Instructions for the Food Calories & Nutrition Calculator

Food Calories & Nutrition Calculator

  1. Calories & Kilojoules:  The calculator defaults to calories (kcal). Click on the Kilojoules button if you prefer to work in kilojoules (kJ).

  2. Add Foods:  Click on the Add Foods button to enter your own data for food items or recipes that do not appear in one of the food lists. See Instructions for the Add Foods Feature.

    For recipes, calculate each of the separate ingredients according to the instructions, below. If the recipe serves five, you can simply calculate the ingredients for all five servings, or you can calculate one-fifth of the amount of each ingredient so that the totals represent one serving.

    You can then enter the totals as a new food item with the Add Foods feature. Thereafter, when you want to add Aunt Mary's Applesauce to your daily calorie total, you can calculate the correct serving size according to how much you ate. See Serving Size, below.

  3. Selecting a Food List:  Click on one of the Groceries, Ethnic Cuisines, Fast Food & Restaurants, or Brands food lists to select it.

    When you want to select a different food list, click on the Food Lists button and the complete selection of food lists will reappear.

  4. Selecting a Food Item:  After selecting a food list, the contents of the food list you selected will be displayed on the screen and you can then scroll through the list and click on a food item to select it.

    When you want to select a different food item, click on the View List button and the complete selection of food items for the selected food list will reappear.

    An alternate way to select a food item from the selected food list is to use the Food Search feature. You may find this easier than scrolling through the food list. See Instructions for the Food Search Feature.

  5. Serving Size:  Enter the number of servings of the food you wish to calculate in the Servings box. For example, .5, 1.5 or 2. The calculator will calculate the results accordingly.

    If you cannot simply enter a serving size but want to calculate a different quantity, you can do it automatically with the Set Servings feature. For example, if the serving size listed is 4.5 ounces and you want to calculate 7 ounces. See Instructions for the Set Servings Feature.

  6. Calculating a Food Item:  Click on the Calculate button to calculate a food item.

    The results of your calculations accumulate in the Results panel. At the top of the list you will find totals for:

    1. Calories or kilojoules
    2. Macronutrients:
      •  Protein in grams (g)
      •  Total fat in grams (g)
      •  Total carbohydrates in grams (g)
    3. Micronutrients:
      •  Fiber in grams (g)
      •  Sodium (salt) in milligrams (mg)

    These totals are followed by the percentage of calories from protein, fat and carbohydrates.

    When you leave the calculator, the totals of your calculations will be saved. When you return to the calculator the totals of your previous calculations will be displayed.

    Calorie Balance, the difference between calories consumed and calories burned, is displayed at the bottom of the Results panel. See Instructions for the Calorie Balance Feature.

  7. View Results Button:  Once you have made a calculation the results will appear in the Results panel. However, the Results panel is not always displayed on the screen. For example, when you are viewing the food lists.

    Anytime you like you can click on the View Results button to return the Results panel to the screen.

  8. Undo Button:  Click on the Undo button to back up one calculation.

  9. Clear Button:  Click on the Clear button to delete your previous calculations and totals and begin a new results list.