If you’re trying to eat less sugar, fewer carbs, or even just more vegetables, finding the right nutrition tracking app can be a game-changer. It’s not just about counting calories: you need to track your macronutrient intake (protein, carbs, and fat), how many fruits and vegetables you eat every day, and at least a few other dietary components as well.
This is especially important if you’re on a specific diet plan like keto, paleo, or Whole30; it can be really hard to keep track of all the different rules for each diet. Luckily, there are tons of apps out there that make it simple!
This article is going to focus on some of the best nutrition tracking apps out there. With them, you’ll have no problem keeping up with your goals for better eating.
Best Apps For Nutrition Tracking
Eating healthy isn’t always easy.
But there are many apps available with tools and resources to make achieving your nutrition goals easier than ever.
To save you time, we gathered the year’s 10 best nutrition apps worth downloading. Between their impressive reviews, quality content, and reliability, these apps are designed to make eating healthier as simple as tapping a few buttons.
Our picks of the best nutrition apps
Best overall nutrition app: MyPlate Calorie Counter
Best meal planning app: PlateJoy
Best food tracking app: MyFitnessPal
Best healthy recipe app: Yummly Recipes & Cooking Tools
Best weight loss app: Lifesum: Healthy Eating
Best mindful eating app: Ate Food Journal
Best macro counting app: MyNet Diary Calorie Counter
Best nutrition education app: Noom
Best food allergy app: Spokin
Best pregnancy nutrition app: Ovia Pregnancy Tracker
How to choose a nutrition app
When selecting a nutrition app to download, it’s important to consider your goals and which features are most important to you.
For example, many apps focus on calorie counting or weight loss, while others prioritize mindful eating or nutrition education.
There are also options created specifically for people who are pregnant, those with food allergies, or people with certain dietary restrictions or food preferences.
Ideally, look for apps that are highly rated and backed by healthcare professionals, such as doctors or dietitians.
Also, consider the cost to use the app. While some may apps be free to download and use, others may require a subscription or offer in-app purchases.
How we chose the best nutrition apps
Quality of information. We looked for apps that offer reliable and helpful nutrition information, ideally from an expert source, such as a registered dietitian.
User interface. We looked for apps that are easy to use and intuitive to navigate.
Nutritional needs. We included apps to suit a variety of nutritional needs, from meal planning and food tracking to pregnancy and weight loss.
Customer reviews. We asked friends, family members, and colleagues for their recommendations, as well as read through countless user reviews to find highly rated apps.
Vetting. All the apps included have been vetted to ensure that they meet Healthline’s medical and business standards.
HEALTHLINE NEWSLETTER
Get wellness tips to help you meet your next milestone
Ready to level up healthy living? Go that extra mile and supplement the steps you’re already taking with the latest news and popular tools in our twice-weekly Wellness Wire newsletter.
Enter your email
Your privacy is important to us
Healthline’s picks of the best nutrition apps
Best overall nutrition app
MyPlate Calorie Counter
iPhone rating: 4.7 stars
Android rating: 4.6 stars
Price: free with in-app purchases
Whether you’re a health enthusiast or a nutrition newbie, the MyPlate Calorie Counter app from Livestrong is well worth the download.
Besides tracking your nutrient intake and exercise, the app also offers a range of recipes, meal plans, and workouts. Plus, there’s a community section, which provides peer support, motivation, and tips and tricks from members.
Although the app is free, for $3.75 per month, you can upgrade your account for access to premium features, including custom nutrition labels, daily averages, and advanced statistics on your nutrient intake and overall progress.
Pros
simple and straightforward user interface
offers nutrition tracking, meal plans, recipes, and workouts
includes community forum for support and motivation
Cons
limited customization options
unable to filter recipes based on certain dietary restrictions or food allergies
Best meal planning app
PlateJoy
iPhone rating: 4.7 stars
Android rating: 4.5 stars
Price: $4.99 per year for Healthline readers; otherwise $12.99 per month, $69 for 6 months, or $99 for 1 year.
Highly recommended by my sister, a new mom and full-time grad student who is always on the go, PlateJoy is an app designed to help you save time while still eating healthy.
It uses a questionnaire to collect details about your lifestyle, cooking habits, and dietary preferences and then creates a custom meal plan and shopping list for your household.
In addition to choosing your meal plan, you can also select specific ingredients that you’d like to avoid, the amount of variety you prefer, and your desired portion sizes.
To access all of the meal planning features, PlateJoy offer a monthly subscription for $12.99, a 6-month membership for $69, or an annual membership for $99.
However, Healthline readers can access the app for just $4.99 per month.
