diff --git a/frontend-spec.md b/frontend-spec.md
index 91aaa40..ce641f1 100644
--- a/frontend-spec.md
+++ b/frontend-spec.md
@@ -303,3 +303,11 @@ Google OAuth is planned next.
   - Remove now-unused legacy stubs from SDK/composable in a cleanup pass (non-functional, safe to delete).
 - Remove the legacy username login shim (`login(username: string)`) and any fallback UI; standardize on email/password (and Google) only.
 - Rollout flag: default `VUE_APP_MULTITENANT_ENABLED` to true across environments and plan removal of legacy flat routes and related tests once stable.
+
+---
+
+## Ingredients & Sides UX (Updated Nov 2, 2025)
+
+- Controlled inputs: The parent meal edit page owns the latest extra ingredient line text immediately as the user types. Preview parsing still occurs on blur/Enter.
+- Partial parse on Save: Only lines edited since the last parse are sent to `GET /ingredients/parse?lines=...`. Existing parsed lines are not re-parsed. Empty rows are dropped and a final guard filters zero-quantity items.
+- Outcome: You can click Save mid-typing without losing changes or hitting validation errors, and we avoid unnecessary parsing work.
diff --git a/src/components/ingredients/EditableIngredientsPanel.vue b/src/components/ingredients/EditableIngredientsPanel.vue
index 1af3050..31aeaa5 100644
--- a/src/components/ingredients/EditableIngredientsPanel.vue
+++ b/src/components/ingredients/EditableIngredientsPanel.vue
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
           <p class="ingredient-line">
             <ingredient-line
               :ingredient="ingredient"
+              @update-line="(ing, line) => emit('on-update-line', ing, line)"
               @update-ingredient="updateIngredient"
               @update-product-link="updateProduct"
             />
@@ -73,11 +74,13 @@ const emit = defineEmits<{
   (e: 'on-add'): void
   (e: 'on-delete', ingredient: Ingredient): void
   (e: 'on-update-ingredient', ingredient: Ingredient, newIngredient: Ingredient): void
+  (e: 'on-update-line', ingredient: Ingredient, newLine: string): void
   (e: 'on-editing', isEditing: boolean): void
 }>()
 
 const editing = ref(props.editOnly ?? false)
 
+
 async function updateProduct(): Promise<void> {
   // parseProduct is not available in v2 API; ignore for now
 }
@@ -92,6 +95,7 @@ function toggleEditing() {
   editing.value = !editing.value
   emit('on-editing', editing.value)
 }
+
 </script>
 
 <style scoped>
diff --git a/src/components/ingredients/IngredientLine.vue b/src/components/ingredients/IngredientLine.vue
index 4cc6bed..84291e4 100644
--- a/src/components/ingredients/IngredientLine.vue
+++ b/src/components/ingredients/IngredientLine.vue
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
       <input
         v-model="ingredientText"
         placeholder="Enter an ingredient"
+        @input="onInput"
         @keyup.enter="updateIngredient"
         @blur="updateIngredient"
       >
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ import type { Ingredient } from '@/domain/types'
 
 const props = defineProps<{ ingredient: Ingredient }>()
 const emit = defineEmits<{
+  (e: 'update-line', ingredient: Ingredient, newLine: string): void
   (e: 'update-ingredient', ingredient: Ingredient, newLine: string): void
   (e: 'update-product-link', ingredient: Ingredient, link: string): void
 }>()
@@ -57,6 +59,20 @@ function updateProductLink() {
     emit('update-product-link', props.ingredient, productLink.value)
   }
 }
+
+// Emit raw line changes so parent stays in sync even before parse
+function isHtmlInput(el: EventTarget | null): el is HTMLInputElement {
+  return typeof HTMLElement !== 'undefined' && el instanceof HTMLInputElement
+}
+
+function onInput(e: Event) {
+  let val = ingredientText.value
+  const t = e.target
+  if (isHtmlInput(t)) {
+    val = t.value
+  }
+  if (val !== props.ingredient.line) emit('update-line', props.ingredient, val)
+}
 </script>
 
 <style scoped>
diff --git a/src/components/meals/EditMealPage.vue b/src/components/meals/EditMealPage.vue
index c1135d9..44318fe 100644
--- a/src/components/meals/EditMealPage.vue
+++ b/src/components/meals/EditMealPage.vue
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@
         @on-add="addIngredient"
         @on-delete="deleteIngredient"
         @on-update-ingredient="updateIngredient"
+        @on-update-line="updateIngredientLine"
         @on-editing="onEditAdditionalIngredients"
       />
     </div>
@@ -152,8 +153,13 @@ const route = useRoute()
 const router = useRouter()
 const { show: showAlert } = useAlert()
 
+// No child refs; parent maintains source of truth for lines
+
 type PeopleKey = 'chefs' | 'consumers' | 'cleanup'
 
