Nutrition Policy Institute

How to complete the 24-hour Food and Drink Recall (ASA24)

On this page, you will find tips and resources to help you complete your 24-hour food and drink recall.

If you have questions or need more help, we encourage you to email the research team at schoolmealsstudy@ucanr.edu.

Table of Contents

  1. Overview
  2. Tips
  3. More Resources
  4. Frequently Asked Questions
  5. Step-by-Step Guide

Overview

This table gives an overview of the 4 main parts of the 24-hour food and drink recall. After you log in to the ASA24 website (https://asa24.nih.gov), you will be guided through each of these 4 parts.

Part 1: Getting StartedPart 2: Reporting Meals & Finding Foods/DrinksPart 3: Adding DetailsPart 4: Reviewing & Wrapping Up

Login.

Please choose a language: English or Español.

Read the instructions and user orientation.

Start by reporting a meal, snack or drink that you ate or drank the day before.

Find and report each food and drink item that this meal, snack or drink contained.

Repeat the steps above for each remaining meal, snack, or drink that you ate or drank the day before.

Add details about each item in the meals/snacks/drinks that you reported by answering questions like, "where did you get this food?" and questions about things like portion size and ingredients. 

If needed, add additional meals/snacks/drinks that you have not yet reported.

Review your responses and make changes as needed.

Frequently Forgotten Foods: If needed, add additional foods that you forgot to report. Select "No" to the question about alcoholic beverages. 

Answer the question that asks: "how usual was the amount you reported?"

Submit the ASA24 recall by clicking "Next." Thank you!

NOTE: If any parts of the online recall feel unclear, the “Step-by-Step" section shows detailed steps for completing the recall. Under “More Resources,” you can also click on the Step-by-Step Video (English or Spanish) and the Quick Start Guide to Completing the Recall (English or Spanish) for additional guidance.

Tips

Read tips about a few spots some students found tricky when completing the 24-hour food and drink recall.

Reporting Water:

To report water that you drank the day before, there are two options:

  • (Option 1) If you drank the water on its own (not as part of a meal or snack), click: Report a Meal. Then, select “Just a drink.” Then, type water into the Search bar.
A blue button with a blue plus sign in it and text that says, “Report a Meal."
Screenshot of a grey drop-down menu with a list of clickable options that say, in order from top to bottom: “Breakfast," “Brunch,” “Lunch,” “Dinner,” “Supper,” “Snack,” “Just a Drink,” “Just a Supplement,” “Infant Feeding.” A blue stripe is highlighting the option that says, “Just a Drink” and there is a white checkmark on the left side of this phrase.
Screenshot of a grey text box on the left side and an orange clickable button on the right side. The grey text box has text in it that says, “water.” The orange clickable button has text in it that says, “Search.”
  • (Option 2) If you drank the water as part of a meal or snack: add the water as part of the meal or snack by typing it into the Search bar during the "Find Foods and Drinks” step.
Screenshot of a grey text box on the left side and an orange clickable button on the right side. The grey text box has text in it that says, “water.” The orange clickable button has text in it that says, “Search.”

Reporting Dessert:

To report a dessert that you ate the day before, there are two options:

  • (Option 1) If you ate the dessert on its own (not as part of a meal), click: Report a Meal. Then, select “Snack.” Then, type the dessert’s name into the Search bar.

A blue button with a blue plus sign in it and text that says, “Report a Meal."
Screenshot of a grey drop-down menu with a list of clickable options that say, in order from top to bottom: “Breakfast," “Brunch,” “Lunch,” “Dinner,” “Supper,” “Snack,” “Just a Drink,” “Just a Supplement,” “Infant Feeding.” The option that says “Snack” is highlighted in blue and has a white checkmark to the left of it.
Screenshot of a grey text box on the left side and an orange clickable button on the right side. The grey text box has text in it that says, “Type a food, drink or supplement.” The orange clickable button has text in it that says, “Search.”
  • (Option 2) If you ate the dessert as part of a meal: include the dessert as part of the meal by typing it into the Search bar during the "Find Foods and Drinks” step.

Frequently Forgotten Foods:

Near the end of the recall, you will be displayed a list of commonly forgotten foods and drinks such as water or dessert, and you will be asked to click on the categories containing a food or drink you may have forgotten to report.

NOTE: We are not collecting information about alcoholic beverages. Please answer “No” to the question that asks about beer, wine, or cocktails.