Pros
designed to help you save time on meal prep and shopping
creates a nutritious meal plan based on your needs and preferences
reduces food waste by optimizing your use of ingredients
multiple diet plans and customization options available
Cons
requires membership to use
cost of ingredients isn’t included in the price of the app
Best food tracking app
MyFitnessPal
iPhone rating: 4.7 stars
Android rating: 4.5 stars
Price: free with in-app purchases
MyFitnessPal is a powerhouse app, with an enormous food database, barcode scanner, recipe importer, restaurant logger, food insights, calorie counter, and so much more.
Whether you’re monitoring your nutrition to lose weight, switch up your eating habits, or simply hold yourself accountable, MyFitnessPal makes it easy.
Though the app is free, you can purchase a premium membership for $9.99 per month or $49.99 per year to unlock additional features, including detailed food analyses, workout routines, and more customization options.
Pros
large database for easy food logging
many free features available
barcode scanner helps simplify nutrient tracking
Cons
some users note that the interface can be glitchy, confusing, or difficult to use
detailed nutrient analysis only available with premium membership
Best healthy recipe app
Yummly Recipes & Cooking Tools
iPhone rating: 4.7 stars
Android rating: 4.5 stars
Price: free with in-app purchases
With more than 2 million recipes to choose from and a variety of options tailored to your tastes, needs, and preferences, Yummly is my go-to app for healthy cooking.
Recipes are sorted and organized by cuisine, course, diet, and required ingredients, making it easy to find something that works for you.
You can also add ingredients to your shopping list, connect smart appliances to the app, and create custom collections with your favorite recipes.
While the app is free to use, for $4.99 per month, you can access premium features, including detailed cooking guides, nutritional information for each recipe, recommended recipes based on your goals, and additional tools to streamline meal planning.
Pros
wide selection of recipes to choose from
simple, user-friendly interface
reviews available for each recipe
includes helpful tools, such as shopping lists and recipe collections
Cons
frequent ads in the free version
some note that it takes multiple clicks to access full recipes with directions
many features require monthly membership
Best weight loss app
Lifesum: Healthy Eating
iPhone rating: 4.7 stars
Android rating: 4.4 stars
Price: free with in-app purchases
Lifesum is a popular app that helps simplify weight loss with tools like a recipe library, food log, and calorie counter.
When signing up, the app collects information about your height, weight, age, and specific goals to provide a personalized plan based on your needs.
It also has a weekly health test, which includes insights on your habits and identifies potential areas for improvement.
The food and exercise diary is free to use, but the app also offers a premium subscription starting at $4.17 per month for access to body composition tracking, macro counting, and custom diet plans and recipes.
Pros
simple, visually appealing user interface
provides weekly health test to keep you on track
variety of diets to choose from
no ads on the free version
Cons
limited customization for meal plans
some users note that the directions for some recipes could be better
Best mindful eating app
Ate Food Journal
iPhone rating: 4.8 stars
Android rating: 3.5 stars
Price: $9.99 per month or $49.99 per year
Advertised as a mindful food journaling app that doesn’t count calories, Ate Food Journal aims to help you understand why you eat certain foods and how they make you feel.
The app enables you to take photos of your meals and activities to create a visual timeline of your day.
It also allows you to participate in experiments, such as eating with your nondominant hand, and add details about each meal, including who you ate with, how it was made, and how it tasted.
The app offers a 7-day free trial to see if it’s a good fit for you. After that, subscriptions cost $9.99 per month or $49.99 per year.
Pros
focuses on mindful eating and healthy habits rather than counting calories
simple and easy to use
includes extra features like experiments and personal insights
Cons
subscription required after 7-day free trial
Best macro counting app
MyNet Diary Calorie Counter
iPhone rating: 4.8 stars
Android rating: 4.6 stars
Price: free with in-app purchases
Whether you’re trying to cut carbs, increase your protein intake, or get a better grasp of the macronutrient breakdown of your diet, MyNet Diary Calorie Counter is a great tool for on-the-go food logging.
The app helps you set goals, monitor your weight trends, and track your intake based on the specific diet plan you select. It also offers detailed nutrient information for each ingredient in your food log and a daily analysis to help keep you on track.
Though several of the features are free, you can also purchase a premium membership for $8.99 per month or $59.99 per year.
A premium membership provides access to specific diet plans, recipes, and tracking tools, along with more in-depth nutrient analyses for foods.
Pros
variety of free tracking features available
daily analysis with detailed information on overall nutrient intake
no ads on the free version
no sign-up required
Cons
diet plans require paid membership
limited customization options without subscription
user interface can be somewhat confusing and complicated
Best nutrition education app
Noom
iPhone rating: 4.7 stars
Android rating: 4.4 stars
Price: $60 per month or $199 per year
Offering custom meal plans, weekly challenges, and access to a virtual coaching team, Noom is popular among dieters all over the world — including my mom, who notes that the short, simple lesson plans helped her understand how her food choices were affecting her health.
In addition to providing educational info, Noom also includes tools to track your progress and workout plans to add more activity to your daily routine.
