While MyFitnessPal boasts one of the world's largest food databases, it's inevitable that you'll come across a food item that hasn't yet been cataloged, especially with fresh, homemade, or unique local products. The good news is that the app is designed to allow users to add their own food entries, contributing to a more personalized and accurate food diary. The process is straightforward, whether you're adding a single custom ingredient or a complex recipe.
How to Add a Custom Food Item (Mobile App)
Adding a custom food is ideal for single ingredients or products with a visible nutrition label. The key to accurate tracking is ensuring you have the correct nutritional information readily available from the packaging.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Navigate to the Foods Menu: From the home screen, tap the "More" button (three dots or lines, depending on your OS) in the bottom right corner. Then, select "Meals, Recipes & Foods."
- Start Creating a Food: Tap on the "Foods" tab and then press the "Create a New Food" button at the bottom of the screen.
- Enter Food Details: Fill in the required fields: brand name (if applicable) and a description. For fresh produce, you can use "Generic" as the brand.
- Input Serving Size and Nutrition Facts: Use the product's nutrition label to fill out the serving size and servings per container. For the most accurate tracking, especially for solid foods, enter the serving size in grams. Then, fill in the nutritional details for that serving, including calories, fat, protein, and carbohydrates. You can also add more detailed information like fiber, sugar, and sodium.
- Save the New Food: Tap the save button (often a checkmark) to add the food to your personal "My Foods" list. This new entry will now be available in your database and can be searched and logged like any other food.
How to Add a Custom Recipe (Mobile App)
For homemade meals with multiple ingredients, the recipe feature is more efficient than logging each component separately every time you eat it. The app calculates the total nutritional breakdown for you.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Access the Recipes Section: Tap "More" > "Meals, Recipes & Foods."
- Create a Recipe: Go to the "Recipes" tab and tap "Create a Recipe". You will be prompted to either import a recipe from a website (Premium feature) or enter ingredients manually. For most users, manually entering ingredients is the standard approach.
- Enter Recipe Information: Give your recipe a name and specify the number of servings it makes. This is a crucial step for correctly calculating the nutritional information per portion.
- Add All Ingredients: Search for and add each ingredient and its respective quantity. The app will use its database to match and calculate the nutritional value of each component. Ensure you're selecting the most accurate entry for each item.
- Review and Save: After adding all ingredients, review the nutritional summary. Once you're satisfied with the breakdown, save the recipe to your "My Recipes" list. You can then easily log a single serving of that meal with just a few taps.
Custom Entries: Public vs. Personal
When you create a new food, you may have the option to share it with the public database. This feature is particularly useful if you're adding a new, scannable barcode item. However, it's important to understand the implications of this choice.
- Personal Foods: These entries are only visible to you in your own database. You can edit or delete them at any time from your "My Foods" section. This is best for specific food items or recipes that might not be relevant to others.
- Public Foods: These are shared with the broader MyFitnessPal community. They cannot be deleted later, as other users may come to rely on them. Therefore, accuracy is critical when contributing a public entry.
Comparison Table: Custom Food vs. Custom Recipe
| Feature | Custom Food Entry | Custom Recipe Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Single item or ingredient | Multi-ingredient homemade meal |
| Accuracy | Dependent on user input from nutrition label | Aggregated from individual ingredients in the database |
| Best For | New packaged products, produce, or custom portions | Complex dishes like stews, casseroles, or baked goods |
| Time Commitment | Low (if nutritional facts are available) | Moderate (requires logging all ingredients and quantities) |
| Flexibility | High. Can adjust serving size for a single item | Moderate. Requires editing the base recipe to change ingredients or yield |
| Primary Location | "My Foods" list | "My Recipes" list |
How to Manage (Edit or Delete) Your Custom Entries
Maintaining an accurate food diary means occasionally updating or removing outdated entries. You have full control over your personal items.
Editing or Deleting a Custom Food
- Go to Your Food List: In the mobile app, navigate to "More" > "Meals, Recipes & Foods" > "Foods".
- Select the Item: Tap on the custom food you want to modify.
- Edit or Delete: Find the "Edit Food" option. For deleting on iOS, you can swipe left on the item, and on Android, you typically use a checkmark/edit icon.
Editing or Deleting a Custom Recipe
- Access Your Recipes: Navigate to "More" > "Meals, Recipes & Foods" > "Recipes".
- Choose a Recipe: Tap the recipe you wish to edit. You can then add, remove, or modify ingredients and serving sizes.
- Save Your Changes: Once you have made your updates, save the revised recipe. Deleting a recipe is also possible by swiping or using the menu options.
Conclusion
By allowing users to add new foods and recipes, MyFitnessPal provides a flexible and comprehensive tool for nutrition tracking. This feature is essential for personalizing your food diary and accurately logging everything from unique store-bought items to your own signature home-cooked meals. Following the step-by-step process ensures your entries are correct, leading to more reliable tracking data and a better understanding of your nutritional intake. Whether you're adding a custom food for a one-off item or creating a permanent recipe, the power to tailor your food database is at your fingertips. For any issues or platform-specific questions, MyFitnessPal's official support channels are a valuable resource.
