The "Family Nutritionist" provides several food search methods, each one designed for a specific need. To navigate the search screen, start by choosing a method. The Search menu is designed in a hierarchical structure with several progressively narrowing levels. You can switch between different levels by clicking the violet color indicator buttons on the top row (listed from left to right its progression). To get to the original search screen, click on the hand icon at the top-left corner. Once a desired food is found, click or drag to place on the table.
Alphabetical Search
If know the name of the food you want, you can type it in the violet color input box at the tip-right corner, or use the scroll bar to page down to your selection. To select an item, click on its name at the left-most column to bring it to table, or drag it to a storage space. For food with more than one word, try reversing the word order if you can't find it (for example: for "Chicken soup," type either chicken or soup).
Fast-Food Search
With the popularity of the many Fast-food restaurants around, it is inevitable that an user will eat from these restaurants from time to time. This method provides some of the more popular Fast-food chain's menu.
Nutrition Search
This searching-method if useful if you want to look for a food high or low in one particular nutrient. Select any of the listed nutrients; a green light will indicate selection. Then choose to view 'most amount of' or 'least amount of' and the computer will list food according to the selected order. Use the scroll bar to page down for more food. The food are sorted according to its percentage of the selected nutrient per 100 gram weight. Once a food is found, click on its name at the left-most column to bring to table or drag to a storage space.
Pyramid Search
If you just want to browse for food belonging to a particular type, use the "Food pyramid" method. It lists food under 5 main categories. If you are planning a meal and want a fruit but you are not sure which fruit to get, just go into this screen, click on "Fruit" and you are presented with many different options to choose from. Once a food is found, click on it to bring to table or drag it to a storage space.
Menu Search
You can also search for food according to its recipe type. Listed under this method are some of the more popular main courses, side dishes, soups, beverages and desserts.
Customized Search
When you create a new food with either the "Create new food" feature or the "Group" tool, it is added to the listing in this searching-method. Similar to the alphabetical search, you can type in a key word to look for the desired food. Once found, click on the name at the left-most column to bring to table or drag to a storage space. The food is listed as "Single food" or "Grouped food," which differentiates a new food created from the "Create new food" screen or with the "Group" tool. This is important because "Grouped food" cannot be edited (change its weight or volume).
Nutrition Display
If you want to see the nutritional value of a food before bringing it to the table, use the right-click action on a food, and its property will appear on the Display bar. This area shows the selection's full name, measure, one nutrient (click the down arrow for another nutrient) and calorie/fat breakdown.
Minimizing the screen
Since "Food Search" is a frequently used feature, you can minimize this screen by clicking on the "_" icon on the right side of the blue title bar but still retains your current selection. This will reduce the screen to a small size located at the bottom left corner of the screen. To restore the screen, click on the minimized image.
