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How to Scan and Log Food Nutrition Facts in MyFitnessPal App

The MyFitnessPal app makes tracking your food intake and exercise easy. One of its best features is the barcode scanner, which lets you instantly log nutrition information for packaged foods. This saves you time instead of needing to manually enter the data.

Logging food and nutrition is key for meeting your health and fitness goals. This article will teach you how to fully utilize the barcode scanning and manual logging in MyFitnessPal.

Getting Started with Scanning

Scanning food barcodes is fast and easy on both iOS and Android devices. Here’s how to do it:

  1. Open the MyFitnessPal app and tap the “Diary” icon
  2. Select “Add Food”
  3. Choose “Scan Barcode”
  4. Line up the barcode on the food package so it’s clearly visible within the camera’s viewfinder
  5. The app will automatically scan the barcode and populate the nutrition data
  6. Verify the data is correct for the product and serving size
  7. Tap “Add to Diary”

That’s all there is to the scanning process! As long as the barcode is registered in MyFitnessPal’s database, the nutritional information will automatically appear.

Pro Tip: Save your most frequently eaten packaged foods so you don’t need to scan them each time. Just tap “Add to Favorites” after scanning.

Entering Nutrition Manually

Sometimes the barcode scanner won’t work, either because a product isn’t yet in MyFitnessPal’s database or the barcode is damaged. When this happens, you’ll need to enter the data manually.

Here are the steps for manual entry:

  1. Tap “Add Food” and select “Create Food”
  2. Search for the product name or brand
  3. If the exact product appears, select it and jump to Step 6
  4. Otherwise, tap “No Match Found”
  5. Enter the product name, number of servings, calories, and nutrient data from the label
  6. Verify the data is correct
  7. Tap “Add to Diary”

Copying nutrition data by hand can be tedious. To save time, take a clear photo of the Nutrition Facts label to reference as you enter the information.

Pro Tip: Create your own food database items for frequently eaten foods missing from MyFitnessPal’s database. This will make logging faster next time.

Tips for Accurate Logging

Logging the correct nutrition data is crucial for meeting your health goals. Use these tips for accuracy:

  • Carefully check serving sizes – don’t guess the amount you ate
  • Weigh or measure foods whenever possible
  • Log everything you eat and drink without exception
  • Double check data accuracy after scanning or manual entry
  • Pay attention to your macro nutrient targets (protein, carbs, fat)
  • Use a food scale for solid foods like meat, cheese, pasta, etc.
  • Measure liquids like drinks, condiments, cooking oils, etc.

Pro Tip: Investing in a digital kitchen scale and measuring cups & spoons will give you the most accurate logging and portion control.

Common Barcode Scanning Issues

Despite how easy the MyFitnessPal barcode scanner is, you may occasionally run into issues:

  • Can’t get the barcode in the camera’s viewfinder at the right angle
  • Barcode is damaged or obscured on the package
  • Product has changed but barcode data hasn’t updated
  • Wrong nutrition data appears for the scanned product

First, double check the barcode is unobstructed and you’re holding your phone at the correct angle. Barcodes can be finicky.

If it still won’t scan:

  • Manually enter the data as explained above
  • Search for the product name in the app to find matches
  • Scan a different barcode on the package if available
  • Update or edit the food item after scanning to correct any data

As a last resort, try contacting MyFitnessPal customer support for assistance with a faulty barcode.

Logging Homemade Meals and Recipes

The barcode scanner only works for packaged foods with registered barcodes. To track homemade dishes:

  • Log individual ingredients when cooking
  • Weigh or measure amounts of each ingredient
  • Record total number of recipe servings
  • Divide total recipe nutrition by servings for each portion

For example, if a pot of soup contains 800 calories total and makes 4 servings, each bowl would contain 200 calories.

To save homemade recipes:

  1. Tap “Add Food” and select “Create Recipe”
  2. Enter recipe name and number of servings
  3. Add each ingredient along with accurate amounts
  4. The app will calculate total nutrition data
  5. Tap “Save”

Next time, just log the recipe by name instead of each ingredient.

Getting the Most Out of Food Logging

Mastering food logging in MyFitnessPal through scanning barcodes, manual entry, recipes, and more will help you achieve your diet and nutrition targets.

Here are some final tips:

  • Log meals before eating to stay aware of intake
  • Analyze your nutrient breakdown in the app dashboard
  • Connect with friends and the community for motivation and accountability
  • Use MyFitnessPal daily to build an accurate food log archive
  • Take advantage of premium features like custom goals

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