Food journal and nutrition targets

The food journal lets patients log meals and lets your team review nutrition patterns from the patient chart. When it is enabled, open the patient food journal from the left sidebar: click Patients, click the patient's name, then click Food Journal to see trends, targets and entries for that patient.

How do I turn on the food journal?

Owners and admins can enable the food journal from Settings. In the left sidebar, click Settings (at the bottom). In the settings menu, under Configuration, click Food Journal. This setting controls patient meal logging and patient-chart food journal views for the organization.

1. Turn on Food Journal.
2. Let the setting autosave.

When Food Journal is on, patient meal logging and patient-chart food journal views are enabled. If the setting cannot be saved, Ona shows Couldn't save and returns the switch to the last saved setting.

If the food journal is off, opening a patient's food journal redirects back to Patients.

How do I review a patient's food journal?

In the left sidebar, click Patients, click the patient's name, then click Food Journal to review food journal activity over time. The page opens to 7 days by default.

1. Choose 7 days, 14 days, 30 days or Custom to set the review period.
2. Review the summary cards for Avg Calories, Avg Protein, Avg Carbs, Avg Fat, Compliance and Logging.
3. Use Calories, Macros or Meals in Trends to change the chart view.
4. Select a day in the chart to filter the Entries table to that date.

The Entries table updates when you change the date range, chart day, meal filter or search.

The calorie and macro summary cards compare averages with the patient's active target when one is set. A value is On target when it is within 10% of the target. Compliance shows how many logged days were within 10% for calories, protein, carbs and fat. Logging shows how many days in the selected range have entries.

How do I set nutrition targets for a patient?

In the left sidebar, click Patients, click the patient's name, then click Food Journal to set patient-specific targets. Targets are daily goals and are used in the summary cards and trend charts.

1. In Targets, select Set. If targets already exist, select Edit.
2. Choose Start from preset if you want to fill the fields from a preset.
3. Enter or adjust Calories (kcal), Protein (g), Carbs (g) and Fat (g).
4. Open Optional: Fiber & Sodium targets if you also want to track Fiber (g) or Sodium (mg).
5. Turn on Hide calories from patient if the patient should not see calorie counts in their own food journal.
6. Select Save target.

The Targets card updates with the saved numbers. If Hide calories from patient is on, the card shows Calories hidden from patient.

Preset	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Other target
Standard	2,000 kcal	150 g	250 g	65 g	—
Weight Loss	1,500 kcal	140 g	150 g	50 g	—
High Protein	2,200 kcal	200 g	200 g	70 g	—
Low Carb	1,800 kcal	160 g	100 g	100 g	—
Low Sodium	2,000 kcal	130 g	260 g	65 g	Sodium 1,500 mg

How do I find specific food journal entries?

In the left sidebar, click Patients, click the patient's name, then click Food Journal. Use the Entries table when you need to review a meal, food item or day in detail.

1. Set the date range with 7 days, 14 days, 30 days or Custom.
2. Use the meal filter to choose All Meals, Breakfast, Morning Snack, Lunch, Afternoon Snack or Dinner.
3. Search entries by food item.
4. Select a row to expand it and see the food items, portions, nutrient detail and notes.
5. Use the page controls at the bottom of the table when there are more matching entries.

The table shows 20 entries per page. Expanded rows show nutrient detail when it exists for the entry, including macronutrients, fats and minerals.

How do I edit a food journal entry?

In the left sidebar, click Patients, click the patient's name, then click Food Journal to edit an entry when the meal type, portion, notes, context or macros need correction.

1. Find the entry in Entries.
2. Open the row actions menu and select Edit, or expand the row and select Edit.
3. Change Meal type if needed.
4. Update the food item's Food name, Quantity or Unit.
5. Edit Calories, Protein (g), Carbs (g) or Fat (g) in Macros (optional) if the saved nutrition values need correction.
6. Update Notes or select Edit meal context to record Hunger, Mood or Setting.
7. Select Save.

The editor closes after the entry is saved.

How do I delete a food journal entry?

In the left sidebar, click Patients, click the patient's name, then click Food Journal to delete an entry when it should no longer appear in the patient's food journal.

1. Find the entry in Entries.
2. Open the row actions menu and select Delete, or expand the row and select Delete.
3. In Delete entry, review the warning.
4. Select Delete.

The delete dialog closes after the entry is deleted. Delete entry states that this action cannot be undone.

What can't I do here?

In the left sidebar, click Settings (at the bottom). In the settings menu, under Configuration, click Food Journal. The food journal has these limits:

• Only owners and admins can change Settings → Food Journal.
• The patient chart food journal is available only when the organization food journal setting is enabled.
• Save target is disabled until Calories (kcal) has a value.
• Custom does not allow dates after today.

Common questions

Can I hide calories from the patient?

Yes. Open the patient food journal from the left sidebar: click Patients, click the patient's name, then click Food Journal. In Targets, select Set or Edit, then turn on Hide calories from patient. The target card shows whether calories are hidden or visible to the patient.

What counts as on target?

For calories, protein, carbs and fat, Ona treats a logged day as on target when the value is within 10% of the active target. Compliance requires all four to be within that range.

What meals can entries use?

Entries use Breakfast, Morning Snack, Lunch, Afternoon Snack or Dinner.

What happens when no target is set?

The Targets card shows No daily targets set. The summary cards still show averages and logging, but calorie and macro cards show No target set until targets are saved.

Can I review entries created from photos?

Yes. Entries that appear in Entries can be reviewed, edited and deleted from the patient chart like other food journal entries.