
Foodnoms is a nutrition tracking app that aims to make tracking what you eat easier and more rewarding.

## A Smart, Simple, and Streamlined Food Tracker

We realize that food tracking can sometimes be annoying and confusing. That's why we designed Foodnoms to be fast, friction-free, and "smart":

- No intrusive ads or popups to disrupt your experience
- No unnecessary content within the app – just focused on food tracking and your nutrition goals
- Ultra-fast barcode scanning and search capabilities
- Smart Suggestions feature intelligently predicts what you'll log next based on time of day and your recently-logged food
- "Ask AI" lets you enter in any food, list of foods, and even recipes and get a result for virtually anything!
- High-quality database with most items containing gram and ounce units

## Personalizable Nutrition Goal Tracker

When it comes to nutrition, Foodnoms is not one-size-fits-all. You can personalize the app to your specific goals.

- Counting calories? Set up a calorie goal.
- Tracking macros? Configure goals for protein, fat, carbs and/or net carbs.
- Need to watch your sodium intake? Set up a sodium goal.
- Same for caffeine, alcohol, saturated fat, cholesterol, added sugars, iron, potassium, Vitamin A/B12/C, etc…

All of these goals are optional, which allows you to only track what you really care about.

## Native Apps with Rich Platform Integrations

Foodnoms is available for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watch. As a native app, Foodnoms offers rich platform integrations, including:

- Apple Health sync for reading and writing nutrition and activity data
- Shortcuts
- iCloud sync
- Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets
- Sharing via AirDrop and Messages
- Custom app icons (available only for iPhone and iPad)

## Made by an Independent Developer

Foodnoms was founded in 2019 by Ryan Ashcraft, an independent developer. Ryan has continued to iterate, improve, and maintain the app thanks to the support of Foodnoms users and Foodnoms+ subscribers.


What is Foodnoms?


Many Foodnoms users used to use MyFitnessPal (including the developer himself!), and have happily switched to Foodnoms.

If you're a MyFitnessPal user looking for something better, here's why you should consider Foodnoms: it's a simple, customizable, and privacy-friendly MyFitnessPal alternative.

## Foodnoms vs MyFitnessPal comparison: What are the differences?

### Focused Food Tracker vs Do-It-All Fitness Tracker

Foodnoms was created with a mission to make food tracking be as painless as possible. This means focusing solely on what's important: helping you quickly log what you eat, track your goals, and that's it.

[MyFitnessPal](https://www.myfitnesspal.com/) is overwhelming for many people who want to track their food intake. The app is not just about tracking food. It's an exercise tracker, a recipe app, a newsfeed, a community forum, weight logger, and a social network. Some users may enjoy these features, but many Foodnoms users appreciate the simplicity that comes with the absence of these features in Foodnoms. Since Foodnoms focuses just on food tracking, it can offer a simpler UI and focus just on features that are really important to make food tracking easier and more rewarding.

If you want to use Foodnoms but still need some of these features that MFP provides, consider looking for another app that is specialized. Here are some recommendations:

- Weight tracker: [Happy Scale](https://happyscale.com/)
- Recipe app: [Crouton](https://crouton.app/) and [Pestle](https://pestlechef.app/)
- Exercise tracker: [Strong](https://www.strong.app/) and [FitBod](https://fitbod.me/)

### Native App Built Specifically for Apple Platforms

Foodnoms offers apps for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. Each app is 100% native and takes advantage of the latest OS software and hardware features. This means best-in-class Apple Health syncing, iCloud sync, Shortcuts support, widgets, and more.

### Free Barcode Scanner

[MyFitnessPal recently moved their barcode scanner behind their paywall](https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/25/23321408/myfitnesspal-weight-loss-app-barcode-scanning-premium-paywall), which understandably upset many of its users. Foodnoms will continue to offer free barcode scanning.

### Quality vs Quantity

MyFitnessPal, having been around for almost 20 years, has a massive food library. This is great if you're hoping to find a result for every item that you scan. However, their strategy comes at a tradeoff. Many foods are duplicates, contain errors, or miss critical components like gram information.

Foodnoms, because it is newer, has a smaller library that focuses more on quality than quantity. Here's how:

- The foundation of the database, including all generic foods and many branded items, come [directly from the USDA](https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/), and are updated bi-annually
- 80% of the foods in the Foodnoms database contain gram, ounce, or milliliter data
- User-submitted foods are checked for errors
- Foodnoms requires all user-submitted foods to have a barcode
- There are no duplicate results per barcode

### Super-Customizable Nutrition Goals

The free version of MyFitnessPal can be extremely limiting for people that wish to track macros and other nutrients. Many features for effective macro tracking, like specifying goals in grams, require a paid subscription. Even with a paid subscription, many nutrients are not given the same priority or functionality inside the MyFitnessPal user interface.

Foodnoms enables you to track goals for calories, macros, vitamins, minerals, and more. You have control over what you want to track. (Yes, you don't even have to have a calorie goal if you don't want one!) Goals are highly configurable and you can easily adjust them at any time.

### David vs Goliath

MyFitnessPal is one of the most popular fitness apps of all time, and for good reason! Their success has allowed them to grow and build a sustainable product with a very large team.

