The paper meal tracker that replaced my app

The app I used before asked for too much detail. Skipping a field made me feel like I was failing. The paper version only has space for one sentence per meal. I write whether the food went down easily and whether I felt steadier afterward. That is all.

Because it is simple I actually use it. Last Tuesday the page showed three days in a row when the afternoon snack was the only thing I finished. That told me to make extra of that snack instead of trying to fix dinner.

Because it is easy I write what actually happened. When I look back I see the real pattern instead of the version I thought I should have written. That lets me adjust the food I keep ready.

How I set it up

I printed one sheet with the days of the week across the top and a line for each meal. It stays on the fridge with a magnet and a pen. After the last bite I write one line while the kettle boils for tea. It takes less time than opening the old app, and the record actually gets used.

Last week's page already has four afternoons marked where the same small bowl of pudding was what I finished. I would not have remembered without the note. Now I know exactly what to have ready for those afternoons.