AI Food Substitutions
Find meal and ingredient alternatives that match macros while respecting dietary restrictions and preferences.
How Food Substitution Works
The AI Food Substitution tool helps you find alternative foods or meals when your client needs to swap something in their nutrition plan. The AI maintains macro balance while respecting their dietary requirements.
Use it when a client:
- Dislikes a specific food in their plan
- Can't find an ingredient at their local shop
- Discovers a new food allergy or intolerance
- Wants more variety in their meals
- Is dining out and needs restaurant alternatives
Dietary Restriction Handling
The AI automatically filters suggestions based on the client's dietary profile:
Dietary Types
- Vegetarian
- Vegan
- Pescatarian
- Keto
- Halal / Kosher
Common Exclusions
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Low-sodium
- Low-FODMAP
- Sugar-free
Allergens
- Nuts / Tree nuts
- Shellfish
- Eggs
- Soy
- Sesame
Always verify allergy information with clients. The AI provides guidance but should not be relied upon for life-threatening allergies without human verification.
Allergy Awareness
Client allergen preferences are set during onboarding and can be updated in their profile. The AI cross-references all suggestions against their allergen list and clearly labels:
- Safe – No known allergens present
- Caution – May contain traces (cross-contamination risk)
- Contains allergen – Explicitly contains a flagged ingredient
Suggestions marked as "Caution" are hidden by default. Enable "Show caution items" if your client can tolerate trace amounts.
Macro Preservation Logic
The AI prioritises keeping the macro balance close to the original food:
| Original Food | Macros | AI Suggestion | Macros |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Breast (150g) | 46P / 0C / 4F | Turkey Breast (150g) | 45P / 0C / 2F |
| White Rice (200g) | 5P / 56C / 0F | Quinoa (180g) | 8P / 52C / 4F |
| Greek Yogurt (150g) | 15P / 6C / 5F | Skyr (150g) | 17P / 6C / 0F |
The AI shows macro differences as percentages. Aim for substitutions within ±15% of the original macros for best results.
How to Use
Select the Food
In the nutrition plan or meal builder, click on the food item you want to replace and select Find Substitutions.
Specify Reason (Optional)
Add context if helpful – "client doesn't like texture", "not available locally", "too expensive".
Review Options
The AI presents 3-5 alternatives sorted by macro similarity. Each shows calories, macros, and allergen status.
Adjust Portions
Select a substitution and the AI auto-calculates the portion size to match the original macro targets. You can fine-tune manually.
Apply to Plan
Swap the food for this meal only, or replace it across all meals in the plan.
Client Preference Considerations
The AI learns from past choices. If a client repeatedly rejects certain foods or substitutions, they're deprioritised in future suggestions.
Preferences tracked include:
- Foods the client has explicitly rejected
- Cuisine preferences (e.g., prefers Asian over Mexican)
- Texture preferences (e.g., dislikes mushy foods)
- Cooking skill level (simple vs complex recipes)
- Budget constraints
Update client food preferences in their profile to improve future AI suggestions.