However, established products often face challenges when it comes to innovation. Foodnoms is one of several new contenders in the food tracking space that are taking new, fresh approaches to the problem.

By downloading and using Foodnoms (and especially by subscribing to Foodnoms+), you will be directly supporting an independent developer who is working hard to build the best food tracking experience possible.

### Focus on Privacy

Foodnoms prides itself on its commitment to protect your privacy. It does so in a number of ways:

- Your personal data is never sold or collected in a way that could potentially be valuable to data collectors
- Your personal data, including your food log, goals, and settings are stored on your iCloud account, not on Foodnoms servers
- The app does not show ads or use third-party SDKs that track you
- The app does not request your name or email address

## Why is Foodnoms a great MyFitnessPal alternative?

Foodnoms is a simple and privacy-friendly alternative to MyFitnessPal. It is designed to make food tracking easier and more rewarding by offering a streamlined, focused user experience.

Thinking of making the switch? Why not give Foodnoms a chance. [Download the app now](/download) and use the app for free or start a 7-day free trial of Foodnoms+, which unlocks all features.


Why should I use Foodnoms instead of MyFitnessPal?


Currently, Foodnoms is only available for iPhones, iPads, and Macs through the Apple App Store.

We often receive requests for an Android version of Foodnoms, and we greatly appreciate this interest. However, at this time, an Android version is not actively being considered. Foodnoms is built and maintained by an independent developer who is currently focusing on enhancing the app experience on the existing supported platforms.

Thank you for your understanding and interest in Foodnoms.


Is there an Android app?


Currently, Foodnoms does not offer a feature to share your food log or goals with others, such as a trainer, dietitian, or friend. However, you can now export your food log by going to Data Export in the Settings menu.

<p>
<div style="padding:216.61% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1058384039?h=a3689342b5&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Food Log Data Export"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</p>

This allows you to save and share your food log as needed. Please note that this export includes only your food log and not your goals. Additionally, sharing features remain a frequent user request, and they are being considered for a future version of the app.


Can I share my goals or food log with a trainer, dietician, or friend?


Currently, Foodnoms does not offer weight tracking. If you're looking for a great weight tracking app that complements Foodnoms, check out [Happy Scale](https://happyscale.com/).

If you have a calorie goal in Foodnoms that is calculated based on your weight, you can update your weight from the "Resting Energy" screen, accessible when editing your Calorie goal (see ["How do I create and edit goals?"](../create-and-edit-goals)).


Can I track my weight in Foodnoms?


Foodnoms supports reading nutrition data from other apps via Apple Health.

To enable this feature, go to the "Apple Health" section in the Settings tab and toggle on the "Read Nutrition Data" setting.

<p>
<div style="padding:216.61% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1058384144?h=49675645cd&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Reading Nutrition Data via Apple Health"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</p>


This feature requires Foodnoms+.


Can Foodnoms read nutrition data stored by other apps?


Yes, Foodnoms supports writing nutrition data to Apple Health.

To enable this feature, go to the "Apple Health" section in the Settings tab and toggle on the "Write Nutrition Data" setting.


Can Foodnoms write nutrition data to Apple Health?


Currently, there is support for the following languages:

- English
- French
- German
- Italian
- Spanish

With limited support for these languages:

- Danish
- Dutch
- Croatian
- Serbian
- Swedish


What languages are supported by the nutrition label scanner?


To edit a food submission, simply edit the food in your Food Library.

<p>
<div style="padding:216.61% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1058384096?h=793dcf1879&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Edit Database Submission"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</p>

If the food has already been approved, the changes will be reviewed before going live to other Foodnoms users. If the original submission hasn't yet been approved, your changes will immediately overwrite the previous submission.


I made a mistake when I submitted food to the Foodnoms Community Database. How can I correct it?


Foodnoms is used by people in over 80 countries across the globe. Although the branded product database is primarily composed of products from the U.S., there are tens of thousands of generic foods and an ever-increasing number of user-contributed international foods. Your experience will vary depending on where you live and your eating habits.

There are no plans to license or purchase food data for any particular country at this time.


Are there plans to add a database for my country?


## Duplicating Recipes

From the Recipe tab in the Food Library, tap an hold (or right-click on macOS) on the recipe. Select "Duplicate" to create a copy of this recipe.

<p>
<div style="padding:216.61% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1058384076?h=e5e9993030&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Duplicate Recipes"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</p>


## Modifying Recipes Before Logging

Sometimes you may need to make an adjustment to a saved recipe before you log it. For example, you could have a recipe that calls for 16 oz. salmon but today you're cooking with 14. If you don't want to permanently modify the recipe, you can use the "Log with Modifications" feature to edit the recipe before you log it, without having to save a copy.

1. Open the Log Food screen.
2. Select the Library button in the bottom toolbar.
3. Select Recipes in the top navigation bar.
4. Similar to duplicating recipes, tap and hold (or right-click) on the recipe, then select "Log with Modifications".

<p>
<div style="padding:216.61% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1058384130?h=9d1b8e83bd&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Modify Recipes Before Logging"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</p>

## Duplicating Meals

From the Meals tab in the Food Library, tap an hold (or right-click on macOS) on the meal. Select "Duplicate" to create a copy of this meal.

<p>
<div style="padding:216.61% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1058384054?h=3996268713&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Duplicate Meals"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</p>


Can you duplicate recipes and meals?