If you select any of the other foods or drinks and click “Report Foods,” then the online tool will take you back to your list of meals, snacks, and drinks. Then you have two options:

  • (Option 1) To add something to a meal, snack, or drink, click: Add
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a white plus sign in it and text that says “Add”.
  • (Option 2) To add a new meal, snack, or drink that you have not yet reported, click: Report a Meal
A blue button with a blue plus sign in it and text that says, “Report a Meal."

Finding Foods and Drinks:

If you can’t find a match for the thing you ate or drank:

  • Go back to the Search bar to check the spelling, or

  • Try typing a more general/generic item name in the Search bar

Screenshot of a grey text box on the left side and an orange clickable button on the right side. The grey text box has text in it that says, “Type a food, drink or supplement.” The orange clickable button has text in it that says, “Search.”

If you still can’t find a match for the thing you ate or drank:

  • Click “Add a recipe” at the top of the list of results, or
Screenshot of a grey box with blue clickable text in it that says, “Add a recipe >>”
  • Click “I can’t find what I’m looking for” at the bottom of the list of results
Screenshot of a grey box with blue clickable text in it that says, “I can’t find what I am looking for >>”

More Resources

Resources for completing the 24-hour food and drink recall.

Step-by-Step Video:

Guide to Completing the Recall:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Read answers to common questions about completing the 24-hour food and drink recall. Based on ASA24: Reporting Foods, Drinks, and Dietary Supplements.

What is the ASA24?
The ASA24 (Automated Self-Administered 24-Hour Dietary Assessment Tool) is an online food and beverage recall tool. It is used to report everything that you ate and drank the day before. For example, if you’re asked to log in on Tuesday, you will be asked to recall and report on everything you ate and drank on Monday.

Which foods and drinks do I include?
Please report everything that you ate and drank the day before, between 12am to 11:59pm. This includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert foods. This also includes any snacks or drinks (including water).

Do not enter any alcoholic beverages. Also, answer “No” to the question about alcoholic beverages under the “Forgotten Foods” section.

Does every question in the ASA24 require an answer?
Yes. The ASA24 doesn’t let you skip questions or leave questions blank. But do not enter any alcoholic beverages. Also, answer “No” to the question about alcoholic beverages under the “Forgotten Foods” section.

How long does it take to complete the ASA24 recall?
About 15–30 minutes. But, it may take more time or less time than this depending on what you ate or drank the day before.

Once I start the ASA24 recall, can I save my work and finish it later?
Yes. To do this, you may click the “Finish Later” button in the top right corner. But, if you do not finish your recall by 11:59pm that night, then your work will not be saved.

Screenshot of a white box with blue clickable text in it that says, Finish Later.”

NOTE: If you are on the “Find Foods and Drinks” page and do not click “Finish with This Meal” before clicking “Finish Later,” then your information for that meal, snack, or drink will not be saved.

Do I need to complete the entire ASA24 recall to receive the e-gift card?
Yes. In order to receive your thank you gift, the Amazon e-gift card, from the Nutrition Policy Institute (NPI), you must complete the recall in full and submit it.

Step-by-Step

Read this if you want a step-by-step guide for completing each of the four main parts of the 24-hour food and drink recall.

Part 1: Getting Started

  1. Log in to ASA24. Use the username and password that UC NPI texted/emailed to you.
  2. Please choose a language: English or Español
  3. Read the instructions and then click: Next
Screenshot of an orange clickable button with text in it that says, “Next”.
  1. Read the orientation. After each step, click: Next
Screenshot of an orange clickable button with text in it that says, “Next”.

