Sharing recipes with friends can be a great way to stay motivated and achieve your health and fitness goals together. While the MyFitnessPal app does not currently offer a direct 'share recipe' button, a simple workaround allows friends to copy a meal from your diary, giving them access to your recipe's nutritional breakdown. This method requires you and your friend to be connected as 'Friends' on the platform and for you to adjust your diary privacy settings.
Method 1: Sharing via Diary Copying (Mobile App)
This is the most common and reliable method for sharing recipe information. It involves logging the recipe to your diary and then having your friend copy it.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Log the Recipe to Your Diary: Before your friend can copy the recipe, you must log it in your daily food diary. On the MyFitnessPal home screen, tap the 'Plus' (+) button, then select 'Food'. Choose the meal slot where you want to log your recipe and search for it under the 'Recipes' tab. Tap to add it to your diary.
- Adjust Diary Sharing Settings: Your diary must be visible to your friend for them to copy the meal. On the home screen, tap the 'More' button (three dots or lines in the bottom-right corner) > 'Settings' > 'Privacy Center' > 'Sharing & Privacy' > 'Diary Sharing'.
- Select 'Friends Only': Change the diary sharing setting from 'Private' to 'Friends Only' or 'Public'. Choosing 'Friends Only' is recommended for privacy.
- Friend Copies the Meal: Your friend needs to find your diary and copy the meal. They will navigate to their 'Friends' page > select your name > tap the diary icon or 'View Diary'. They can then find the day and meal where you logged the recipe. Tapping the three dots next to the meal allows them to select 'Copy to Date' and save the meal to their own diary.
Method 2: Manually Sharing Recipe Details
If you prefer not to make your diary visible, or if the nutritional data isn't the primary concern, you can simply share the recipe ingredients and instructions outside of the app.
Why Manual Sharing Can Be Better
- Complete Control: You provide the full recipe, including specific instructions, not just the nutritional data.
- No Privacy Changes: You don't need to adjust your diary settings, keeping your eating habits private.
- Simplicity for Non-Users: This method works even if your friend does not have a MyFitnessPal account.
- Full Recipe Context: A shared meal entry in MyFitnessPal doesn't include the cooking instructions, just the nutritional information. Manual sharing provides the complete picture.
Comparison of Sharing Methods
| Feature | Diary Copying (In-App) | Manual Sharing (External) |
|---|---|---|
| Requires MyFitnessPal Friends? | Yes | No |
| Requires Privacy Changes? | Yes, to 'Friends Only' or 'Public' | No |
| Shares Nutritional Data? | Yes, accurately | No, requires manual entry by the friend |
| Shares Cooking Instructions? | No | Yes, includes full details |
| Convenience for Friend? | Very high, if using the same app | Depends on communication method (e.g., text, email) |
| Privacy Level | Lower (diary visible to friends) | Highest (diary remains private) |
Conclusion: The Best Way to Share Recipes
While MyFitnessPal does not have a direct 'send recipe' feature, the diary-sharing method is the most effective in-app solution for sharing recipes with friends. It ensures they receive the accurate nutritional breakdown for your meal. However, for those who value privacy or want to share the complete cooking instructions, sending the recipe manually remains a superior alternative. By understanding both approaches, you can choose the one that best fits your needs and helps you and your friends achieve your health goals together. For more detailed instructions on managing app settings, consult the official MyFitnessPal Help Center.
Additional Considerations for Recipe Sharing
If you find yourself sharing recipes frequently, you might consider using a third-party app or a simple digital document. Services like Google Docs or dedicated recipe apps allow for easy sharing and better organization of your culinary creations, offering a robust solution beyond MyFitnessPal's current limitations. You can then copy the recipe's nutritional information from MyFitnessPal and paste it into the shared document for a complete picture.
Editing a Copied Recipe
When a friend copies a meal from your diary, it becomes a new entry in their log, not a saved recipe. If they want to be able to use it repeatedly or edit it, they will need to save the meal as a recipe themselves. They can do this by tapping the three dots next to the copied meal and selecting an option to save it as a new recipe. This allows them to adjust serving sizes and ingredients for their own tracking needs.
