Nutrition Tracker 🥗📊

A simple, reliable nutrition tracking application built with Django REST Framework and React. No AI gimmicks, no subscription fees - just straightforward meal tracking that actually works.

After a year of going to the gym, I wanted to start tracking my meals properly. The market is flooded with expensive "AI-powered calorie tracking apps" that promise to identify food from photos, but having worked with vision models myself, I know how unreliable they can be:( I didn't want to pay $10-15/month for features that don't work consistently. Since I had a PC at home, I figured why not build something simple and host it myself? Something I could also share with friends who were in the same boat.

This app focuses on what actually matters: accurate nutrition tracking through a comprehensive ingredient database, not fancy AI that gets your apple confused with an orange.

• Daily Nutrition Tracking: Log meals across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks
• Comprehensive Ingredient Database: Pre-loaded with detailed nutritional information
• Recipe Management: Create and save custom recipes
• Weight Tracking: Monitor weight changes with visual charts
• Nutrition Goals: Set and track daily macro targets
• Historical Analysis: View your nutrition trends over time
• Responsive Design: Works on desktop and mobile

Backend

• Django 4.x with Django REST Framework
• SQLite (dev) / PostgreSQL (production)
• Token-based authentication

Frontend

• React 18 with Hooks
• Chart.js for visualizations
• Axios for API calls

# Clone and navigate
git clone https://github.com/brij0/calorietracker.git
cd nutrition-tracker/backend

# Create virtual environment
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

# Install dependencies and setup database
pip install -r requirements.txt
python manage.py migrate
python manage.py createsuperuser

# Start server
python manage.py runserver

# Navigate and install
cd ../frontend
npm install

# Create environment file
echo "REACT_APP_API_BASE=http://localhost:8000/api" > .env

# Start development server
npm start

Visit http://localhost:3000 and start tracking!

• Real-time nutrition summary with progress bars
• Meal breakdown with macro information
• Quick access to logging and recipes

• Search comprehensive ingredient database
• Custom portion sizes with automatic conversion
• Recipe integration for quick logging
• Meal categorization

• Nutrition trends over time
• Weight tracking with charts
• Goal progress visualization
• Historical comparisons

# Authentication
POST /api/auth/login/
POST /api/auth/register/

# Nutrition Tracking
GET/POST /api/daily-intake/
GET /api/nutrition-history/
DELETE /api/daily-intake/clear-meal/

# Recipe Management
GET/POST /api/recipes/
POST /api/recipes/create/

# Data Management
GET/POST /api/ingredients/
GET/POST /api/user-weight/
GET/POST /api/nutrition-goals/

User ──→ DailyIntake ──→ IntakeItem ──→ Ingredient
  │         │
  ├──→ Recipe ──→ RecipeIngredient ──→ Ingredient
  │
  ├──→ UserWeight
  └──→ NutritionGoals

• Barcode scanning for packaged foods
• Meal planning features
• Friends/sharing functionality
• Export data to CSV
• Mobile app version

This started as a personal project, but I'm happy to accept contributions! Feel free to:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Submit a pull request

MIT License - feel free to use this for your own nutrition tracking needs!

Built with ❤️ for people who want simple, reliable nutrition tracking without the monthly subscription fees and unreliable AI features.