Recipes represent single dishes that can be split up into multiple servings – consider something like "Mom's Famous Veggie Casserole". Conversely, a meal is a collection of individual food items eaten together, such as your typical "Weekday Breakfast".

When you log a recipe, only one item shows up in your food log. When you log a meal, every item in that meal is logged separately.

## Recipes

Recipes are extremely helpful for situation when you are preparing a dish that can be split up into multiple or partial servings.

For instance, let's consider Mom's casserole dish that makes six servings. The prepared dish is a single item, yet it's composed of multiple ingredients like breadcrumbs, butter, onion, mushrooms, corn, and cheese. All of these individual elements are accounted for and measured separately to form the complete casserole.

In Foodnoms, you'd want to create a recipe for this dish before logging it. This has a few benefits:

1. You will see a single entry, "Mom's Famous Veggie Casserole", in your food log. Not every single ingredient, which would get very noisy.
2. When creating the recipe, you can input that it make 6 servings. Then when you log the recipe, you can say how many servings you ate (maybe you just had a half-serving, or you had seconds!).
3. You can also enter in the total weight of the recipe, which allows you to similarly log how much you ate in grams or ounces.
4. Since the recipe is saved in your Food Library, you can easily log it again later. You can also duplicate the recipe (see ["Can you duplicate recipes and meals?"](../duplicate-recipes/)), if you want to make variations.

<p>
<div style="padding:216.61% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1058383994?h=ce289a7870&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Create a Recipe"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</p>


To log a recipe, follow these steps:

1. Go to the "Log Food" screen.
2. Navigate to "Library" > "Recipes".
3. Select the recipe you want to log.
4. Select the portion size and enter in the number of portions.
5. Tap "Log" to add it to your Food Log.


## Meals

Meals are beneficial for quickly logging multiple, individual food items that are consumed together but aren't necessarily a single dish. Take your regular breakfast as an example. It may consist of coffee and toast. If you save these two items together as a meal and call it "Weekday Breakfast", you'll be able to simply log this meal instead of having to log coffee and toast separately every time.

There are two ways to create a meal:

1. After logging a meal, tap the "…" button in the food log, then select "Save Meal".
2. From the "Log Food" screen, tap the "+" button in the bottom toolbar, then select "Create Meal".

<p>
<div style="padding:216.61% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1058383939?h=5e0269666a&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Create a Meal"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</p>

To log a saved meal, here's the process:

1. Go to the "Log Food" screen.
2. Navigate to "Library" > "Meals".
3. Select the meal you wish to log.
4. Tap "Log" to add all of the meals' items to your Food Log.


What's the difference between a recipe and a meal?


When creating a custom food, you'll see the "Values Represent" setting in the Nutrients section.

For users inside the United States, you'll likely want to just keep the default setting of "Serving Size".

For users elsewhere in the world where nutrition labels are based on 100g or 100ml amounts, you likely will want to use the "100g" or "100ml" setting, depending on the product. Choose the amount that corresponds to the nutrition amounts displayed on the label.

When 100g or 100ml is selected, you can still enter a separate serving size amount in the Serving Size and Serving Metric fields. When you log this food, you will be able to select between the serving size and other common units, like 100g or 1g. Foodnoms will scale the nutrition amounts accordingly.


How does the "Values Represent" setting work when creating foods?


Goals let you track your calories, macros, vitamins, minerals, and more.

It's easy to create and edit your Foodnoms goals.

<p>
  <img src="/static/faq/create-and-edit-goals/goals-annotated.png" alt="Create and edit goals inside the Goals tab by tapping on the Edit and Plus buttons in the top-right" class="w-[240px] mx-auto" />
</p>

## Creating a New Goal

1. From the Goals tab (chart icon in main toolbar), tap the "+" button in the top-right corner.
2. Select the nutrient you wish to track.
3. Choose the type of goal you want: [budget, target, or range](../goal-range-types).
4. Configure the goal based on your preferences and nutrition requirements.
5. Select "Done" to save.

## Editing an Existing Goal

1. From the Goals tab (chart icon in main toolbar), select the "Edit" button in the top-right corner.
2. Select the goal you wish to edit.
3. Make the desired changes.
4. Select "Done" to save.

## Resetting a Goal

Goals remember settings from previous days. If you'd like to reset a goal and discard previous settings:

1. From the Goals tab (chart icon in main toolbar), select the goal.
2. Select the "…" button in the top-right.
3. Select "Show Settings History".
4. Select the "…" button in the top-right.
5. Select "Reset Goal".

## Changing the Order of Goals

1. From the Goals tab (chart icon in main toolbar), select "Edit" in the top-left of the screen.
2. Hold down on a goal's grabbing indicator and drag it vertically to change the sort order.

## Deleting a Goal

1. From the Goals tab (chart icon in main toolbar), select "Edit" in the top-left of the screen.
2. Select the red "-" symbol, then select the red "Delete" button.

## What can you track with goals?

- Calorie/Energy
- Total Carbohydrates
- Total Fat
- Protein
- Net Carbs
- Saturated Fat
- Water
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Cholesterol
- Fiber
- Sugars
- Added Sugars
- Sodium
- Calcium
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Iron
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B12
- Intermittent Fasting


How do I create and edit goals?


