Deleting Single Food Entries from Your Diary
Whether you made a mistake or changed your mind about a meal, removing a single food item from your daily log is straightforward. The process varies slightly depending on whether you use the MyFitnessPal mobile app or the website.
For Mobile App Users (iOS and Android)
To erase a specific item from your daily diary on the smartphone app, use the following steps:
- Navigate to your Diary: Open the app and go to your 'Diary' tab.
- Locate the Entry: Find the specific food you wish to delete within one of your meal sections (e.g., Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
- Delete with a Swipe: Swipe your finger horizontally across the food item from right to left. A 'Delete' button will appear.
- Confirm Deletion: Tap the 'Delete' button to instantly remove the entry from your diary.
Alternatively, for deleting multiple items at once:
- Tap the 'Edit' Icon: On the Diary page, tap the pencil or 'Edit' icon at the top.
- Select Items: Tap the selection icon next to each food item you want to remove.
- Use the Trash Can Icon: Tap the trash can icon (Android) or 'Delete' button (iPhone) that appears to erase all selected entries.
For Web Version Users
If you prefer using the desktop website, follow these instructions:
- Go to the 'Food' Tab: Log into your account on the MyFitnessPal website and click the 'Food' tab at the top.
- Access Your Diary: This will take you directly to your food diary for the current day.
- Click the Red Button: Locate the food entry you want to delete and click the small circular red button with a minus sign next to it.
- Confirm: The food item will be removed immediately.
Managing Custom Foods, Recipes, and Meals
Sometimes, the item you need to erase isn't just a daily log, but a saved item like a custom food, a recipe, or a remembered meal. These require a different process to delete permanently.
Deleting Custom Foods
If you have created a personal food item, you can remove it from your database as long as it wasn't shared with the public.
- Mobile App (iOS/Android): Go to the 'More' menu, then 'My Meals, Recipes & Foods', and then 'Foods'. Find the item, swipe left, and tap 'Delete'.
- Web Version: Go to the 'Food' tab, then 'My Foods'. Search for the item, click on it, and select the 'Delete' button.
Deleting Remembered Meals
If you want to erase a saved meal, the process also depends on your platform.
- Mobile App (iOS): Tap 'More' > 'My Meals, Recipes & Foods' > 'Meals'. Swipe left on the meal and tap 'Delete'.
- Mobile App (Android): Go to the main menu, then 'Recipes, Meals & Foods' > 'Meals'. Tap the three dots, select 'Edit', check the meal(s) to delete, and tap the trash can icon.
- Web Version: Click 'Food' > 'My Meals'. Click on the meal to view its contents, then click 'Delete Selected Meal'.
Deleting Recipes
For recipes, which are composed of multiple ingredients, the steps are similar to deleting meals.
- Mobile App (iOS): Go to the 'More' menu, then 'My Meals, Recipes & Foods', and then 'Recipes'. Swipe left on the recipe and tap 'Delete'.
- Mobile App (Android): Access the main menu, 'Recipes, Meals & Foods', and then 'Recipes'. Tap the three dots to 'Edit', select the recipe(s), and tap the trash can.
- Web Version: Click 'Food' > 'Recipes'. Hover over the recipe name and click the 'Remove' button.
Comparison Table: Deleting Food Across Platforms
| Action | Mobile App (iOS) | Mobile App (Android) | Web Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delete Daily Entry | Swipe left on item > tap 'Delete' | Swipe left on item > tap 'Delete Entry' | Go to 'Food' tab > click red minus button |
| Delete Custom Food | More > My Foods > Swipe left on item > tap 'Delete' | More > My Foods > Tap 3 dots > 'Edit' > Select item > Trash can | Food > My Foods > Search for item > Click 'Delete' |
| Delete Remembered Meal | More > Meals > Swipe left on meal > tap 'Delete' | More > Meals > Tap 3 dots > 'Edit' > Select meal > Trash can | Food > My Meals > Click on meal > 'Delete Selected Meal' |
| Remove from Frequent List | Hold down on item in list > tap 'Delete' | Hold down on item in list > tap 'Delete' | Food > Add Food > Frequent tab > Check item > 'Delete from list' |
Conclusion
Whether correcting a miscalculation or removing a disliked recipe, knowing how to erase food on MyFitnessPal is an essential skill for accurate calorie and macro tracking. The methods for deleting food differ slightly across the mobile app and web platform, but the overall process is user-friendly. By following the platform-specific instructions for single diary entries, custom foods, recipes, and meals, you can maintain a precise and up-to-date food log, ensuring your nutritional data is always accurate for your health goals.
Other Related Considerations
When managing your food diary, remember that deleting an entry is different from blacklisting a food from your frequent list. Deleting removes a single instance, while blacklisting permanently prevents a food from appearing as a frequent item, which is useful for dietary changes. Additionally, be aware that publicly created and verified foods cannot be permanently deleted by a user, only removed from their personal diary. For issues with synced data or calories not displaying correctly after an action like a quick add, checking the web version of MyFitnessPal often reveals the entry, allowing for manual deletion. For more detailed information on specific features, the MyFitnessPal Help Center is a valuable resource.