Noom usually offers a free trial when you sign up, but it requires a membership to use the app, which costs $60 per month or $199 per year.
Pros
lesson plans designed to help understand your food choices
provides tools to track progress
includes support from virtual coaching team
Cons
more expensive than other apps
some users report that the coaching team offers little personalized feedback
Best food allergy app
Spokin
iPhone rating: 4.7 stars
Price: free
For families with food allergies, Spokin can be a convenient tool to have on hand.
It allows you to select the specific ingredients that you need to avoid and provides information on whether food products are safe and allergen-free.
You can also view reviews from other users for restaurants and hotels around the world to find allergy-safe options.
Though the app can currently only be downloaded on the App Store for iPhone, the developers note that it will be available soon for Android devices as well.
Pros
provides information on allergy-friendly food products, hotels, and restaurants
allows you to connect with other users with food allergies
free to use
Cons
some report issues with navigating through the app
not yet available for Android devices
Best pregnancy nutrition app
Ovia Pregnancy Tracker
iPhone rating: 4.9 stars
Android rating: 4.7 stars
Price: free
Nutritional needs change quite a bit during pregnancy, which can be overwhelming when you’re expecting. Fortunately, Ovia makes it easier than ever to ensure that you’re getting the nourishment that you need for a healthy pregnancy.
Specifically, the app includes a food and activity log, recipe collection, medication reminders, and a guide to food safety.
It also provides helpful resources, tips, and detailed information about the progress of your pregnancy.
Best of all, it’s completely free.
Pros
provides resources and nutrition tips for pregnancy
allows you to track food, activity, sleep, mood, and more
free to use
Cons
limited customization options for some features, such as medication reminders
frequent in-app advertisements
The bottom line
There are a variety of nutrition apps available, each of which offers its own unique set of features and functionalities, making it easier than ever to eat healthy in real life.
Be sure to consider your goals, your budget, and the specific features that are most important to you.
You should also look for apps that are highly rated and recommended by a healthcare professional when deciding which are worth downloading.
nutrition tracker app
Nutrition apps can help people live a healthier lifestyle by enabling them to track which products they are buying, or suggesting particular restaurants for their dietary needs.
Eating healthily is not always easy, especially when eating out, trying to cook new recipes, or managing the demands of a busy life.
This article will explain what nutrition apps are and how they differ. It will also discuss what people should look for in an app, depending on what they want to achieve — be it understanding which foods to eat while pregnant or tracking foods that may cause adverse reactions.
Quick links
Best for meal planning: Forks over Knives
Best for finding a diet-friendly restaurant: HappyCow
Best for creating custom grocery lists: Allrecipes
Best for pregnant people’s health: Ovia Pregnancy
Best for meeting healthy eating goals: ShopWell
Best for those with food intolerances: Food Intolerances
Best for counting calories: MyPlate Calorie Counter
Best for forming healthy eating habits: Noom
Best for promoting a healthy body image: Rise Up + Recover
Best for intuitive eating: Am I Hungry?
Please note that the writer has not tested these products. All information is research-based.
What are nutrition apps?
Nutrition apps can help make life easier for individuals who need to track their food intake for health reasons. These apps can also help people find restaurants that are suitable for their dietary needs.
Some apps offer graphs to show correlations between specific foods and how a person feels after eating them, should they want to track potential intolerances.
Other apps provide feedback on strategies for reaching a moderate weight, changing one’s relationship with food, or getting into better shape.
No nutrition app works for everyone, and some may trigger certain issues. For example, a weight loss app may not be appropriate for someone recovering from an eating disorder.
Recent researchTrusted Source suggests that nutrition apps that set a clear goal, allow personalization, and have a wide food database may encourage more people to use the app.
However, according to other researchTrusted Source, some diet-tracking apps may not be transparent about extra costs and may not provide satisfactory customer support.
Therefore, before installing any app, a person should identify their specific goals and asses whether or not an app will help them reach those goals.
For more science-backed resources on nutrition, visit our dedicated hub.
Nutrition apps for vegetarians
Switching to a vegetarian diet may be difficult at times, especially if a person is used to eating meat. Menu options at restaurants may also prove troublesome, particularly if restaurants do not list ingredients clearly.
Below are two apps that may help a person who is following a vegetarian or vegan diet:
Forks over Knives
Best for meal planning
This app compiles recipes, suggests ingredients, and assembles favorite meals in one location, so a person has a greater variety of meals using healthy ingredients at their disposal.
The app is not free to download. At the time of publication, Forks over Knives costs $4.99 to download and use.
HappyCow
Best for finding a diet-friendly restaurant
HappyCow helps people find restaurants consistent with their dietary needs, no matter where they are. Other features include a community forum as well as tips for designing a healthy vegetarian or vegan meal plan.
This app is free to download and use. At the time of publication, the developers do not ask for a subscription payment or in-app purchases.
