Meal Allowance. Can I write off the meal allowance per day I was traveling for business? I only have recipes for the more expensive meals from this trip.

[LindaA]

Yes, you can use the standard meal allowance instead of actual meal expenses for your qualified business meals. The standard meal allowance for 2016 is $51 per day for most small localities in the United States. For high cost areas, such as major cities, a  higher rate may apply. For more information, including record-keeping requirements, please see pages 5-6 and 25-29 of IRS Pub 463, Travel, Entertainment, Gift, and Car Expenses.

Note: The meal deduction is limited to 50% (80% if you are a transportation industry worker).