Why this app

Who is Josh's Food Journal for?

It works best for people who meal prep and eat simple, single-ingredient foods. You won't need to eat the same thing in the same portions each day. Ideal if you pick from a rotation of foods each meal, in varying quantities.

Do I have to search for the same foods every time?

No. Your regular foods live in a custom space for that meal, and on first launch the app opens to the most relevant space for the time of day. If it's already open elsewhere, the Now button or an iOS Shortcut jumps you straight there. Bookmarks hold your saved servings, recipes and set menus. For a meal you eat often, there's nothing to search for.

Does it rely on barcodes?

No. You add packaged foods from the printed label. Scan with your camera or pick a photo, then check the numbers before saving.

Barcode database coverage can be spotty with other apps, and entries are often community-submitted. Adding the food yourself means the entry is yours and it stays put. Label scanning is a Pro feature.

Does it work without an internet connection?

Core logging and the built-in food database work offline. Open the app, browse, search, log. No connection needed. Only complex or AI-assisted label scanning may need the cloud.

Are there ads?

None. No banners, no full-screen video, in Base or Pro. Pro subscriptions fund development instead.

How many screens does it take to log a meal?

One, for a meal you eat often. Keypad buttons let you pick multiple foods and multiple servings from a single screen. No searching required.

Can I log a portion the way I actually eat it?

Yes. Depending on the portion size information available with each food, you could log by weight, item count, standard serving or a share of the container. Pro adds precision weight entry. No math required.

Does it read from Apple Health, or only write to it?

Both. You don't have to leave your other apps behind. Foods logged elsewhere count toward your goals here, and your entries flow back out through Apple Health. Use the best tool for the job.

Why is the food database smaller than other trackers?

Because it's optimized for on-device and offline use, so the focus is whole foods and ingredients. That's what you want for recipes and for logging single ingredients. For packaged foods, you scan the nutrition label directly.

Open access to Apple Health means you can still track takeout and occasional items in the apps whose big databases shine there, while the routine foods you eat 80% of the week stay super easy to log.

Where is my data stored?

On your device, by default. Your journals, logs, goals, notes, preferences and Apple Health data stay there.

Some features may need the cloud, like complex or AI-assisted label scanning. Only what the request needs goes out, such as a label image or its text. The privacy policy is the full and controlling version.

Can I export my data?

Yes. Daily notes and nutrition logs export to CSV. Base covers a limited nutrient set, and Pro can include the full supported set. Your data also flows out through Apple Health.

Is Josh's Food Journal free?

Base is free. That covers offline logging, Apple Health read and write, daily notes, offline database search, bookmarks, energy and macro goals, basic CSV export and manual label entry.

Pro is a paid subscription through the App Store, and it adds the advanced workflows and label scanning. The compare features page has the full breakdown.

Do I need to create an account?

No. There's no account to set up with me. If you want it, optional iCloud features can sync or back up your data inside your own Apple account.

Which devices does it run on?

iPhone, through the Apple App Store.

How do I report a bug or request a feature?

Email me at hello@joshfoodjournal.com. Bugs, questions, feedback and feature ideas are all welcome. I'll do my best to get back to you quickly, and the support page has the details.