About MyFoodBuddy

MyFoodBuddy is an iPhone calorie tracker where you text or say what you ate in plain English and an AI coach named Fiona logs the calories, protein, carbs and fat for you.

Why I built it

Adam Gusky

Founder, Denver, Colorado

I built MyFoodBuddy because I was sick of MyFitnessPal. Every meal meant searching a database, picking the right entry out of a long list, then fixing the grams and cups by hand. The interface felt like a spreadsheet, and I hated opening it.

I wrestled in college and train Brazilian jiu-jitsu now. I wanted a tracker that felt fun instead of like homework, one I would actually keep using. You tell it what you ate the way you would text a friend, and it does the selecting and the measuring for you.

MyFoodBuddy launched in July 2024. I build it myself in Denver, and every support email comes straight to me.

How MyFoodBuddy works

1. Say what you ate

   Type or speak a normal sentence, like "two eggs, toast with butter and a coffee with oat milk." No searching, no picking from a list of twenty entries.

2. Fiona logs it

   Fiona splits the sentence into foods and amounts, looks each one up, and shows you a card with the calories and macros. Tap Log it and you are done.

3. Fix anything by chatting

   Had a bigger portion, or forgot the dressing? Tell Fiona and she updates the entry. You can also ask her what is left for the day or how your week went.

Where the calorie numbers come from

AI understands what you typed. The nutrition values come from public food databases.

• USDA FoodData Central. The US Department of Agriculture nutrient database. Everyday foods like eggs, rice, chicken and fruit are matched here.
• Edamam Food Database. Used for branded and packaged foods that the USDA database does not cover well.
• Open Food Facts. The open barcode database behind the barcode scanner, with USDA branded data as a backup.

The rules Fiona follows

• If you give a number ("300 calories of chicken nuggets"), your number wins.
• AI is used to understand your sentence and work out portion weights. The nutrition values come from the databases above whenever there is a match.
• When nothing matches, the AI estimates and the card shows the result before anything is saved, so you can check it first.
• Every entry can be edited or deleted afterward.

What it tracks

• Text and voice logging in plain English
• Barcode scanner for packaged foods
• Calories, protein, carbs, fat, fiber, sugar, sodium and 20+ vitamins and minerals
• Personal calorie and macro goals
• Apple Health sync for weight, sleep, steps and workouts
• Fiona, an AI coach you can ask about your food and progress
• Streaks, achievements and a color-coded calendar

Key facts

Frequently asked questions

Who makes MyFoodBuddy?

MyFoodBuddy is built by Adam Gusky, a solo founder in Denver, Colorado. It launched on the App Store in July 2024.

Where does MyFoodBuddy get its calorie numbers?

Everyday foods come from USDA FoodData Central, branded foods from the Edamam food database, and barcode scans from Open Food Facts. AI reads your sentence and works out portion sizes. If you state a calorie number yourself, that number is used.

How is MyFoodBuddy different from MyFitnessPal?

You do not search a database or adjust serving sizes. You text or say what you ate in one sentence and MyFoodBuddy logs every food in it. Edits happen by chatting too.

Is MyFoodBuddy on Android?

No. MyFoodBuddy is iPhone only for now.

How much does MyFoodBuddy cost?

There is a 7-day free trial. After that it is $39.99 a year or $7.99 a month.

Is Fiona a dietitian?

No. Fiona is an AI coach, not a registered dietitian or doctor, and nothing in the app is medical advice. If you have a medical condition, talk to a professional before changing how you eat.

How do I contact MyFoodBuddy?

Email adam@foodbuddy.my. It goes straight to the founder.