Check out the "Preferred Format" setting in the Settings tab > Goals. This setting is used by the goal cards in the food log tab, widgets, and the Watch app.

<p>
<div style="padding:216.61% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1058384111?h=fce6291fd1&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Goal Formatting"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</p>


How can I view how much I've consumed and the goal amount instead of how much left I have to consume?


When creating or editing a goal, you have the option to determine what kind of goal you'd like it to be: a target, budget, or range goal.

In short:

- **Budgets**: You want to eat no more than the specified amount
- **Targets**: You want to eat at least the specified amount
- **Range**: You want to eat between the two specified amounts

Here are some examples to illustrate the differences:

- If you want to lose weight and restrict your calorie intake, when making a calorie goal, choose "Budget". This way, a day will be considered successful if you eat less than the indicated calorie (or kJ) amount.
- If you are wanting to make sure you are getting enough water or protein in a day, you'll want to select "Target". This way, a day will be considered successful if you eat at least the indicated amount.


What's the difference between a target, budget, and range goal?


You can have your calorie goal automatically adjust based on "Active Energy Burned" data that's available from the Health app. If you have an Apple Watch, this metric is often equivalent to the "Move ring".

You can enable this setting from your calorie goal's setting screen (see ["How do I create and edit goals?"](../create-and-edit-goals)). If you have an automatic calorie goal, you can choose "Read from Health App" for the "Activity Energy" setting. If you have a custom goal, select "Active Energy" in the "Calories Burned Adjustment" section.

Active energy data is read from Apple Health periodically, so you may observe a small delay between what the Health app and Foodnoms.

## Automatically adjust macro goals

To have your macro goals automatically adjust as well, enable the "Relative to Calorie Goal" setting.


Can my goals automatically change based on my fitness activity?


Intermittent fasting tracking works differently in Foodnoms than in other apps. Foodnoms doesn't require you to manually start and stop a timer. Instead, Foodnoms automatically calculates your fasts by measuring the time between each meal.

<p>
<div style="padding:216.61% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1058384183?h=2ef2658735&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Set Intermittent Fasting Gaol"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</p>

Whether or not you met your fasting goal on any day is determined by the fasts that occurred on that day. For the first fast of the day, the entire duration of the fast is counted, even if the fast began on an earlier day. For the last fast of the day, any time after midnight is not counted.

See ["How do I create and edit goals?"](../create-and-edit-goals) to learn how to create an intermittent fasting goal.


How does intermittent fasting work in Foodnoms?


Yes! Go to the Goals tab, tap the "+" button in the top-right corner, then select "Net Carbs" from the list of goal types. Then, you'll be able to view your daily net carb intake from the Food Log tab above your meals. Go to the Goals tab to view your net carbohydrate intake over longer periods of time.

<p>
<div style="padding:216.61% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1058383973?h=2b6cc0f81e&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Create a Net Carb Goal"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</p>

In Foodnoms, net carbs are calculated by subtracting fiber and sugar alcohols from carbohydrates.


I am on a keto diet. Can I track net carbs in Foodnoms?


Yes!

## Share Library Items (Created Foods, Recipes, and Saved Meals)

To share a recipe, meal, or created food item, first navigate to its edit screen from inside the Food Library:

1. From the main Food Log tab, tap the Food Library (open book icon) button in the top-right corner.
2. Select the recipe, meal, or food item you wish to edit.
3. From the edit screen, tap the share button in the bottom-left to share via AirDrop, Messages, or other app.

## Share Logged Meals

To share a logged meal, tap the meal's "…" button in the Food Log tab, then select "Share Meal".


Can I share recipes, meals, and created foods with someone else?


In Foodnoms’ settings under **Siri & Shortcuts**, you’ll find a sample set of shortcuts to help you get started.

Below is a full list of the shortcuts, including descriptions and iCloud links for each:

{{ customShortcutsTable }}


Do you have any pre-built shortcuts available?

What actions are available for Shortcuts?


Foodnoms offers deep support for Siri and the Shortcuts app, making nutrition tracking easier and customizable to your needs. You can log food, gather insights, and automate your tracking routine using Siri commands, automatically-created App Shortcuts, and a suite of powerful shortcut actions.

Whether you want to streamline food logging or build advanced automations, Foodnoms gives you the flexibility to track your nutrition your way.

## Table of Contents

## Siri

You can ask Siri to interact with Foodnoms using pre-defined set of App Shortcuts that are automatically available as soon as the app is installed.

<div style="padding:218.18% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1065664809?h=2411112449&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Siri"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>

To see what commands are available with Foodnoms, ask Siri “What can I do here?” while the app is open.

Siri can trigger any of these commands on-demand using voice or Type to Siri, navigating you throughout the app or asking you to fill in relevant information when needed for actions like logging.

Foodnoms also goes beyond the basics and provides dynamic options for relevant actions, where you can “pre-fill” the command with the main option you’d normally be asked to fill in.

For example, with Check Goal Progress, the Foodnoms automatically generates Check Calorie Goal, Check Protein Goal, and so on, depending on which goals you have set up – that way you can check a specific goal right away instead of being asked each time. Plus, as you add or remove content or goals within the app, the commands update accordingly as well.

