How to Change oz to Grams on MyFitnessPal for Accurate Tracking

October 23, 2025 •

5 min read

According to MyFitnessPal's own support, the measurement options for food entries depend on how the original user created them. This means that to change oz to grams on MyFitnessPal, you'll need to use specific strategies, as there is no universal switch for all food items. Getting your units right is key for precise calorie and macronutrient tracking.

Quick Summary

Log food accurately by understanding how to switch measurement units when using MyFitnessPal. Learn to navigate serving size options, create custom entries, and use the '1 gram' hack to convert ounce-based foods into precise gram-based measurements.

Key Points

Adjust Serving Size: Tap on the serving size field when logging food to check for a 'grams' option in the dropdown menu.
Use the '1 Gram' Hack: For foods without a native gram option, set the 'Serving Size' to '1g' and enter the total grams you weighed in the 'Number of Servings' field.
Create Custom Foods: For packaged goods, create a custom entry using the nutritional information from the label, setting the serving size in grams for future logging.
Search Strategically: When searching for food, add 'USDA' or 'gram' to your query to find more reliable entries with accurate gram measurements.
Don't Confuse Profile Settings: Changing the 'Units' in your profile settings only affects your body weight and height tracking, not food logging units.
Use a Digital Food Scale: A digital scale is essential for accurately weighing food in grams, eliminating the imprecision of volumetric measurements.

Why Track Food in Grams Instead of Ounces?

Precision is paramount for consistent and effective nutrition tracking. While ounces are a common measurement in the US, weighing food in grams on a digital scale offers a far higher degree of accuracy. Grams are a metric unit that provides a more granular measurement, which is crucial for those who track macros closely or are in a strict cutting or bulking phase. Relying on volumetric measurements like cups or spoons, or less precise units like ounces, can lead to significant discrepancies over time. For example, the density of a cup of flour can vary dramatically depending on how it's packed, while a gram is always a gram.

Method 1: Changing Units Within an Existing Food Entry

The easiest way to log in grams is to find a food entry that already supports it. Here's how to do it in the MyFitnessPal mobile app:

Search for a Food: In your food diary, tap the 'Add Food' button for the meal you are logging. Search for the item you want to track, like "cooked chicken breast."
Examine Search Results: Look for an entry with a green checkmark next to it, as these are verified entries and generally have more options. Often, searching for the food plus "gram" or "USDA" yields better results.
Find the Serving Size: Select the most appropriate food item. On the logging screen, you'll see the "Serving Size" field. Tap on it.
Choose Grams: A dropdown menu will appear. If the food was entered with multiple units, you'll see "grams (g)" as an option. Select it to change the unit from ounces or another measurement.
Enter the Correct Number of Servings: Once you've selected grams, use the "Number of Servings" field to enter the total number of grams you measured on your food scale. For example, if you measured 150 grams, you would enter 150.
Log Your Food: Tap the checkmark to save the entry to your diary.

Method 2: The '1 Gram' Serving Size Hack

Sometimes, a food entry won't have grams listed in the unit drop-down menu. This method allows you to force the entry into grams with a simple trick.

Log the Food: Select the food entry as you normally would, even if it's currently in ounces.
Adjust Serving Size: In the "Serving Size" field, look for an option to change the quantity. If available, select "1 gram (g)".
Adjust Number of Servings: In the "Number of Servings" field, enter the total number of grams you weighed on your food scale. For example, if you weighed 85 grams of rice, you'd set the Serving Size to "1g" and the Number of Servings to "85".
Confirm and Save: The app will automatically calculate the calories and macros for your specific gram-based amount. Save the food to your diary.

Method 3: Creating a Custom Food Entry

For packaged foods or items not accurately represented in the database, creating a custom entry is the most reliable option for consistent gram tracking.

Navigate to Custom Foods: Go to the 'More' menu (•••) > 'Meals, Recipes & Foods' > 'Foods'.
Create a New Food: Tap 'Create a New Food' and fill in the brand name, description, and other details from the food label.
Set Grams as Serving Size: When entering the serving size, input the grams listed on the nutrition label. For instance, if the label says '½ cup (66g)', only enter '66g'.
Input Nutritional Information: Accurately enter the calories, macronutrients, and other nutrients from the label.
Save the Entry: Tap 'Save' to add the custom food to your personal database.
Log Your New Food: The next time you eat this item, you can select the serving size as '1g' and enter the weight from your food scale.

