Help
Logging foodHow do I log a meal by describing it?
Updated 7 July 2026
Logging your food should never feel like a chore. Sometimes you do not have a barcode to scan or you cannot snap a photo of your plate. In these moments, simply describing your meal is the fastest way to keep your diary accurate. This guide explains how to log food in the Focal app by typing or speaking what you ate. You will learn the exact steps to enter your meal, how the AI suggests portions and brands, and how this feature interacts with your monthly usage limits. We will also cover how voice recognition optimises tricky food names to save you time. By mastering the describe feature, you can easily maintain your logging streak even when dining out or eating complex mixed meals.
Logging Food By Talking to My Phone?
Maya Chen, Focal product specialist — knows every feature inside-out · Callum Brooks, Strength coach and nutrition advisor — ten years coaching everyday lifters
The host and guests are fictional characters. This conversation is scripted and based on verified information from this help article.
Section 1
Introduction
Logging your food should never feel like a chore. Sometimes you do not have a barcode to scan or you cannot snap a photo of your plate. In these moments, simply describing your meal is the fastest way to keep your diary accurate. This guide explains how to log food in the Focal app by typing or speaking what you ate. You will learn the exact steps to enter your meal, how the AI suggests portions and brands, and how this feature interacts with your monthly usage limits. We will also cover how voice recognition optimises tricky food names to save you time. By mastering the describe feature, you can easily maintain your logging streak even when dining out or eating complex mixed meals.
Section 2
Key takeaways
The essentials to remember.
- You can log meals by typing or speaking naturally.
- The AI automatically suggests portions and specific brands for your entry.
- Voice input includes automatic typo correction for tricky food names.
- Free users get 10 AI describe lookups per month.
- Pro users receive 300 AI describe lookups per month.
Section 3
How to describe your meal
Entering a meal by text or voice is straightforward. Follow these steps to log your food:
- From the Add Meal screen, choose the Describe option.
- Type or dictate exactly what you ate, such as "chicken salad from Pret" or "two eggs and toast".
- Wait for the AI to resolve your items, which will include brand and portion suggestions.
- Review the nutritional information, adjust the portions if needed, and save the meal to your diary.
Section 4
Using voice input for faster logging
If your hands are full, speaking is the easiest way to log a meal. The app features reliable speech recognition tailored specifically for food. It automatically corrects common typos in food names so you do not have to worry about perfect pronunciation or spelling. Just tap the microphone and speak naturally.
Section 5
Monthly AI allowances
Because the describe feature uses advanced AI to match your words to nutritional databases, it is subject to a monthly limit. Every time you submit a text or voice description, it counts towards this allowance. Keep an eye on your usage to ensure you have lookups available when you need them.
- Free accounts include 10 describe lookups per month.
- Pro accounts include 300 describe lookups per month.
Section 6
Speeding up entry with History
While describing a meal is incredibly fast, logging something you eat regularly is even quicker. The app remembers your past entries. If you have previously logged a specific meal or scanned an item, you can select it directly from your History without using an AI lookup.
Section 7
Common questions
- When should I use the describe feature?
- It is best used when you cannot easily photograph your meal or scan a barcode, such as when you are eating out or having a mixed dish.
- Does the AI recognise specific brands?
- Yes, if you mention a brand like Pret, the AI will try to match your items to that specific menu or product line based on your description.
- What happens if the AI guesses the wrong portion?
- You always have the opportunity to review and manually adjust the portion sizes before saving the meal to your diary.
- Do I use my AI allowance if I pick from my history?
- No, selecting recent foods or previously scanned items from your History does not use up your monthly describe allowance.
Section 8
In the app
Where to find this in Focal.
To use this feature, open the Focal app and tap the Add Meal button on your daily diary. From there, select the Describe option to bring up the text box and microphone icon. If you have never used this method before, a great next step is to try logging your next snack just by speaking to the app. You will see how quickly the system identifies the food and suggests the right calories and macros. Remember to check your account settings periodically to monitor your monthly lookup limits.