## App Shortcuts

Foodnoms offers a set of predefined App Shortcuts that enable quick and efficient interactions without any configuration.

<div style="padding:218.18% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1065663364?h=718768e2d9&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="App Shortcuts"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>

The full list of commands available for Siri is found inside the Shortcuts app under the App Shortcuts section, in Foodnoms’ dedicated category. Here, you can see the set of functions, each including multiple dynamic options for the same command when relevant – you can find the Check Calorie Goal example for Check Goal Progress here.

Each App Shortcut can be run immediately with a single tap. Optionally, long-pressing or right-clicking on an App Shortcuts provides a context menu, with options to Add to Home Screen or create a New Shortcut using that action.

Additionally, the top-right corner includes an Information menu with the option to enable or disable Foodnoms’ Siri support – if you’re having trouble using App Shortcuts, make sure this is toggled on.

In Foodnoms’ Settings, you’ll also find a Shortcut Link – when pressed, Shortcuts will open directly to the Foodnoms folder of App Shortcuts.

Foodnoms provides nine App Shortcuts, including different dynamic options where relevant:

1. **Open Scanner**
2. **Open AI**
3. **Quick Entry**
4. **Search**
5. **Open Foodnoms**
   - Food Log
   - Library
   - Goals
   - Settings
6. **Log**
   - Food
   - Recipe
   - Meal
   - Favorite
   - Drink
7. **Check Goal Progress**
   - Dynamic list of your Goals
8. **Log Favorites**
   - Dynamic list of your Favorites
9. **Copy Logged Food**
   - Dynamic list of your Meal Types

## Spotlight

<p>
  <img src="/static/faq/siri-and-shortcuts/spotlight.png" alt="Using Spotlight on iPhone to run App Shortcuts, check goals, and open saved meals" />
</p>

In addition to Siri and App Shortcuts, Foodnoms also surfaces the same functionality in Spotlight search so you can activate them without using voice or opening the Shortcuts app. After tapping the Search icon on the Home Screen, you can look for anything by name and activate it right away.

In Spotlight, you can find Foodnoms’ App Shortcuts and their dynamic options, from basic actions like Log or Check Goal to your own content like Food, Recipes, and Meals – all your data and their associated actions are securely shared with the system for you to access.

When searching for Foodnoms, you’ll see the first three Top Hits alongside the Foodnoms icon. By default, you’ll see the first few from the app – if you have custom shortcuts, those will show up first.

Below Top Hits, you’ll see relevant results for your actions and goals, identifiable with unique symbols down the right side. If you have custom shortcuts, those will also appear below – tap the button with the ellipses to open the custom shortcut immediately to see and edit its functionality.

## Shortcuts

Beyond what’s available in Siri, Spotlight, and App Shortcuts, Foodnoms also provides a robust offering of actions for the Shortcuts app, including separate sets for Food, Recipes, Meals, Logging, and Meal Types each.

With Foodnoms and Shortcuts, you can find, get, create, duplicate, edit, delete, open, or show almost everything related to food tracking – the possibilities for automation have expanded exponentially.

With that expansion comes some complexity, however, so here are some tips for best using Foodnoms with the Shortcuts app:

### Running

Part of Shortcuts’ depth comes from the variety of ways a single shortcut can be run – make sure to check out the examples from the [Shortcuts User Guide](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/welcome/ios) to help put all this functionality to good use:

- [Run a shortcut from the app](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/run-a-shortcut-from-the-app-apd5ba077760/ios)
- [Run shortcuts with Siri](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/run-shortcuts-with-siri-apd07c25bb38/ios)
- [Run shortcuts from Control Center](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/run-shortcuts-from-control-center-apd06a9201d4/ios)
- [Run shortcuts with the Action button](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/run-shortcuts-with-the-action-button-apdfea15680b/ios)
- [Run shortcuts with Apple Pencil Pro](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/run-shortcuts-with-apple-pencil-pro-apdbe445a3a2/ios)
- [Run app shortcuts](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/run-app-shortcuts-apd43295406d/ios)
- [Run shortcuts from the Home Screen widget](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/run-shortcuts-from-the-home-screen-widget-apd029b36d05/ios)
- [Run shortcuts from the Search screen](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/run-shortcuts-from-the-search-screen-apd8a8ffb4ac/ios)
- [Add a shortcut to the Home Screen](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/add-a-shortcut-to-the-home-screen-apd735880972/ios)
- [Launch a shortcut from another app](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/launch-a-shortcut-from-another-app-apd163eb9f95/ios)
- [Run shortcuts from Apple Watch](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/run-shortcuts-from-apple-watch-apd5888b0858/ios)
- [Run shortcuts by tapping the back of your iPhone](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/run-shortcuts-tapping-iphone-apd897693606/ios)

### Actions

In the Shortcuts app, you’ll find a robust set of 44 actions for Foodnoms within 8 categories: Foodnoms, Food, Goals, Library, Log, Meal Types, Meals, and Recipes.

**See the full page of available Actions [here](../shortcuts-actions).**

These Foodnoms actions can often be used standalone, where Shortcuts will prompt you to fill out any required information. These can also be used in combination with other actions from Shortcuts, whether from other apps or the build in Scripting tools.

