How to Create a Meal Plan on MyFitnessPal

According to a study cited by MyFitnessPal, people who cook at home more frequently tend to have a better diet quality, consuming more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. MyFitnessPal offers several features to help with this, from basic food tracking to an advanced Meal Planner for Premium+ users. This guide will walk you through the various methods for organizing your meals within the app, helping you stay on track with your health and fitness goals.

Quick Summary

This article outlines how to create a meal plan in MyFitnessPal using both the free methods, like saving custom meals and recipes, and the advanced features available to Premium+ subscribers. It details the process for each method, including setting nutritional goals, creating shopping lists, and logging meals, to simplify your dietary tracking.

Key Points

• Free Method: You can create your own meal plan by saving custom meals and recipes using the "My Meals" and "My Recipes" features found in the 'More' menu.

• Premium+ Method: For a more automated experience, use the Premium+ Meal Planner, which generates a personalized week-long meal plan based on your diet preferences and goals.

• Pre-log Meals: To stay on track, plan and pre-log your meals for the upcoming days or week in your food diary to hit your calorie and macro goals consistently.

• Barcode Scanner: Use the barcode scanner for pre-packaged items to quickly and accurately log your food without manual entry.

• Customizable Goals: Set your personal calorie and macronutrient targets in the 'Goals' section of the app to ensure your meal plan aligns with your fitness objectives.

• Grocery List Integration: Premium+ users benefit from an automated grocery list created from their meal plan, which can also integrate with online retailers.

• Copy Function: Save time by using the copy function to duplicate an entire day's meals and repeat successful meal plans.

Understanding Your Options: Premium+ vs. Free Features

MyFitnessPal offers two primary ways to approach meal planning: using the comprehensive, automated Meal Planner available with a Premium+ subscription or creating and saving custom meals and recipes with the free version. The right method for you depends on your budget and how much personalization and automation you desire.

Using the MyFitnessPal Premium+ Meal Planner

For those who want a completely guided experience, the Premium+ Meal Planner is the most straightforward option. It takes the guesswork out of meal prep by providing automated recipes and grocery lists based on your personal data.

1. Access the Meal Planner: Open the MyFitnessPal app and navigate to the "Plan" tab at the bottom of the home screen.
2. Complete the Onboarding: You will be guided through a series of questions to customize your plan. This includes your calorie target, macro preferences, dietary approach (like Mediterranean or low-carb), allergies, cooking time availability, and household size.
3. Generate Your Plan: After answering the questions, the app will generate a personalized meal plan for you, complete with a selection of recipes.
4. Review and Customize: Browse the suggested recipes for each meal. If you want a different option, tap the "Swap" button to explore other dishes from the database.
5. Create Your Grocery List: The app automatically generates a grocery list from the recipes in your plan. You can check off items you already have in your pantry to refine the list.
6. Log Your Meals: When you cook a recipe from your plan, you can log it to your daily diary with a single tap, ensuring your nutritional tracking is accurate and effortless.

Creating a Meal Plan with the Free Version

Even without a Premium+ subscription, you can effectively plan your meals by leveraging the "My Meals," "Recipes," and "Copy Previous Meals" functions. This requires more manual effort upfront but is a powerful tool for consistency.

1. Create Custom Meals and Recipes: Access this feature by going to the "More" menu and tapping "My Meals, Recipes & Foods". Here, you can manually enter ingredients for a specific recipe or combine existing logged foods into a saved meal.
2. Develop a Weekly Plan: Create a simple plan outside the app, perhaps in a notebook or spreadsheet. Outline what you plan to eat for each meal over the next week.
3. Pre-log Your Meals: On Sunday or another designated day, go into your MyFitnessPal diary for the upcoming week and pre-log your saved meals and recipes. This ensures you know your daily calorie and macro totals in advance.
4. Copy Meals: To save even more time, once you've logged a week of meals, you can use the "Copy" function to move a previous day's food log to a future date.

