Defaults determine outcomes. When tired or unprepared, you fall back on defaults — the meals you make without thinking. Research by Thaler on choice architecture shows defaults powerfully shape behavior. If your defaults are healthy (eggs and vegetables, rotisserie chicken and salad), unplanned eating is fine. Designing good defaults is high-leverage change.
This companion covers why defaults matter, auditing yours, what good defaults look like, and building better ones. (3 min read)