As you build with Foodnoms’ actions, it’s important to learn more about [actions in complicated shortcuts](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/about-actions-in-complicated-shortcuts-apd081d9d61f/8.0/ios/18.0) like Ask for Input and Choose From List, as well as more advanced concepts like [variables](https://support.apple.com/guide/shortcuts/intro-to-variables-apdb5506f698/8.0/ios/18.0).

Plus, if this isn’t something you want to learn more about, that’s okay – that’s where the App Shortcuts and Siri support let you take advantage of this functionality without building anything yourself.

### Custom Shortcuts

In order to demonstrate what’s possible with Foodnoms’ actions, here is a suite of custom shortcuts already built-out for you to download and start running, as well as learn from.

<p>
  <img src="/static/faq/siri-and-shortcuts/shortcuts-examples.png" alt="Example custom Shortcuts for Foodnoms" />
</p>

To start, below are several custom shortcuts to showcase how to achieve the most common tasks, how to use past nutritional data to inform future choices, and take advantage of Shortcuts’ Scripting actions to further modify your workflow:

{{ customShortcutsList }}

**See the full page of Custom Shortcuts [here](../custom-shortcuts).**


How can I use Foodnoms with Siri and Shortcuts app?


Yes, Foodnoms supports Apple Watch. You can track your goals with Apple Watch complications and with the Foodnoms Apple Watch app.

## How to Install the App

If you have your Apple Watch to automatically install apps (you can check in the iPhone "Watch" app > General > "Automatic App Install"), Foodnoms will automatically get installed.

If you don't see the app on your watch, go to the "Watch" app on your iPhone and scroll down on the "My Watch" tab to find Foodnoms in the list of "Available Apps". Tap the "Install" button to install it on your Apple Watch.

## How to Set up Watch Complications

Complications are great for tracking your nutrition goal status right from your wrist. You can add Foodnoms watch complications just like any other complication, simply by editing your Watch face, tapping on a complication slot, then scrolling to the Foodnoms section. You should find a list of complications, one for each of your goals.

If you are having trouble setting up complications, or if you don't see any in the list, make sure to open the Foodnoms app first to perform an initial data sync. The app on your iPhone and Watch must connect at least once before adding any complications. If complications still aren't showing up, try logging something from your iPhone and checking back in a few minutes.


Does Foodnoms support Apple Watch?


Foodnoms comes with several helpful widgets that make it easier to track your goals and log your food quickly.

## How to Add Widgets

Here's how to add them to your Home Screen:

1. After installing the app and setting up some goals, navigate to your device's Home Screen.
2. Tap and hold on the background until the app icons start jiggling.
3. Tap the "+" button at the top.
4. Search for "Foodnoms" in the search bar. If nothing comes up, please see [this support article](/help/widgets-not-appearing).
5. Scroll horizontally to see all available widgets. Note, the Goal and Goal Summary widgets are configurable in a variety of ways, including the ability to change which goals they show.

## Customizing Widgets

To customize a widget:

1. Tap and hold on it, then select "Edit Widget" in the popup menu.
2. Edit the settings offered for that kind of widget. For example, the "Goal" widget has a "Goal" setting. By default, this widget shows you your first goal. You can tap the "Goal" setting when editing the widget to change it to display another goal.

### Customization Options

Goal widget:

- Goal: the type of goal to display
- Open Action: what the widget does when you tap on it
- Theme: the visual appearance of the widget (e.g. "Dark", "Light", or "Black")

Goal Summary widget:

- Open Action: what the widget does when you tap on it
- Theme: the visual appearance of the widget (e.g. "Dark", "Light", or "Black")
- Custom Selection: the goals to display; if enabled, you can configure a custom list of four goals

Log Food widget:

- Collection: change what foods get displayed – Smart Suggestions or a custom, fixed list of foods that you can select.


How do I set up widgets?


Navigate to the in-app **Settings** tab, select **Foodnoms+**, and then choose **Restore Purchase**.

<p>
<div style="padding:216.61% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/1058384166?h=dc6d1124ff&amp;title=0&amp;byline=0&amp;portrait=0&amp;badge=0&amp;autopause=0&amp;player_id=0&amp;app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write; encrypted-media" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Restore Foodnoms+ Purchases"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>
</p>

This resolves the problem 95% of the time. If the issue persists, please email us at [support@foodnoms.com](mailto:support@foodnoms.com), and we'll assist you.


The app is not registering my subscription. How can I get this fixed?


The Foodnoms+ Family Plan supports Apple Family Sharing. This allows family members to enjoy the benefits of Foodnoms+ without needing additional subscriptions.

## How to Activate

After subscribing to Foodnoms+ (Family) with your Apple ID, other members in your family can activate Foodnoms+ by opening the in-app **Settings** tab, selecting **Foodnoms+**, and then choosing **Restore Purchase**.

**Note:** "Restore" may not work immediately after starting the subscription. If it fails, wait a few minutes (or up to an hour) and try again.

## Troubleshooting

If issues persist while activating Foodnoms+ for other family members, follow these steps:

1. Ensure all family members are added to your Family Sharing group, and subscription sharing is enabled. Check the **Settings** or **System Settings** app on your devices.
2. Verify sharing is enabled for Foodnoms+. Open the **Settings** app on your iPad or iPhone, tap your name at the top, then tap **Subscriptions**, select **Foodnoms - Nutrition Tracker**, and ensure **Share with Family** is enabled.