Nutrition apps for pregnancy
Choosing what to eat while pregnant can be difficult, especially if a person is trying to avoid certain foods or eat more nutrient-dense options.
Two apps that could help a person create meals and monitor their health are the following:
Allrecipes
Best for creating custom grocery lists
Allrecipes is not specific to pregnancy, but it is still a good option for getting recipe ideas. People can choose from a variety of recipes, read reviews, and make a custom grocery list to create specific meals for cooking at home.
This app is free to download and use. However, individuals can choose to invest in in-app purchases to expand the number of recipes they can access.
At the time of publication, a person can buy simple dinner recipes and paleo recipes for $0.99 each.
Ovia Pregnancy
Best for pregnant people’s health
While many apps focus on fetal development, Ovia takes a comprehensive approach to health of the person carrying the pregnancy. Individuals can use the app to check whether certain foods and medications are safe and to track their pregnancy symptoms.
This app is free to download and use. At the time of publication, the developers do not require a subscription or offer in-app purchases.
Nutrition apps for a healthy lifestyle
If a person’s family have different dietary needs or food intolerances, the person may find creating a grocery list time consuming — especially when buying ingredients for cooking healthy meals from scratch.
Two apps that may help an individual create and cook healthy meals are the following:
ShopWell
Best for meeting healthy eating goals
ShopWell helps people create custom food profiles, compile recipe lists, and shop for the foods that match their dietary needs. People can also scan nutritional labels to see whether or not a product meets their healthy eating goals.
This app is free to download and use. At the time of publication, the developers do not require a subscription or offer in-app purchases.
Food Intolerances
Best for those with food intolerances
Food Intolerances identifies common sources of sensitivity, which may help a person track their food-related symptoms over time. Once a person knows their intolerances, the app flags potentially problematic foods, which the person can choose to avoid.
Learn more about the differences between food intolerances and allergies here.
At the time of publication, this app costs $8.99 to download on iOS and $6.99 to download on Android.
Additionally, the developers offer in-app purchases that give people access to nutritional values and additional allergens. These in-app purchases cost $1.99 and $0.99, respectively.
Nutrition apps for weight loss
If someone needs to lose weight for health reasons, they may initially struggle to manage their calorie intake and portion sizes. However, over time, these changes will formTrusted Source part of the person’s routine.
Two apps that could help an individual be mindful of healthy food choices are the following:
MyPlate Calorie Counter
Best for counting calories
People can use MyPlate Calorie Counter to log fitness goals and daily exercise routines. Additionally, the app has tips for cooking healthy meals and printout recipes. A person can also create a custom 8-week meal plan tailored to their nutritional goals.
This app is free to download and use. However, individuals can choose to upgrade to a Gold Membership, which starts at $9.99 per year. This membership option gives people access to workouts, a clean-eating guide, and advanced statistics.
Noom
Best for forming healthy eating habits
Noom prioritizes the psychology of eating. The app helps people reenvision their eating habits, understand why they eat the way they do, and make healthy choices while still eating the foods they enjoy.
Learn more about the Noom app here.
This app is free to download. However, to access Noom programs, a person needs to incur the cost of an in-app purchase.
At the time of publication, in-app purchases start from $4.99 and give people access to all of Noom features.
Nutrition apps for eating disorder recovery
People recovering from eating disorders may find using apps beneficial for staying healthy.
Two apps that may help people who are recovering from eating disorders are the following:
Rise Up + Recover
Best for promoting a healthy body image
Rise Up + Recover teaches people healthy eating strategies and cultivates mindfulness. It also steadily promotes a healthy body image while encouraging balanced food choices.
The app rewards individuals for logging the food they eat with an inspirational message. Additionally, the app offers more information and advice about the recovery process.
This app is free to download and use. At the time of publication, the developers do not require a subscription or offer in-app purchases.
Am I Hungry?
Best for intuitive eating
People with binge eating or restrictive eating disorders may struggle with food-related mindfulness. For example, they may not know when they are hungry or may use food to manage emotional problems. This app helps a person listen to their body and advises on intuitive eating and good health.
At the time of publication, this app costs $2.99 to download. However, the developers do not require any subscriptions and do not offer any in-app purchases.
MEDICAL NEWS TODAY NEWSLETTER
Knowledge is power. Get our free daily newsletter.
Dig deeper into the health topics you care about most. Subscribe to our facts-first newsletter today.
Enter your email
Your privacy is important to us
Summary
The right app can make healthy eating feel less daunting. Before making major changes to diet or lifestyle, a person should consider consulting a doctor or dietitian, who may have suggestions on choosing both the right app and the right eating plan.
Conclusion
Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Check out other publications to gain access to more digital resources if you are just starting out with Flux Resource.
Also contact us today to optimize your business(s)/Brand(s) for Search Engines