---
title: "Log a meal"
description: "Record what children ate and how much, for parents' feed and your CACFP records. Add photos if you like."
type: guide
updated: 2026-10-13
canonical_url: https://help.nestlicare.com/teachers/activities/log-a-meal
roles: ["teacher"]
platforms: [ios, android, web]
---
Log each meal and snack. Parents check this first to see if their child ate. Your director also uses it for CACFP (the US food program) records.

## The fast way: use today's menu

If your center posts a menu, you rarely type foods. Tap **Use today's menu**. It fills in the foods and picks the children who are checked in. Then:

1. Tap any child who didn't eat to unpick them.
2. Change a portion if you need to.
3. Save.

Some centers also send a reminder. If a planned meal isn't logged by its usual time, staff clocked in to that room get a push. Logging the meal stops it.

## Log a meal

1. Open the **Dashboard** tab.
2. Tap **Log Activity**. It's one of the four tiles under the **Quick log** bar.
3. Tap **Meal** (or **Snack**).

<ScreenshotWithPointers
  src="/screenshots/teachers/activities/log-meal-form.png"
  alt="Log Activity sheet with the Meal tile selected, room pills, and the child avatars"
  pointers={[
    { x: 1, y: 18.2, caption: "Meal tile. Snack is next to it" },
    { x: 1, y: 55.7, caption: "Room pills. Every room at your center is here" },
    { x: 1, y: 60.2, caption: "Children. Tap each child who ate, or Select All" },
  ]}
/>

4. Check the room pill, then tap the children who ate. **Select All** picks the whole room. (On Android it says **Select All (N)**.)
5. Pick the **Meal**: Breakfast, AM Snack, Lunch, PM Snack or Dinner.
6. Under **Food**, tap **Use today's menu**, or tap **Add food** and pick from the list.
7. Set **Amount eaten**: All, Most, Some or None.
8. Want a different amount for each child? Turn on **Per child** and set each one.
9. Tap **Log for N Children** (or **Save Activity** for one child).

The sheet closes and the meal shows on your **Home** tab. Parents see one entry for their child.

<ScreenshotWithPointers
  src="/screenshots/teachers/activities/log-meal-portion.png"
  alt="The meal details: meal, food, amount eaten, and the Log for N Children button"
  pointers={[
    { x: 1, y: 23, caption: "Meal: Breakfast, AM Snack, Lunch, PM Snack or Dinner" },
    { x: 1, y: 34.9, caption: "Food: Use today's menu, or Add food" },
    { x: 1, y: 42.9, caption: "Amount eaten: All, Most, Some or None. Per child sets each one" },
    { x: 1, y: 86.8, caption: "Log for N Children. The number changes as you pick children" },
  ]}
/>

## What the amounts mean

- **All**: cleaned the plate
- **Most**: ate more than half
- **Some**: ate a little
- **None**: didn't eat

## Add a photo

1. Before you save, tap **Add photos (optional)**.
2. Tap **Take Photo**, or **Choose from Library** (iPhone) / **Choose from Gallery** (Android).

Android asks for camera permission the first time. Tap allow.

## Keep food names the same

Use the same name every time. "PB&J" and "peanut butter sandwich" count as two different foods. Pick from the list instead of typing.

Food not on the list? Type it in the search box. When nothing matches, tap **Add new item** and pick its group: **Grain**, **Meat & Alt**, **Vegetable**, **Fruit** or **Milk**. It's added to your center's list and to this meal.

## Fix a mistake

Wrong meal or wrong amount? See [Edit or delete an activity](/teachers/activities/edit-or-delete-an-activity). For a group meal, tap **Show all N** on the card to fix one child.

## Troubleshooting

**"No children enrolled in this room."** You're on the wrong room pill. Tap the right room.

**The save button is greyed out.** No child is selected. Tap at least one child's face so it's highlighted. Foods are optional: a meal or snack saves without any.

**"Pick which meal this was."** The meal chip (Breakfast, AM Snack and so on) was tapped off. Tap one back on.

**Use today's menu isn't there.** No menu was posted for that meal today. Add the foods yourself.

**The food list is short.** Your center hasn't built its list yet. Add foods as you go with **Add new item**.

**A parent says their child ate more.** Edit the entry and change the amount.

**Select Present on the web.** That button is only on the web **Meals → Today** page. In the app, use **Use today's menu** or **Select All**.