Maximizing Your MyFitnessPal Meal Plan

Regardless of which method you choose, several tips can help you get the most out of your meal planning efforts:

• Set Clear Goals: Before you start planning, ensure your weight and activity level goals are correctly set in the "Goals" section of the app. MyFitnessPal will adjust its recommendations based on these targets.
• Use the Food Diary Effectively: As you log, MyFitnessPal's predictive typing and "Frequent Foods" list will make the process faster over time. For pre-packaged foods, use the barcode scanner for the most accurate information.
• Integrate Recipes: Creating and saving recipes for complex dishes is a time-saving hack. Enter all ingredients and specify the number of servings, and the app will do the nutritional calculations for you.
• Track Consistently: Consistency is the most important factor. Logging your meals helps you become more aware of your eating habits and how they impact your overall progress.

Free Meal Planning vs. Premium+ Meal Planner Comparison

Feature	Free Meal Planning Method	Premium+ Meal Planner
Plan Generation	Manual, requires you to create your own plan based on saved meals and recipes.	Automated, generates a personalized plan based on your preferences and goals.
Recipe Selection	You must manually enter ingredients for your own recipes or find them in the database.	Provides access to a library of over 1,500 recipes tailored to your dietary choices.
Grocery List	Must be created and updated manually based on the meals you plan.	Automatically generates a shopping list and integrates with online retailers like Instacart.
Customization	Offers full control over every meal and ingredient you log, but is more time-consuming.	Allows you to swap recommended recipes and adjust serving sizes within the generated plan.
Cost	Free.	Requires a Premium+ subscription.
Daily Logging	Requires adding saved meals or logging foods individually each day.	Meals from the plan can be logged to your diary with a single tap.

The Power of Consistency

Whether you choose the hands-on free method or the automated Premium+ experience, the key to success is consistent use. Planning your meals ahead removes the daily stress of deciding what to eat, which helps prevent impulsive, less healthy choices. The more you use the app, the more it learns your habits, making future meal logging even faster. For more general information on MyFitnessPal, you can explore the official support documentation.

Conclusion

MyFitnessPal offers powerful tools for meal planning, catering to both users who prefer a hands-on approach and those who want an automated, guided experience. The free features allow you to create custom meals and recipes, making it easy to pre-log your food and stay organized. The Premium+ Meal Planner provides an even more streamlined process, with automated plans, recipes, and grocery lists tailored to your specific needs. By understanding and utilizing these features, you can take control of your nutrition, streamline your daily routine, and work toward your health and fitness goals with greater confidence and success.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the meal planner features for free?

Yes, you can create a meal plan for free by manually saving your favorite meals and recipes under the "My Meals, Recipes & Foods" section. The automated Meal Planner, however, is a premium feature.

How do I create a custom meal or recipe in MyFitnessPal?

To create a custom meal, go to 'More' > 'My Meals, Recipes & Foods', tap the 'Meals' or 'Recipes' tab, and then select 'Create a Meal' or 'Create a Recipe.' You can add all the ingredients and save it for future logging.

Where do I find the Meal Planner in the app?

The Meal Planner for Premium+ subscribers can be found by tapping the "Plan" tab at the bottom of the home screen.

How do I adjust my dietary preferences for meal planning?

During the initial setup of the Premium+ Meal Planner, you will be prompted to set your dietary approach, cuisine preferences, and other restrictions. For free users, you must build your plan manually based on your preferences.

Can I use MyFitnessPal to pre-plan my meals for the week?

Yes. You can use the food diary to pre-log your meals for the upcoming week by adding saved meals or searching the database. You can also use the 'Copy' feature to replicate entire days.

How can I make a shopping list from my meal plan?

With the Premium+ Meal Planner, a grocery list is automatically generated. For free users, you must manually create a shopping list based on the meals and recipes you plan.

How do I log a saved meal or recipe?

To log a saved meal or recipe, go to your daily food diary, tap 'Add Food,' and then select the 'My Meals' or 'My Recipes' tab at the top. From there, select the saved item you wish to log.