+// Track which ingredient objects have unparsed edits so we only parse what changed
+const dirtyLines = new Map<Ingredient, string>()
+
 const meal = reactive<Meal>({
     id: -1,
     suggestedDate: new Date(),
@@ -207,6 +213,23 @@ function deleteIngredient(ingredient: Ingredient) {
 
 function updateIngredient(ingredient: Ingredient, newIngredient: Ingredient) {
     meal.extraIngredients = meal.extraIngredients.map((i) => (i === ingredient ? newIngredient : i))
+    // Clear dirty status for this row (was parsed and replaced)
+    if (dirtyLines.has(ingredient)) dirtyLines.delete(ingredient)
+}
+
+function updateIngredientLine(ingredient: Ingredient, newLine: string) {
+  // Update the raw line immediately so Save has the latest text
+  const idx = meal.extraIngredients.indexOf(ingredient)
+  if (idx >= 0) {
+    // mutate in place to preserve object identity (used as dirtyLines key)
+    const target = meal.extraIngredients[idx]
+    if (target) target.line = newLine
+  } else {
+    // fallback (shouldn't generally happen)
+    meal.extraIngredients = meal.extraIngredients.map((i) => (i === ingredient ? { ...i, line: newLine } : i))
+  }
+  // Mark as dirty to parse later (on save) if needed
+  dirtyLines.set(ingredient, newLine)
 }
 
 function removePerson(list: PeopleKey, person: MemberRef) {
@@ -256,27 +279,70 @@ function scaleIngredients(mealRecipe: MealRecipe) {
 }
 
 async function onSaveMeal() {
-  // Finalize any pending ingredient edits: drop blanks and zero-quantity placeholders
-  // This helps when a user clicks Save without blurring the input field first.
-  meal.extraIngredients = meal.extraIngredients.filter((i: Ingredient) => {
-    const hasLine = typeof i.line === 'string' && i.line.trim().length > 0
-    const qtyOk = typeof i.quantity === 'number' ? i.quantity > 0 : true
-    return hasLine && qtyOk
-  })
+  try {
+    // Blur any focused input so its change handlers run
+    if (typeof document !== 'undefined' && document.activeElement instanceof HTMLElement) {
+      document.activeElement.blur()
+    }
 
-  const saved = await saveMeal(toMealInput(meal))
+    // 1) Drop any empty-line rows and clear their dirty flags
+    const nonEmpty: Ingredient[] = []
+    for (const ing of meal.extraIngredients) {
+      const line = typeof ing.line === 'string' ? ing.line.trim() : ''
+      if (line.length === 0) {
+        // also clear dirty if present
+        if (dirtyLines.has(ing)) dirtyLines.delete(ing)
+        continue
+      }
+      nonEmpty.push(ing)
+    }
+    meal.extraIngredients = nonEmpty
+
+    // 2) Build list of only the dirty lines that still exist in the array
+    const dirtyEntries: Array<{ ing: Ingredient; line: string }> = []
+    for (const [ing, line] of dirtyLines.entries()) {
+      // only consider ingredients still present
+      if (meal.extraIngredients.includes(ing)) {
+        const t = typeof line === 'string' ? line.trim() : ''
+        if (t.length > 0) dirtyEntries.push({ ing, line: t })
+      }
+    }
+
+    // 3) Parse only dirty lines
+    if (dirtyEntries.length > 0) {
+      const lines = dirtyEntries.map((e) => e.line)
+      const parsed = await (await import('@/api/sdk')).parseIngredients(lines)
+      // Replace corresponding rows by identity
+      parsed.forEach((p, idx) => {
+        const target = dirtyEntries[idx]?.ing
+        if (!target) return
+        const i = meal.extraIngredients.indexOf(target)
+        if (i >= 0) meal.extraIngredients.splice(i, 1, p)
+        // Clear dirty marker for this ingredient object
+        dirtyLines.delete(target)
+      })
+    }
+
+    // Final safety: drop any zero-quantity items (should be rare post-parse)
+    meal.extraIngredients = meal.extraIngredients.filter((i: Ingredient) => (typeof i.quantity === 'number' ? i.quantity > 0 : true))
+
+    const saved = await saveMeal(toMealInput(meal))
     if (saved && saved.id >= 0) {
-        Object.assign(meal, saved)
-  router.push(toMealEdit(saved.id))
-        showAlert({ heading: 'Meal saved', message: 'Meal saved successfully', type: 'success' })
-        return
+      Object.assign(meal, saved)
+      router.push(toMealEdit(saved.id))
+      showAlert({ heading: 'Meal saved', message: 'Meal saved successfully', type: 'success' })
+      return
     }
 
     showAlert({
-        heading: 'Error saving meal',
-        message: 'An error occurred while saving the meal',
-        type: 'error',
+      heading: 'Error saving meal',
+      message: 'An unknown error occurred while saving the meal',
+      type: 'error',
     })
+  } catch (err) {
+    const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : 'Failed to save meal'
+    showAlert({ heading: 'Error saving meal', message, type: 'error' })
+  }
 }
 </script>