Abstract

The global significance of the human–food relationship in the twenty-first century spans social, economic, and environmental domains, raising serious questions about people’s well-being and lifestyle, as well as its impact on the planet’s ecological balance. Despite technological advancements in modern kitchens, the dwindling time spent on daily home food preparation intensifies stress and unhealthy and unsustainable human development. An extensive literature review was conducted to explore how product design can promote mindful living and foster a sustainable human–food relationship, enhancing wellness in contemporary and future kitchens. Accordingly, to advance product design, food, and wellness literature, the authors investigate the interconnected dynamics of food preparation, kitchen design, and human behavior, in line with the following research question: How can innovative kitchen product design enhance mindful living and promote sustainable food preparation practices among users in future kitchen concepts? First by understanding how the kitchen has evolved with technology, then the elements that benefit mindfulness and slowing down and its link to the design practice, and finally, by answering how can product designers create kitchen environments that encourage behavioral changes toward healthier and more sustainable cooking practices. The study advocates a paradigm shift in kitchen spaces and food preparation, started by “change makers” to initiate holistic design changes influencing the kitchen’s ecosystem and its users. Product designers act as key influencers in shaping future sustainable and mindful cooking practices rooted in slow movement principles and emphasizing the symbiosis of artificial, natural, and human experiences. The findings of this research show that product design has a transformative potential to drive behavioral change toward sustainable and healthy food preparation, accounting for intrinsic wellness and acknowledging the limitations of current frameworks.