe based on ingredients already available at home. The suggestions aren’t arbitrary as each one is filtered through user preferences, mood, time, and even environmental cues. On a cold evening, the app might recommend a warm bowl of noodles; during a slow afternoon, a simple ten-minute snack. The interaction feels effortless, yet surprisingly personal.

The interface embraces simplicity, allowing users to scan grocery receipts, photograph pantry items, or manually input ingredients to find recipes that fit what they have on hand. With up to three rolls per session, the app strikes a balance between control and chance. The process encourages curiosity and reduces overthinking, turning a daily routine into a small act of play.

Behind this seemingly lighthearted idea is a deeply researched design journey. Guo conducted interviews and mapped user behaviors to understand how meal decisions create quiet stress. Her insights revealed that users don’t necessarily crave more options, they crave clarity and confidence. That understanding guided Food Dice’s structure, logic, and interface, from wireframes to its refined high-fidelity prototype.

In essence, Food Dice invites users to rediscover joy in the act of choosing. By combining thoughtful design with a touch of unpredictability, it reimagines an ordinary decision as an experience of ease and delight. Through this concept, Lingjie Guo demonstrates that even the simplest ideas can reshape how people engage with everyday habits, one roll at a time. Her work was honored with in the 2025 MUSE Creative Awards, under the category of Mobile App – Food & Drink, recognizing its inventive approach to turning indecision into inspiration.