How to Use the Recipe Feature in MyFitnessPal

Photo credit: Emy on Unsplash

When you're new to tracking macros, logging food from recipes you cook at home can feel daunting.

Let me show you how to make this easy!

Step 1: Tap ... More at the bottom right corner in MyFitnessPal (MFP), then tap My Meals, Recipes & Foods:

Step 2: On the Recipes tab, tap Create a Recipe at the bottom

Step 3: Decide whether you would like to import a recipe from the web (with a link) or enter your own ingredients manually. Most often I am using an online recipe, so I choose the Add from the Web option

Step 4: Paste the recipe link at the top then tap Go

Step 5: Once the recipe opens, tap Import Recipe

Step 6: Review the list of ingredients to make sure they are all there and everything looks searchable in MFP (hint: you may need to delete extra words like "or to taste" or "finely diced" to make the next step a little easier). After you review the ingredients, tap --> to move to the next step

Step 7: MFP will do its best to match the ingredients and import them...

Sometimes it does well, other times it does not 🤪. Once the ingredients have been imported, take a look to make sure they all make sense and the portions are correct. An important few tips:

• Log ingredients in the state that you plan to weigh them (e.g. if weighing dry rice, log dry rice not cooked)

• Log as many things by weight as possible (e.g. instead of "1 large onion", weigh the onion and log it in grams)

• Match brand names when possible but don't stress about this- look for something similar

Once you are satisfied with the ingredients list, tap the --> to continue

Step 8: Enter the number of servings for the recipe. MFP will calculate the calories and macros per serving.

TIP: to make it easy to log any size serving of the recipe, enter the total weight in grams of the finished (cooked/prepared) recipe (minus the pan/container) as the number of servings. More on how to log this way in this post

Step 9: To log a serving of the recipe, go to your MFP diary and tap ADD FOOD for the meal you'd like to log

Then tap the + for the correct recipe on the Recipes tab (you may need to search for your recipe if it was entered previously). See more on how to log an exact portion (in grams) in this post

It may take a little practice to get used to using this feature, but as you build up a list of recipes for things you cook frequently, it will likely be something you use often.