FURTHER RESOURCES / TOOLS
Making food swaps when you're not the one cooking.
Whether you're working away, eating at a mess hall or choosing from a buffet, you won't always have access to the exact foods listed in your meal plan. The Buffet & Mess Hall Macro Swap Calculator helps you find suitable alternatives from the foods available, while keeping your overall calories relatively consistent.
You can swap between like-for-like proteins, carbohydrates and fats, compare the nutritional differences and work out how much of each alternative you can have.
The calculator accounts for both raw and cooked meal plan weights, while all replacement foods are measured cooked or ready to eat.
Same calories. Not always the same macros.
The calculator matches the total calories of your original food, but that doesn't necessarily mean you're getting the same amount of protein, carbohydrates or fats. For example, swapping chicken breast for beef sausages might keep your calories consistent, but leave you with significantly less protein and considerably more fat.That doesn't mean you can't make the swap. It means you need to understand what you're trading.
Look beyond the calories. Compare the protein, carbohydrates and fats, consider your overall intake for the day and choose the closest suitable option from what's actually available. Sometimes you'll find a really close match. Other times, you'll need to make the best decision with the options in front of you. That's exactly what this calculator is here to help you do.
MACRO SWAP CALCULATOR
Eating out? Swap foods from your meal plan for cooked and prepared alternatives while keeping your calories consistent.
STEP 1 · YOUR MEAL PLAN
Select raw if your meal plan specifies uncooked weights. Dry rice, pasta and oats are included here.
Tap Done to close your keyboard.
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STEP 2 · YOUR COOKED ALTERNATIVE
All alternatives use cooked or ready-to-eat serving weights, including foods at buffets, restaurants and cafés.
YOUR CALORIE-MATCHED SWAP
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Close match (0–3 g)
Moderate (>3–7 g)
Significant (>7 g)
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Your original food is calculated using its selected raw or cooked nutritional values. The replacement is calculated using cooked or ready-to-eat values. Swaps match estimated calories, not necessarily identical protein, carbohydrate and fat totals. Macro changes are shown relative to your original serving. Colours indicate the size of the difference, not whether a food is good or bad. Nutritional values are approximate and prepared dishes may vary with oils, sauces and recipes. Meat and poultry weights refer to edible portions, excluding bones. Use product labels where available.