Custom Meal Type Names: Personalize Every Meal Plan for Your Clients

Foodzilla lets you rename meal types in meal plans and templates so every client sees language that fits their routine. Default labels like Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Snack do not work for everyone. With custom meal type names, you can replace them with terms your clients actually use - whether that is "Pre-Workout", "Morning Fuel", "Merienda", or anything else. The renamed labels appear everywhere: in the meal plan builder, in the client's mobile app, and in exported plans.

Why Custom Meal Type Names Matter

Standard meal labels assume a conventional three-meals-and-a-snack pattern. But many clients follow entirely different eating schedules. Intermittent fasting clients may only eat two meals a day. Athletes need dedicated pre- and post-workout nutrition windows. Clients from different cultural backgrounds use meal names that have no direct English equivalent.

When a meal plan uses generic names that do not match a client's reality, it creates friction. Clients may feel the plan was not built for them, or they may struggle to map "Snack 2" to their actual eating occasion. Custom meal type names solve this by letting you speak your client's language - literally.

Personalized meal type labels increase client engagement and adherence. When a plan reads "Post-Workout Recovery" instead of "Snack", the client immediately understands the purpose and timing of that meal. This small change has a meaningful impact on how clients perceive and follow their nutrition plans.

 

How Custom Meal Type Names Work

Renaming meal types in Foodzilla is straightforward. Here is how the process works:

1. 1. Open a Meal Plan or Template: Navigate to any meal plan or reusable template in the Foodzilla meal plan builder.

2. 2. Edit Meal Type Labels: Click on any meal type name (such as Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, or Snack) and type a new name. You can rename any or all of the meal slots.

3. 3. Save and Share: Once renamed, the custom labels are saved to that plan or template. When you assign the plan to a client, they see your custom names in their mobile app immediately.

4. 4. Reuse Across Clients: Save your customized naming in a reusable meal plan template so you can apply the same naming convention to multiple clients without re-entering it each time.

There are no restrictions on what you can name a meal type. Use plain text, include numbers, or reference specific timing - whatever helps your client understand their plan.

 

Use Cases and Examples

Custom meal type names are useful across a wide range of client scenarios. The table below shows common situations where renaming meal types improves the client experience:

 

Benefits of Custom Meal Type Names

Renaming meal types is a small change that delivers meaningful results across your practice:

1. 1. Higher Client Adherence: Clients follow plans more consistently when the language matches their daily routine. A meal labeled "Post-Workout Recovery" has clear purpose and timing, while "Snack 2" does not.

2. 2. Professional Personalization: Custom names show clients that their plan was built specifically for them, not copied from a generic template. This builds trust and strengthens the coach-client relationship.

3. 3. Support for Diverse Dietary Approaches: Whether you work with intermittent fasting, time-restricted eating, grazing protocols, or culturally specific meal patterns, custom names let you represent any approach accurately.

4. 4. Reduced Client Confusion: Clients no longer need to mentally translate "Dinner" to "my post-workout meal at 3pm." The plan says exactly what it means, reducing questions and back-and-forth communication.

5. 5. Streamlined Template Workflow: Save your custom naming in reusable templates and apply them to new clients instantly. Build a "Shift Worker" template once and reuse it across your entire roster of night-shift clients.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Get Started with Custom Meal Type Names

Custom meal type names are available on Foodzilla Pro plans. Start your free trial to see how personalized meal labeling transforms the client experience:

1. 1. Sign up for free - No credit card required.

2. 2. Create a meal plan - Add recipes and build out your client's weekly plan.

3. 3. Rename meal types - Click any meal type label and enter a custom name that fits your client's routine.

4. 4. Share with your client - Your client sees the personalized names instantly in the Foodzilla mobile app.

Related Features: Learn more about Flexible Meal Planning, Reusable Meal Plan Templates, and Visual Planning to see how Foodzilla helps you build personalized meal plans faster.