Comparison of Methods


Feature	Method 1: Change Existing Unit	Method 2: '1 Gram' Hack	Method 3: Custom Food Entry
Best For	Common, verified foods with multiple unit options.	Foods without a gram unit, but with an adjustable serving size.	Packaged foods, recipes, or items with inaccurate database entries.
Accuracy	High, based on verified or trusted user data.	High, as it uses the existing entry's nutritional data per gram.	Highest, as it comes directly from the nutrition label you enter.
Effort	Low—just a few taps.	Medium—requires an extra step and understanding the hack.	High initial effort, but low effort for all subsequent logs.
Consistency	Can be inconsistent if using non-verified user entries.	Consistent for that specific food entry once the hack is performed.	Perfect consistency for your personal, saved food item.
Ideal Use	Quick logging of single items.	Adapting an existing entry on the fly.	Creating a reliable, permanent log for a regularly eaten food.

How to Change Profile-Wide Units

This is a common point of confusion. Changing the default weight units in your profile does not automatically convert all food logging units. It only affects how your body weight and distance metrics are displayed. Here’s where to find it for reference:

Mobile App: Go to the 'More' tab, tap 'Settings', then 'Edit Profile', and finally 'Units'. You can set your preferences for weight, height, and distance here.
Web Portal: Log in to MyFitnessPal.com, click 'My Home' > 'Settings' > 'Change Units'.

Troubleshooting Tips for Logging in Grams

Can't find grams? The entry may not have a gram option. Try searching for a different entry of the same food, or use the '1 Gram Hack'. Search with keywords like "USDA" to find more reliable options.
Scanning a barcode: Barcode entries are user-submitted and may only have a serving size in ounces. Use the '1 Gram Hack' or create a custom food entry for better accuracy.
Incorrect calorie calculation: If you find a food entry with incorrect nutritional information, report it within the app or create your own custom food entry based on the package label.

Conclusion: Mastering Your Food Log

Transitioning from ounces to grams is a game-changer for precise and effective calorie and macronutrient tracking on MyFitnessPal. While the app doesn't have a universal toggle, using methods like adjusting existing serving units, applying the '1 gram' hack, or creating custom food entries allows for accurate, weight-based logging. By taking the extra steps to measure in grams, you eliminate estimation errors and build a more reliable food diary, ultimately leading to better results for your fitness and health goals. Start by weighing your most common food items and saving them as custom entries to streamline your process.

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Frequently Asked Questions

No, you cannot set grams as a universal default for all food entries. The serving size units available are dependent on how the specific food item was originally added to the database. You must either select a food entry that includes grams or manually change the serving size for each entry.

The food database is largely user-sourced. Entries created by other users often reflect their own preferred measurements (like ounces or cups). If a user didn't enter a gram option, it won't be available unless you use one of the manual conversion methods.

The most accurate method is to create your own custom food entry based on the nutrition facts label of a packaged food item. For whole foods, use a digital scale and find a reliable USDA entry that provides gram measurements.

No, changing the weight unit in your profile settings (e.g., from pounds to kilograms) only affects how your body weight and weight-loss goals are displayed. It has no impact on the serving size units used for logging food.

Select the food item, tap the serving size field, and change the unit to '1g'. Then, in the 'Number of Servings' field, enter the total number of grams you weighed. For example, for 4.5 oz of chicken, find a 1g entry and log it as 128 servings (since 4.5 oz is approximately 128g).

If a barcode entry is incorrect or missing gram units, you have two options. You can either manually correct the serving information for that log or, for permanent accuracy, create a custom food entry for that product yourself, pulling the data directly from the nutrition label.

Yes. Volumetric measurements like cups can vary based on how tightly an ingredient is packed or how dense it is. A gram, being a unit of weight, is a precise and consistent measure every time, which is especially important for calorie-dense foods.