Laravel-eloquent: Call to undefined method Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Collection::where() - php

Question

I have two models in many-to-one relationship:
class Meal extends \Eloquent {
/**
* public Integer $id; - primary key
* public String $name;
*/
protected $fillable = array('id','name');
public function mealProperties()
{
return $this->hasMany('MealProperty');
}
}
class MealProperty extends \Eloquent {
/**
* public Integer $id; - primary key
* public Integer $meal_id;
*/
protected $fillable = array('id','meal_id');
public function meal()
{
return $this->belongsTo('Meal', 'meal_id');
}
}
if I ask for first meal first mealProperty everything go fine:
$mealProp = Meal::first()->mealProperties->first();
but if I ask for mealProperty with specific id of first meal this way:
$mealProp = Meal::first()->mealProperties->where('id','=','1')->first();
I get this error:
Call to undefined method Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Collection::where()
I google what I'm doing wrong two hours, but still nothing.
If I can't use where method, what is possible way to get specific mealProperty?
Thank you for help!

Answer 1

UPDATE for Laravel 5:
Since v5 release there is a method where on the Support\Collection object, so this question/answer becomes irrelevant. The method works exactly like filter, ie. returns filtered collection straight away:
$mealProp = Meal::first()->mealProperties->where('id','=','1'); // filtered collection
// that said, this piece of code is perfectly valid in L5:
$mealProp = Meal::first()->mealProperties->where('id','=','1')->first();
You must distinguish Laravel behaviour:
(dynamic property) Eloquent Collection or Model
$meal->mealProperties
Relation Object
$meal->mealProperties()
Now:
// mealProperties is Eloquent Collection and you call first on the Collection here
// so basically it does not affect db query
$mealProp = Meal::first()->mealProperties->first();
// here you try to add WHERE clause while the db query is already called
$mealProp = Meal::first()->mealProperties->where('id','=','1')->first();
// So this is what you want to do:
$mealProp = Meal::first()->mealProperties()->where('id','=','1')->first();

Answer 2

You may try this:
$mealProop1 = Meal::first()->mealProperties->find(1); // id = 1
Or something like this:
$mealProops = Meal::first()->mealProperties;
$mealProop5 = $mealProops->find(5); // id = 5
$mealProop7 = $mealProops->find(7); // id = 7
Instead of this:
$mealProp = Meal::first()->mealProperties->where('id','=','1')->first();
Also, following should work:
$mealProp = Meal::first()->mealProperties->first();