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Set up in AI applications

This guide connects the Nutritionist Pro MCP server to desktop AI applications. Use the CLI tools guide instead if you work in Claude Code or the Codex CLI.

Replace your key

This page uses the production server URL https://mcp.nutritionistpro.com. Wherever you see <MCP_API_KEY>, paste your personal MCP key (it starts with npmcp_).

Before you start​

You need:

  • A personal MCP key (<MCP_API_KEY>). See Get your MCP key if you do not have one yet.
  • Node.js 18 or newer installed, which provides the npx command used to bridge to the remote server.

Claude Desktop​

Claude Desktop reads MCP servers from a JSON config file. The Nutritionist Pro server is remote (HTTP), so connect to it through the mcp-remote bridge.

  1. Open Claude Desktop and go to Settings > Developer > Edit Config. This opens (or creates) the config file:

    • macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
    • Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

  2. Add a nutritionist-pro entry under mcpServers:

    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "nutritionist-pro": {
          "command": "npx",
          "args": [
            "-y",
            "mcp-remote@latest",
            "https://mcp.nutritionistpro.com",
            "--header",
            "Authorization:${NP_AUTH}"
          ],
          "env": {
            "NP_AUTH": "Bearer <MCP_API_KEY>"
          }
        }
      }
    }

    The header value is read from the NP_AUTH environment variable defined in the env block. Passing the key this way (rather than inline in args) avoids issues with spaces in the header value.

    If you already have other servers in mcpServers, add nutritionist-pro alongside them rather than replacing the block.

  3. Save the file and fully quit and reopen Claude Desktop.

  4. Confirm the connection: open a new chat, open the tools/connectors menu, and check that nutritionist-pro is listed. Ask the assistant to "use the nutritionist-pro whoami tool" to verify it is authenticated as the right account.

Connectors UI

On plans that support remote MCP connectors, you can instead add the server through Settings > Connectors > Add custom connector and paste https://mcp.nutritionistpro.com. Use this if you prefer not to edit the config file. The config-file method above works on all desktop versions.

Codex (desktop app)​

The Codex desktop app reads MCP servers from its configuration. Add the Nutritionist Pro server the same way, using the mcp-remote bridge.

  1. Open the Codex configuration file at ~/.codex/config.toml (create it if it does not exist).

  2. Add an mcp_servers.nutritionist-pro table:

    [mcp_servers.nutritionist-pro]
    command = "npx"
    args = [
      "-y",
      "mcp-remote@latest",
      "https://mcp.nutritionistpro.com",
      "--header",
      "Authorization:${NP_AUTH}",
    ]

    [mcp_servers.nutritionist-pro.env]
    NP_AUTH = "Bearer <MCP_API_KEY>"

  3. Save the file and restart Codex.

  4. Confirm the server appears in Codex's tool list, then ask it to run the whoami tool to verify authentication.

Troubleshooting​

  • Server does not appear: make sure the app was fully restarted (quit, not just closed), and that the JSON or TOML is valid (no trailing commas in JSON).
  • Authentication errors: double-check <MCP_API_KEY> and that the NP_AUTH value keeps the Bearer scheme prefix (for example Bearer npmcp_...).
  • npx not found: install Node.js 18+ and reopen the app so it picks up the new PATH.