Track nutrition for your own recipes

Tracking a banana or a packaged yogurt is simple. Tracking a pan of food, a family recipe, or a favorite meal that you change a little every time is different. You need to decide which ingredients count, how much oil really belongs in the meal, how sauces and toppings are handled, and what one serving actually means.

Start with the full ingredient picture

The most useful recipe entry is not the prettiest one. It is the one you can understand again later. Add the main ingredients, but also the small ingredients that change the numbers quickly: oil, cheese, nuts, cream, sauces, sweeteners, toppings, and anything that goes into the pan or onto the plate every time.

• Use package values when they are available and look plausible.
• Separate optional toppings if you do not always use them.
• Keep the recipe name specific enough that you recognize the version later.
• Do not chase fake precision when a stable everyday estimate is enough.

Define a realistic serving

A recipe that says four servings does not always become four real plates. For meal prep, one pan might become three boxes. For a family meal, two adults and one child might not eat equal portions. Pick a serving logic that matches how you actually eat the dish, then reuse that logic when you cook it again.