How to track a homemade meal

Tell Nibb what went into the food and how much of it you ate. You can start with an estimate and add weights later.

Separate the recipe from your portion

I made pasta with 400g dry pasta, a jar of tomato sauce, 500g turkey mince, and a tablespoon of olive oil. It made four equal portions. I ate one.

The whole recipe and your share are different things. Saying how many portions it made helps avoid logging the entire pan as one meal. If the portions were not equal, say roughly how much you had.

Say whether a weight is cooked or dry

Rice and pasta absorb water when cooked. The same weight of dry food and cooked food refers to different amounts. Write “150g cooked rice” or “75g dry rice” rather than just “rice, 150g.”

Include oil and sauces

Cooking oil, butter, dressings, and toppings belong in the entry too. If a tablespoon of oil went into a shared pan, say that it was for the whole recipe. Do not add the full amount to every portion.

When you have a package label

Include the brand and serving information. If the label gives nutrition per 100g and you ate 150g, the portion is 1.5 times the label values. Check whether the label describes the food as sold or after preparation.

Keep a regular meal

Save the finished meal in Saved meals. The next time, log it again or ask for a change: “My usual pasta, but half the cheese.” You can adjust the ingredients by hand too.

Use a photo when it helps

A photo of the plate can help identify the food. A second photo of the package label can add serving details. It cannot show every ingredient or reliably measure the oil used. Read how to use meal photos.