Part 2: Reporting Meals & Finding Foods/Drinks

  1. On the home screen, click: Report a Meal
    Tip: While filling out the recall, if you want to save your progress and then finish later, you may click the “Finish Later” button in the top right corner. But, if you are on the “Find Foods and Drinks” page and do not click “Finish with This Meal” before clicking “Finish Later,” then your progress for that meal, snack, or drink will not save. Also, if you do not finish your recall by 11:59pm that night, your progress will not be saved.
A blue button with a blue plus sign in it and text that says, “Report a Meal."
  1. Select a meal, snack, or drink. For example, select Breakfast from the drop-down menu.
Screenshot of a grey clickable box with text in it that says, “Please select one”.
Screenshot of a grey drop-down menu with a list of clickable options that say, in order from top to bottom: “Breakfast," “Brunch,” “Lunch,” “Dinner,” “Supper,” “Snack,” “Just a Drink,” “Just a Supplement,” “Infant Feeding.”
  1. Add the time when you ate or drank the meal, snack, or drink.
Screenshot of three grey clickable time entry boxes in a row, one for the hour, one for the minutes, and one for AM versus PM. Together, the text in the three boxes reads, “12:00 AM.”
  1. Add the location of where you ate or drank the meal, snack, or drink.
Screenshot of a grey clickable box with text in it that says, “Please select one”.
Screenshot of a grey drop-down menu with a list of clickable options that say, in order from top to bottom: “Home,” “Fast food restaurant,” “Other restaurant,” “School, cafeteria,” “School, not in cafeteria,” “Child care or day care,” “Cafeteria,” “Bar or Tavern,” “Work (not in cafeteria),” “Car,” “Sports or entertainment venue,” “Some place else,” “Don’t know.”
  1. Click: Find Foods and Drinks
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue magnifying glass in it and text that says, “Find Foods and Drinks”.
  1. Type an item from your meal, snack, or drink into the Search bar and click: Search. For example, type “breakfast sandwich” and then click Search.
Screenshot of a grey text box on the left side and an orange clickable button on the right side. The grey text box has text in it that says, “Type a food, drink or supplement.” The orange clickable button has text in it that says, “Search.”
  1. Select the item that is closest to what you ate or drank. There are two options for selecting an item:

Option 1: Scroll through the list of results to find the best match. For example, select “Egg sandwich” if this matches your breakfast sandwich.

Tip: If you can’t find a match, go back to the Search bar. Check the spelling or try typing a more general item name.

: Screenshot of a grey box with a list of phrases in it. The phrases are in blue clickable text. From top to bottom, the phrases are: Add a recipe; Bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich; Bacon and egg sandwich; Breakfast sausage; Breakfast bar; Philly cheese steak sandwich; McDonald’s Sausage McMuffin; BelVita breakfast Biscuit; Turkey sandwich; Chicken sandwich; Ham sandwich; Biscuit and Gravy; Egg sandwich; Tuna sandwich.

Option 2: Filter the results using the checkboxes on the left. For example, if your breakfast sandwich was an egg sandwich, select the category: Eggs. Then, scroll through the list of results to find the best match.

Screenshot of a white box that says, “Meat, Poultry, Fish, Eggs & Nuts.” It then lists phrases with the number of filtered results in parenthesis. From top to bottom, the phrases are: Bacon, Sausage, Frankfurter (18); Eggs (6); Beef, Lamb, Veal, Game (35); Chicken, Turkey, Poultry (19); Pork, Ham (9); Fish, seafood (10); Nut, seed (5); Lunchmeat (14); Vegetarian meat (11). To the left of each phrase is a white checkbox with a grey border. The “Eggs (6).” checkbox is selected.

If you can’t find the item you’re looking for, there are two options:

Option 1: Click “Add a recipe” at the top of the list of results. Then, enter a recipe name. You will be able to add the ingredients later.

Screenshot of a grey box with blue clickable text in it that says, “Add a recipe >>”

Option 2: Click “I can’t find what I am looking for” at the bottom of the list of results. Then, either click “Search again” (to go back to the Search bar and search for the item again) or click “Add” (to add the item). If you click “Add,” you will be able to add details about the item later.

Screenshot of a grey box with blue clickable text in it that says, “I can’t find what I am looking for >>”
  1. Repeat Steps 10 and 11 for any other items that were part of your meal, snack, or drink.
     
  2. As you add items, they will appear in a box on your screen.
Screenshot of a grey box with text in it that says “Egg sandwich” and then on the next line says “Apple.” To the right of each of these lines of text is a blue clickable star followed by a blue clickable trash can icon.
  1. When you have finished adding all of the items from your meal, snack, or drink, click: Finish with This Meal.
    NOTE: If you do not click “Finish with This Meal,” then your progress for that meal, snack, or drink will not be saved.
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue checkmark in it and text that says, “Finish with This Meal”.
  1. Next, click: Report a meal. Repeat Steps 6–14 for each of your other meals, snacks, and drinks.
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue plus sign in it and text that says, “Report a Meal”.
  1. When you have no more meals, snacks, or drinks to report, click: Next
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue arrow in it and text that says, “Next”.
  1. Review gaps. Click: OK
Screenshot of a white box with a yellow border and text in it that says, “Review gaps. Before adding details, make sure that you have included ALL your meals and snacks. Gaps between the meals and snacks you already listed are in pink.” The bottom right corner of the box contains a brown clickable button with text in it that says, “OK.”
  1. If you need to add more meals, snacks, or drinks, click: Report a meal
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue plus sign in it and text that says, “Report a Meal”.
  1. Once you have added all of the meals, snacks, and drinks you ate or drank the day before, click: Add Details. This will take you to a group of detailed questions about each meal, snack, or drink item you reported.
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue arrow in it and text that says, “Add Details”.

