Does Food Lab score my meal?

No. It describes what a meal is made of and offers one optional adjustment. There is no grade, score or moral label attached to food.

How accurate are the estimates?

They are approximations based on what you describe or photograph, and mixed dishes carry the most uncertainty. Each read says where it is unsure.

Can I use it on a restaurant menu?

Yes. Menu items and packaged labels both work, and the label path can also decode front-of-package claims.

What happens to my photos?

They stay private to your account, and deleting the saved lesson deletes the photo with it.

Food Lab: turn one real meal into a short lesson

Food Lab is a guided read of one thing you are actually eating. Instead of scoring your meal, it breaks it into components, points at what is worth noticing, and leaves you with a single takeaway you can use tomorrow.

This page explains how a Lab run works. Running one on your own meal, label or menu photo needs a free account, because it involves your photos and your saved history.

Open in the app Read the lessons

How it works

1.Start from one real thing
A meal you cooked, a package you are holding, or a menu you are reading. One item at a time, because that is how anything actually gets learned.
2.Break it into components
Protein, starch, vegetables, fats, sauces. Seeing a plate as parts makes it far easier to change one part next time.
3.Choose what you want to learn
Fibre, protein, sodium, added sugars, or simply what the front-of-package claim actually means. The read follows the question you picked.
4.Get one takeaway, with sources
Each read ends with one adjustment you could try and the authorities behind the claims, so nothing rests on our word alone.
5.Keep a small library
Saved lessons build into your own reference of foods you eat often, which is more useful than a general database you never revisit.

A worked example

A weekday burrito bowl

Components: rice, black beans, grilled chicken, cheese, sour cream, salsa, no vegetables. Chosen question: fibre. The read notes that beans and salsa already contribute fibre, that the bowl has no leafy or non-starchy vegetables, and suggests adding fajita vegetables next time. One change, one takeaway, no verdict on the meal.

What this tool cannot do

Estimates from a photo or description are approximate, and mixed dishes are the hardest case.
Food Lab does not grade meals or label foods as good or bad, so it will not give you a score.
It cannot see hidden ingredients, restaurant recipe changes or preparation you did not describe.

Privacy. Meal photos and saved food lessons are private to your account under row-level security. Deleting a saved lesson removes its stored photo too.

Health note. Food Lab is educational. It does not diagnose, treat or manage any condition, and it does not prescribe diets. For allergies, pregnancy, feeding children, eating-disorder recovery or a diagnosed condition, individualized guidance from a clinician or registered dietitian is the right next step.

Questions people ask

Does Food Lab score my meal?: No. It describes what a meal is made of and offers one optional adjustment. There is no grade, score or moral label attached to food.
How accurate are the estimates?: They are approximations based on what you describe or photograph, and mixed dishes carry the most uncertainty. Each read says where it is unsure.
Can I use it on a restaurant menu?: Yes. Menu items and packaged labels both work, and the label path can also decode front-of-package claims.
What happens to my photos?: They stay private to your account, and deleting the saved lesson deletes the photo with it.

Where to go next

Nutrition Tutor provides general educational information and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding personal health needs.