## Additional Resources

For more information about Family Sharing, see these Apple support articles:

- [Set up Family Sharing](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201088)
- [How to switch to a different subscription plan](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204939)

How does Family Sharing work with Foodnoms+?


Subscriptions help support active development of the app and pay for recurring operational expenses. There are no plans to offer a lifetime purchase option.

If you can't afford to financially support Foodnoms, you can continue to use the free app. Please consider supporting Foodnoms in other ways:

- Write a positive review on the App Store
- Tell your friends about the app
- Tweet about it or share the app on your social media platform of choice


Is there a lifetime purchase option?


## How to Cancel Your Foodnoms+ Subscription

It's easy to cancel or change your subscription. Here's how:

1. Go to Settings app on your phone > [your name] > Subscriptions. Alternatively, on macOS, open System Settings, select your name, then "Media & Purchases", then "Subscriptions" > "Manage…".
2. Select "Foodnoms - Nutrition Tracker".
3. Select "Cancel Subscription".

Please note, payment is processed and managed by the Apple App Store.

## How to Change Plans

There are a variety of Foodnoms+ plans. Some plans renew on annually and others renew monthly. There are individual and family plans. Here's how to change your current plan:

1. Go to Settings app on your phone > [your name] > Subscriptions. Alternatively, on macOS, open System Settings, select your name, then "Media & Purchases", then "Subscriptions" > "Manage…".
2. Select "Foodnoms - Nutrition Tracker".
3. Select "See All Plans".
4. Select the plan you wish to switch to.


How do I edit or cancel my Foodnoms+ subscription?


All refunds go through Apple since they have your credit card number, not us. **Request an Apple refund here**: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204084, and we approve all questions if asked.

If you have any more questions or need further assistance, please feel free to reach out by submitting an email to [support@foodnoms.com](mailto:support@foodnoms.com).


Can I get a refund?


If you’ve noticed that the calories in your food logs don’t always match the total calories calculated from the macros (fat, carbs, and protein), don’t worry – this is both normal and expected. Here’s why this happens and what you can do about it.

## Label Rounding and USDA Guidelines

Nutrition labels often use rounded values to simplify information for consumers. For example, foods with fewer than 5 calories per serving can be rounded down to 0. While this practice makes labels easier to read, it can create small discrepancies when summing up macros to calculate calories versus using the stated calorie count on the label.

## Excluded Components

Some components of food don’t contribute to calorie totals but are still included in the macros listed. For example:

- **Dietary Fiber:** Often classified as a carbohydrate but not digested, so it doesn’t provide calories.
- **Sugar Alcohols:** Partially absorbed, and only some of their calories are counted.

These exclusions can lead to slight differences between the calculated and labeled calorie totals.

## Simplified Calculations

Calories from macros are usually calculated using these standard estimates:

- **Fat:** 9 calories per gram
- **Carbohydrates:** 4 calories per gram
- **Protein:** 4 calories per gram

However, manufacturers may use more precise methods to measure the calorie content of food, considering factors like the digestibility of specific ingredients. These methods can result in slight variations from the calculations based on macros.

## When to Double-Check

While small differences are normal, if the variation in your logs seems unusually large, it’s a good idea to review your entries. Look for:

- Incorrect serving sizes
- Mislabeled foods
- Overlooked ingredients

Making adjustments to ensure accuracy can help you better understand your food intake.

---

It’s important to remember that these discrepancies are a natural part of how nutrition information is calculated and presented. The differences are usually small and unlikely to impact your overall nutrition tracking significantly. If you still have concerns, feel free to reach out for further assistance.


Why Are Overall Calories Higher Compared to the Label?


Logging what you eat when you go out can often be more difficult than logging food when you're eating at home. However, there are several ways to make it easier. Here are a few strategies to try:

## Search Fast Food Restaurants

Foodnoms has a growing directory of fast food restaurants in its food library. First try searching for the restaurant name with the "Branded" tab selected. You may find that Foodnoms has the nutrition facts for the menu items that you are looking for.

## Use Ask AI

Ask AI is very useful for situations like when you are going out to eat. With Ask AI, you can simply input queries like "690 calorie salad with chicken and avocado" or "small slice of chocolate cake". You can also try asking for restaurant foods that aren't in the Foodnoms database, like "Waffle House All Star Special Plate".

Note, Ask AI generates its results using data that it is trained on. As such, it may generate results that are incorrect.

## Looking Up Macros Online and Use Quick Entries

Less popular restaurant chains that aren't in the Foodnoms database may publish their nutrition information online. Try searching the web to see if they have a public nutrition guide on their website.

You can quickly log the calories, macros, and other nutrients that are important to you using the "Quick Entry" feature, which is accessible from the "+" button in the bottom toolbar of the "Log Food" screen.

## Search Generic Foods for Local Restaurant Dishes

For restaurants that don't have a nutrition guide published online, you'll have to try your best identifying the components of the dish, either by sight or its menu description.

Search and log for each component of the dish with the "Generic" tab selected. You'll have to approximate serving sizes. Keep in mind that restaurants tend to add more oil, salt, and butter than you might think, so don't forget to log those in addition to the core components on your plate. If you have Foodnoms+, take advantage of the estimation feature to record how uncertain you are.