Part 3: Adding Details

  1. Add details for each meal, snack, and drink item that you reported. For example: Where did you get this food? The questions may depend on the items that you ate or drank. Questions may ask about things like portion size of the item and additional ingredients that you added to the item.
Screenshot of a grey clickable box with text in it that says, “Select an option”.
  1. After adding each detail, click: Next
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue arrow in it and text that says, “Next”.
  1. Done with details. A pop-up box will ask, “Do you want to add any other foods, drinks, or supplements?” If you think of any other foods or drinks you ate or drank the day before that you haven’t yet entered, click “Yes” to enter them. Otherwise, click “No.”
Screenshot of a white box with a yellow border (on the left, right, and bottom of the box). The bottom right corner of the box contains two brown clickable buttons, one with text in it that says “Yes” and another with text in it that says “No.”

Part 4: Reviewing & Wrapping Up

  1. Once you have finished adding details, you will see the Review page. On the Review page, click “Show food details” in the top right to see your responses and check that they are correct.
Screenshot of a white box with orange clickable text in it that says “Show food details >>”.
  1. If you need to make changes to your response(s), click: Make Changes
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue pen in it and text that says, “Make Changes”.
  1. When everything looks correct and you’re ready to continue, click: Next
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue arrow in it and text that says, “Next”.
  1. Frequently Forgotten Foods: Select “Yes” if you forgot to report any of the foods/drinks in the list. Please answer “No” to the question that asks about beer, wine, or cocktails.
     
  2. Click: Next
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue arrow in it and text that says, “Next”.
  1. If a pop-up box appears, read what it says. If you have forgotten to report foods from any of the categories in the pop-up box, then click: Report Foods. If you did not forget any foods, then click: No Forgotten Foods.
Screenshot of a white box with a yellow border and text in it that says, “Forgot something. You said that you forgot to report the following frequently forgotten foods and drinks: Water, including tap, faucet, bottled, water fountain?” The bottom right corner of the box contains two brown clickable buttons, one with text in it that says “Report Foods” and another with text in it that says “No Forgotten Foods”.
  1. To add an item to an existing meal, snack, or drink, click: Add
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a white plus sign in it and text that says “Add”.
  1. To add a new meal, snack, or drink that you have not yet reported, click: Report a Meal
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue plus sign in it and text that says, “Report a Meal".
  1. Then, click: Review
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue arrow in it and text that says, “Review”.
  1. On the Review page, when everything looks correct and you’re ready to continue, click: Next
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue arrow in it and text that says, “Next”.
  1. A pop-up box will appear that says, “Last chance: Did you have anything else to eat or drink [the day before]?”
    NOTE: Once you click “No,” you will not be able to make any changes.
Screenshot of a white box with a yellow border (on the left, right, and bottom of the box). The bottom right corner of the box contains two brown clickable buttons, one with text in it that says “Yes” and another with text in it that says “No.”
  1. A final question will appear that asks: “How usual was the amount you reported?”
Screenshot of a white box with three lines of text in it that say, in order from top to bottom, “Much more than usual, Usual, Much less than usual.” To the left of each line of text is a white clickable circle with a grey border.
  1. To submit your recall, click: Next. Thank you!
Screenshot of a blue clickable button with a blue arrow in it and text that says, “Next”.

Thank you for submitting your 24-hour food and drink recall! The research team at UC NPI will reach out to you if they need anything else from you. Otherwise, you will receive your e-gift card within the next few weeks. If you have any questions you can reach the team at schoolmealsstudy@ucanr.edu. 

Based on ASA24: Reporting Foods, Drinks, and Dietary Supplements. The pictures above are screenshots taken in January-February 2026 of sections in the ASA24 online tool. The National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, MD developed the tool.

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