Is There a Way to Add More Meals to MyFitnessPal? Absolutely, and Here's How

According to MyFitnessPal's own support page, you can add up to two more meals beyond the standard three, giving you a total of five meal slots. Whether you eat five small meals or just need more specific labels, the app offers robust customization to add more meals to MyFitnessPal and tailor it to your eating habits.

Quick Summary

MyFitnessPal offers multiple ways to customize food tracking beyond the default three meals. You can add extra meal slots through Diary Settings on the website or mobile app, rename existing meal labels, and save frequently consumed food combinations as 'Meals' or 'Recipes' for easy, one-tap logging.

Key Points

• Add up to 2 extra meal slots: You can increase your total meal count from three to five by adjusting your diary settings on the web or in the mobile app.

• Rename meals for customization: Change generic labels like "Lunch" and "Dinner" to custom titles such as "Post-Workout Snack" or "Meal 1" to better fit your schedule.

• Create 'Meals' for quick entry: Save frequent food combinations, like your daily breakfast, as a custom 'Meal' for one-tap logging.

• Use 'Recipes' for complex dishes: For dishes with multiple ingredients, create a 'Recipe' that you can log by serving size. This is ideal for meal prepping.

• Use the 'Copy' function: Save time by copying entire meals from one day to another, a useful feature for tracking leftovers or repetitive meals.

• Plan meals in advance: Logging your meals ahead of time can help you manage your daily calorie and macro goals more effectively.

• Save and track mindful eating: Use the app's customization features to help cultivate mindful eating habits by reflecting on your choices and how they affect you.

Adjusting Your Meal Slots and Names

For many, the standard three meals a day don't fit their eating schedule, which might include several snacks or smaller, frequent meals. MyFitnessPal acknowledges this and provides options to adjust your diary settings. The process is straightforward and can be completed on either the website or the mobile app.

On the MyFitnessPal Website:

1. Log into your account at www.myfitnesspal.com.
2. Go to "My Home," then click on "Settings," and finally "Diary Settings".
3. At the top of the Diary Settings page, you can change your existing meal names and add up to two additional meals, bringing the total to five.
4. Remember to save your changes. The new names will sync with your mobile app the next time it has an internet connection.

On the MyFitnessPal Mobile App (iOS & Android):

1. Tap the "More" button (represented by three dots or lines) in the bottom navigation bar.
2. Select "Settings".
3. Navigate to "Diary Settings".
4. Choose "Customize Meal Names." Here you can edit the labels and activate up to two more meal slots.

Creating and Saving Custom Meals

Beyond just adding more meal slots, you can save specific combinations of foods as custom 'Meals' or 'Recipes.' This is an excellent feature for foods you eat frequently, like a standard breakfast or a pre-workout shake. It eliminates the need to manually log each ingredient every time.

1. Logging a new meal: The next time you have a meal you want to save, log all the individual ingredients into your diary as you normally would.
2. Saving the entry: Once all items are logged, tap the three dots or "Edit" option near that meal section.
3. Create and name: Select "Save as Meal" and give it a descriptive name (e.g., "Quick Scrambled Eggs" or "Morning Protein Smoothie").
4. Future logging: The next time you want to log that meal, go to "Add Food," then the "My Meals" tab, and select your saved meal.

Recipes vs. Meals: What's the Difference?

MyFitnessPal offers two ways to group foods for faster logging: "Meals" and "Recipes." While both save you time, they serve slightly different purposes. Understanding the distinction helps you use the right tool for your needs.

Feature	Saved Meals	Saved Recipes
Best For	Quickly logging regular, static food combinations (e.g., daily breakfast, protein shake).	Creating and tracking multi-ingredient dishes with a specific serving size (e.g., Chili, lasagna, smoothies).
Input Method	Save directly from your diary after adding ingredients.	Manually enter ingredients, bulk import from a list, or import from a URL.
Flexibility	Ingredients can be easily adjusted and updated on a per-log basis.	Adjustments are made to the master recipe, but serving sizes can be changed when logging.
Serving Size	Logs as a single unit, but each component remains separately editable in the diary.	You can specify a total number of servings and log a specific portion (e.g., 1 of 6 servings).
Tracking	Ideal for speed when the items and portions are consistent.	Perfect for complex meals, allowing you to log a fraction of the total dish accurately.

Advanced Tracking and Planning

For users who want to streamline their tracking even further, several techniques can be employed:

• Copying Meals: For those who repeat meals, MyFitnessPal offers a "Copy from date" feature. This lets you copy an entire meal from a previous day to a new one, making weekly meal prep logging a breeze.
• Quick Add: When you know the caloric value of a meal from a restaurant or a meal kit, the "Quick Add" feature lets you log the total calories without entering every individual ingredient. This is perfect for when you are not able to track each food item accurately.
• Barcode Scanning: For packaged foods, the app's barcode scanner is a time-saver. By simply scanning the item, MyFitnessPal populates the nutritional information for you, though you may need to adjust the serving size.

Conclusion Yes, there are multiple effective ways to add more meals to MyFitnessPal. The process is not limited to just the initial diary setup. By adding extra meal slots, saving custom meals, and utilizing the recipes function, you can fully customize your food diary to match your unique eating patterns. These powerful features make tracking more efficient and accurate, helping you stay consistent with your health goals without getting bogged down by manual entry every day.

Create Meals and Recipes in MyFitnessPal

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add more than five meals in MyFitnessPal?

No, the current maximum number of customizable meal slots in MyFitnessPal is five. You can, however, use the "Quick Add" feature for any additional food items or snacks.

How do I rename meals in the MyFitnessPal app?

In the mobile app, go to 'More' > 'Settings' > 'Diary Settings' > 'Customize Meal Names.' You can then tap on any meal name to edit it.

What's the best way to log a recipe I eat often?

If it's a multi-ingredient dish, create a saved 'Recipe.' This allows you to track the dish by serving size. If it's a simple, consistent combination of foods, saving it as a 'Meal' is faster.

Can I have different meal names for different days of the week?

No, MyFitnessPal does not currently allow different meal names for different days. Any changes you make to your meal names apply globally to your entire diary.

How do I copy a meal to another day?

To copy a meal, tap the three dots or 'Edit' button for the meal you want to copy in your diary. Select "Copy to date" and choose the desired day.

Is it possible to track macros for my custom meals?

Yes. When you save a custom 'Meal' or 'Recipe,' MyFitnessPal automatically calculates the full nutritional breakdown based on the ingredients you enter, including calories and macros.

Can I track food without logging it to a specific meal?

No, all food entries must be logged under a specific meal category in your diary. However, you can use the "Quick Add" function for a calorie entry that bypasses detailed food logging.