How do I log food when I go out to eat?


This is not a bug, but rather a reflection of the data we use, which is primarily sourced from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The water amounts logged in our system are based on lab-tested values that account for the actual water content present in foods and beverages.

While you might be logging a 600ml bottle of water, for example, the USDA data reflects the precise chemical composition of that liquid. This means that even seemingly pure water can contain trace amounts of minerals and other minor components. Foodnoms logs the scientifically determined water portion of that liquid, which might be slightly less than the total 600ml volume.


Why is my logged water intake less than the amount I drank?


If the active energy burned in Apple Health doesn’t align with your expectations or the values shown in the Workouts app, don’t worry – there’s a solution. The good news is that Apple Health allows you to adjust the priority of data sources. Here's how you can make this adjustment and get your data better aligned.

## Why Data Source Priority Matters

Apple Health pulls data from various sources, such as your iPhone, Apple Watch, or third-party apps. By default, it determines which source to prioritize when displaying metrics like active energy burned. However, this automatic selection might not always align with your preferences or what’s shown in the Workouts app.

## How to Adjust Data Source Priority

To ensure Apple Health uses the most accurate or preferred data source, follow these steps:

1. Open the Apple Health app on your iPhone.
2. From the browse tab, select the relevant metric (e.g., Active Energy).
3. Look for the section titled **"Data Sources & Access."**
4. Tap **Edit** in the top-right corner.
5. Drag and reorder the sources to set your preferred priority.

For detailed, step-by-step instructions, Apple provides an excellent guide on managing data sources, particularly the section titled _[“Prioritize data sources.”](https://support.apple.com/en-us/108779)_.

## How This Impacts Foodnoms

Once you’ve reordered your data sources and Apple Health reflects your desired values for active energy burned, Foodnoms will automatically sync these updated values. This alignment ensures your logs in Foodnoms accurately represent your activity data, making it easier to track your progress.

---

By adjusting your data source priority, you can take control of how active energy burned is calculated and displayed in Apple Health. Once this alignment is achieved, you’ll see those changes reflected in Foodnoms, helping you stay on track with your goals.


Why Doesn't Active Energy Burned Match the Fitness App or Other Workout Apps?


First, check the iCloud status in the iCloud section in the Settings tab. Make sure sync is enabled. Here's what to do depending on the message displayed:

- **Critical Error**: Update to the latest version of the app.
- **Ready**: Check the status on your other devices.
- **Starting Up**: Please wait a minute or so for the syncing to begin. If it doesn't, see the "Troubleshooting" section below.
- **Downloading** or **Uploading**: Syncing is in progress. Please wait for it to complete.
- **Pending**: Changes are queued up to be synced. Please wait a few minutes for syncing to begin.
- **Stopped**: Something unexpected has occurred. You can try tapping the "Restart" button to see if the app starts syncing again. If that doesn't work, please see the "Troubleshooting" section below.
- **Not Running**: This is unexpected. Please see the "Troubleshooting" section below.

## Troubleshooting

There are several reasons why Foodnoms is having trouble syncing your data:

- You are not signed into iCloud on one of your devices.
- You have disabled iCloud Drive in the Settings app. Ensure the toggle is on in the Settings app > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive.
- You have disabled Foodnoms syncing. Ensure the toggle is on in the Settings app > [your name] > iCloud > Foodnoms.
- Your iCloud account is out of space.
- Your iCloud account is restricted due to Parental Controls or Mobile Device Management restrictions.
- Your device is having internet connectivity issues.
- Your device is low on battery or in Low Power Mode.

Please contact [support@foodnoms.com](mailto:support@foodnoms.com) if you are unable to resolve the issue.


Why is my data not syncing to my other devices?


There are several reasons why the nutrition label scanner is taking longer than 10-15+ seconds.

First, make sure that the label is clearly legible by the camera:

- Move the nutrition label close to the camera and make sure the label is in-focus
- Ensure the label is well-lit and use the flashlight if necessary
- Slowly move the camera back and forth across the label
- Move the label around to avoid any light glare
- Ensure there are no major creases or wrinkles

If you've tried all of these steps and the label still won't scan quickly, it's likely that there is something about the label's design that is causing issues.

Some nutrition label designs perform better than others. Designs that have these characteristics tend to scan faster and more reliably:

- Nutrition information is densely displayed, i.e. numerical values are not separated by large amounts of whitespace from the nutrient name
- The text uses a conventional typeface
- The text is large, bold, and high contrast

In practice, labels from the United States, Canada, and Mexico tend to perform very well, as these countries have standardized on label formats that exhibit these properties.

In addition, newer devices with faster processing capabilities (e.g. iPhone X or later) will be able to scan labels more-quickly.


Why is the nutrition label scanner slow for me?


Note, that there is a bug with iOS/iPadOS where widgets won't show up immediately after installing the app. Check again in a few minutes or try restarting your device.


Foodnoms Help

Help Topics

Apple Health Integration

Barcode and Nutrition Label Scanner

Food Library

Foodnoms Food Database

Goals

Sharing

Siri & Shortcuts

Widgets and Apple Watch

Contact