7 Ways to Log Custom Keto Meals in Senza
Success with a ketogenic diet depends on tracking exactly what you eat. But in a modern food world made up of millions of different options - from whole foods like meat and produce to endless variations of packaged/processed foods to recipes that combine ingredients - just how are you supposed to get an accurate picture of your nutrition?
Senza simplifies this complex food world in two ways:
First, our digital food journal is built on a combination of licensed data sources that makes it the largest database of food records with verified net carbs available to the public. You can find every USDA record - raw and cooked, in imperial or metric units - as well as published nutrition facts for branded products, restaurant menu items, recipes, supplements, and more.
Second, we provide features for creating private items, custom ketogenic meals, and even your own personal or modified keto recipes. Below, is an overview of these built-in logging features and when to use each one:
1. Log a restaurant menu item
If the meal you ordered is listed on the menu, and the restaurant provides nutrition facts, we likely have it in our system already, or we can add it for you. Search with the restaurant name in the brand search box and the menu item name in the food search box. If you don't find a match, scroll to the bottom of the results and tap +Request Missing Food Item.
2. Log a customized order from a restaurant
We have dozens of meal constructors that help log your variation of ketogenic burgers, salads, yogurt bowls, tacos, omelettes, coffee drinks, stir fry, skillets, and more. Just add the word "build" to your keyword search to see if we've created a constructor for that meal. For example, you can search for "keto burger build" and the search results will include the Build Your Own list for common low-carb burger wraps and toppings. Select the ones you ate and save.
For certain restaurant chains, wea've built constructors that list every keto-friendly item on the menu. You can find these by searching with the restaurant name as the brand and "build your own" as the item name. Here's a list:
- Arby’s
- Burger King
- Carl’s Jr.
- Chick-fil-A
- Chipotle
- Costa Vida
- Dunkin Donuts
- Five Guys
- Hardee’s
- Jimmy John’s
- McDonald’s
- Starbucks
- Subway
- Taco Bell
Pro tips: To adjust the amount of any ingredient in a custom meal, first save the list of ingredients, then tap the row in your journal to open the build and click the nested item in the list to adjust the amount. To delete a build that you logged, tap in the row to open the list and then scroll to the bottom to find the red Delete button.
3. Log a combination of foods that you eat often
Say you frequently have 2 fried eggs, 2 slices of bacon and 1/2 of an avocado for breakfast. It's not a recipe with multiple portions, but a single meal that you'd like to log quickly each time. Log these items in a single time window of your journal, and then select the "..." options menu to find the Save as Meal feature. You can give this meal a name like Kim's Keto Breakfast, and it will be added to your My Food list, so you can log it as one item next time.
4. Calculate nutrition per serving for a personal recipe that you prepared
Are you a home chef who likes to experiment with ketogenic recipes? Whether you've invented something completely new or modified an existing recipe from another source, we have a tool for you! Go to My Food under the main menu, tap the + and select Recipe. Our keto recipe builder lets you search the food database for ingredients, and then it divides the full recipe into the number of servings you choose. You can add directions and an image, too - then share this creation with all of your Senza friends.
Pro tip: To modify a personal recipe after you've saved it, go to My Food, search for the name and tap in the row, then look for the green Modify button. You can change ingredients, amounts, and the number of servings any time, as often as you need.
5. Quickly add just the macros for an item
Do you have macros you want to log without creating an entire food item through our Senza Support process? No problem! You can go to My Food under the main menu and tap +Single Item. Give the item a name and then enter the macros you wish to track. You can enter 0 for any of the required nutrients, and then save.
Pro tip: If you accidentally enter the wrong macros for a private item, it's fastest to delete that record and re-enter the info, or message Senza Support in the app and we can make the correction for you.
6. Log a published recipe when you already have the macros
Here's another time-saving tip: When you're logging a recipe from a cookbook or blog that provides the macros for you, there's no need to enter every ingredient with our keto recipe building tool. Instead, go to My Food and select +Single Item, then enter the values from the cookbook or website.
Coach Kim takes you through these steps in quick narrated demo:
7. Log macros and electrolytes for a supplement
What if you want to note which vitamins, supplements, or medications you are taking each day? You can add them under My Food +Single Item. Note, the app supports logging macros for supplements, but we don't provide tracking for micronutrients other than electrolytes. The amounts contained in modern food tend to be inaccurate due to soil depletion and other factors, so we don't want to mislead anyone into thinking they have a complete picture of micronutrient intake. We recommend getting tested for micronutrient deficiencies and developing a supplement protocol with your nutritionist, dietician, or other practitioner, if needed.
For more on understanding the role of micronutrients in your overall health, see our recent article, Micronutrients deep dive.
Getting the most out of Senza
Want to become a Senza power user? See this post for more advanced features: 10 Hidden Features of the Senza Keto App
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Content provided by Senza is not medical advice. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only.