diff --git a/lib/widgets/nutrition/forms.dart b/lib/widgets/nutrition/forms.dart
index 7ba3443e..247d8abc 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/nutrition/forms.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/nutrition/forms.dart
@@ -181,6 +181,27 @@ class IngredientFormState extends State<IngredientForm> {
 
   MealItem get mealItem => _mealItem;
 
+// note: make sure to set _mealItem.ingredient (before/after calling this)
+  void selectIngredient(int id, String name, num? amount) {
+    setState(() {
+      _mealItem.ingredientId = id;
+      _ingredientController.text = name;
+      _ingredientIdController.text = id.toString();
+      if (amount != null) {
+        _amountController.text = amount.toStringAsFixed(0);
+        _mealItem.amount = amount;
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+// note: does not reset text search and amount inputs
+  void unSelectIngredient() {
+    setState(() {
+      _mealItem.ingredientId = 0;
+      _ingredientIdController.text = '';
+    });
+  }
+
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
     final String unit = AppLocalizations.of(context).g;
@@ -196,6 +217,8 @@ class IngredientFormState extends State<IngredientForm> {
               _ingredientController,
               barcode: widget.barcode,
               test: widget.test,
+              selectIngredient: selectIngredient,
+              unSelectIngredient: unSelectIngredient,
             ),
             Row(
               children: [
@@ -286,7 +309,7 @@ class IngredientFormState extends State<IngredientForm> {
                   ),
               ],
             ),
-            if (ingredientIdController.text.isNotEmpty)
+            if (ingredientIdController.text.isNotEmpty && _amountController.text.isNotEmpty)
               Padding(
                 padding: const EdgeInsets.all(8.0),
                 child: Column(
@@ -363,14 +386,9 @@ class IngredientFormState extends State<IngredientForm> {
                   return Card(
                     child: ListTile(
                       onTap: () {
-                        setState(() {
-                          _ingredientController.text = widget.recent[index].ingredient.name;
-                          _ingredientIdController.text =
-                              widget.recent[index].ingredient.id.toString();
-                          _amountController.text = widget.recent[index].amount.toStringAsFixed(0);
-                          _mealItem.ingredientId = widget.recent[index].ingredientId;
-                          _mealItem.amount = widget.recent[index].amount;
-                        });
+                        final ingredient = widget.recent[index].ingredient;
+                        selectIngredient(
+                            ingredient.id, ingredient.name, widget.recent[index].amount);
                       },
                       title: Text(
                           '${widget.recent[index].ingredient.name} (${widget.recent[index].amount.toStringAsFixed(0)}$unit)'),
diff --git a/lib/widgets/nutrition/widgets.dart b/lib/widgets/nutrition/widgets.dart
index 074d5713..4b2f9d12 100644
--- a/lib/widgets/nutrition/widgets.dart
+++ b/lib/widgets/nutrition/widgets.dart
@@ -63,12 +63,17 @@ class IngredientTypeahead extends StatefulWidget {
   final bool? test;
   final bool showScanner;
 
+  final Function(int id, String name, num? amount) selectIngredient;
+  final Function() unSelectIngredient;
+
   const IngredientTypeahead(
     this._ingredientIdController,
     this._ingredientController, {
     this.showScanner = true,
     this.test = false,
     this.barcode = '',
+    required this.selectIngredient,
+    required this.unSelectIngredient,
   });
 
   @override
@@ -120,9 +125,8 @@ class _IngredientTypeaheadState extends State<IngredientTypeahead> {
                 return null;
               },
               onChanged: (value) {
-                // if user changes the pattern, it means they want to drop the
-                // currently loaded ingredient (if any) and start a new search
-                widget._ingredientIdController.text = '';
+                // unselect to start a new search
+                widget.unSelectIngredient();
               },
               decoration: InputDecoration(
                 prefixIcon: const Icon(Icons.search),
@@ -158,10 +162,7 @@ class _IngredientTypeaheadState extends State<IngredientTypeahead> {
             child: child,
           ),
           onSelected: (suggestion) {
-            //SuggestionsController.of(context).;
-
-            widget._ingredientIdController.text = suggestion.data.id.toString();
-            widget._ingredientController.text = suggestion.value;
+            widget.selectIngredient(suggestion.data.id, suggestion.value, null);
           },
         ),
         if (Localizations.localeOf(context).languageCode != LANGUAGE_SHORT_ENGLISH)
@@ -221,8 +222,7 @@ class _IngredientTypeaheadState extends State<IngredientTypeahead> {
                       key: const Key('found-dialog-confirm-button'),
                       child: Text(MaterialLocalizations.of(context).continueButtonLabel),
                       onPressed: () {
-                        widget._ingredientController.text = result.name;
-                        widget._ingredientIdController.text = result.id.toString();
+                        widget.selectIngredient(result.id, result.name, null);
                         Navigator.of(ctx).pop();
                       },
                     ),