Logging food with the barcode scanner

The fastest way to log a packaged food is to scan its barcode. Your phone's camera reads the small striped pattern on the back of the box, and MigraineMe looks up the food for you in the Open Food Facts database. No typing. No spelling. Logging food inside MigraineMe is a Premium feature.

Do not worry if you have never used a barcode before. The app does the work. You just point and tap.

What you need

1. A food item with a barcode on the package (the small black-and-white stripes).
2. Good lighting (a kitchen counter near a window is perfect).
3. MigraineMe open on your phone.

Step by step

Step 1: Open the Diet screen

1. Open MigraineMe.
2. Tap the Monitor tab at the bottom of the screen.
3. Scroll until you see the Diet card and tap it. (You can also get here from the Food card on the Log tab, "Search or scan what you ate".)

If you do not see a Diet card, tap Configure Monitor at the top of the Monitor tab and switch the Diet card on. Then come back.

Step 2: Open the scanner

1. In the Add Food area (it says "Search the USDA database, scan a barcode, or photograph your meal"), tap the small barcode icon.
2. The scanner opens. The first time, your phone may ask for camera access. Tap Allow.

If the camera does not open, close the app fully and try again. On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom and swipe MigraineMe off the screen. On Android, tap the small square button at the bottom and swipe MigraineMe away.

Step 3: Point at the barcode

1. Hold your phone about a hand's width away from the package.
2. Line up the barcode inside the frame on the screen.
3. Keep the phone steady for a second or two. The scanner closes on its own when it reads the code.

Tips for a good scan:

• Make sure the whole barcode is inside the frame.
• If the package is shiny, tilt it slightly to cut the glare.
• If it is dark, turn on a lamp or move closer to a window.

Step 4: Check and save

1. A window titled Add Scanned Food appears with the food's name and its nutrition.
2. Check that the name matches what you are eating.
3. Under Portion, set how much you ate in grams. A hint shows roughly what one serving weighs, for example "1 serving ≈ 30 g", so you can multiply from there.
4. Pick a Meal Type (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack).
5. Tap Add.

Your meal is now logged. The window also shows the trigger flags it spotted, for example tyramine or gluten, so you learn as you log.

If the barcode is not found

1. Try scanning again. Sometimes the first try misses.
2. If you see a message that the barcode is not in the Open Food Facts database, the food is not listed yet. This is more common with small local brands.
3. Try typing the food in by name instead. See the article "Logging food by typing it in".

If you do not see the barcode icon

1. Make sure you have opened the Diet card on the Monitor tab, not just glanced at it.
2. If you see a lock and an upgrade button instead of the search box, food logging needs Premium.
3. Close the app fully and reopen it.

A note on speed

The first scan of the day can take a few seconds while the scanner wakes up. After that, scans are nearly instant. If you are doing your weekly shop, you can scan everything at once and save time later.

If you get stuck, write to us at help@migraineme.app. A photo of the package helps us check the database for you.