Learner Outcomes
After completion of the lesson, students will be able to:
- compare the ingredient lists on two similar foods explain what open dates mean on food labels
- discuss why food handling information may appear on the label
- identify other information found on food labels
Materials
- package for a frozen pizza or entree
- "What's New About the New Food Label?" poster
- food packages, some with open dating and some with handling instructions. For specific types of labels, see step 3 in "Learning Strategies."
- chalkboard, chalk
- "Create a Snack Label!" activity sheet (page 35), one copy per student
Pizza, burritos, soup, vegetables, fruits, cheese, meat, chicken, crackers, bagels, snacks ... no matter what the food package, there's even more to read on the label!
Label Facts
Ingredient Lists: The Inside Scoop
What's inside the package? Check the label! It tells the form of the food, such as sliced, whole or chunk, and the quantity by weight or volume or count. The ingredient list reveals more. It tells exactly what ingredients the food contains.
Any food with more than one ingredient must carry an ingredient list. Even foods such as mayonnaise and bread, which were once exempt, must show their ingredients under the new labeling laws.
Like the old label, ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight. So the first ingredient is the one present in the greatest amount. Listing them in this order suggests the proportion of each ingredient in the food. For example, the order of ingredients on a can of macaroni and cheese shows that water and then enriched macaroni are the main ingredients, followed by cheddar cheese and then spices.
The source of some ingredients must be stated by name. That makes the label easier to understand and use. The ingredient list can be especially helpful to people with special food needs due to religious or health reasons, such as allergies or food sensitivities.
For example: The ingredient list for macaroni and cheese says that macaroni is made from flour. If you're sensitive to wheat products, you need to know it's made from wheat flour.
In juice drinks, the total percentage of juice must be declared. In that way, you can see how much juice—and how much water—the drink contains. And you can compare a juice drink with 100% juice.
The Dating Scene
Is the food you buy fresh enough to eat? Check the product date on the label. If manufacturers use "open dating," you have an idea of just how fresh a product is.
In open dating, dates are stated alphanumerically (such as "Oct. 15") or numerically (such as "10-15" or "1015"). What might an open date tell you?
- Pull, or "sell by," date. This is the last day that the manufacturer recommends sale of the product.
Usually the date allows for additional storage and use time at home. If the food sells on the pull date, it still can be eaten later.
- Freshness, or quality assurance, date. This date suggests how long the manufacturer thinks the food will remain at peak quality. The label might read, "Best if used by October, 1994." However, the product still may be used later.
A freshness date has a different meaning than the word "fresh" printed on the label. The term "fresh" often suggests that a food is raw or unprocessed.
- Pack date. This is the date when the food was packaged or processed.
- Expiration date. This is the last day the product should be eaten. It might read, "Do not use after October, 1994." State governments regulate these dates for perishable foods, such as milk and eggs. FDA regulates only the expiration dates on infant formula.
Product codes with code dating carry a large amount of information in just a few small letters, numbers and symbols. The code tells when and where a product was packaged. If the product must be recalled, the code helps manufacturers quickly identify, track and remove it from stores. FDA encourages product codes on packaging, especially for foods with a long shelf life.
Food: Handle with Care
Some labels carry instructions for handling and cooking. Following these instructions helps keep foods safe to eat and retains the overall taste, texture and appearance of food. You might find these food safety guidelines on some labels:
- Keep perishable foods refrigerated or frozen.
- Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator or microwave oven.
- Keep raw meat, poultry and seafood separate from other foods.
- Wash working surfaces, including cutting boards, utensils and hands, after touching raw meat, poultry and seafood.
- Cook meat, poultry and seafood thoroughly.
- Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.
- Refrigerate leftovers immediately or discard.
More Label "Info"...
There's still more! A label carries even more information for consumers like you.
- product name
- quantity
- total percent juice content for juice products
- name and address of the manufacturer or packer of the food
- grading and inspection symbols for some products
- country of origin, if imported
Learning Strategies
- Hold up a package for a frozen pizza or entree. Introduce the lesson with a discussion: Nutrition Facts and nutrient content claims tell about calories and nutrients in this packaged food. But what ingredients is this food made of? How do you know? Point out: The picture on the package gives some idea, but the ingredient list is more specific. It's like a recipe for a food.
Point out: Nutrition Facts are based on the ingredients in food.
- Refer to the ingredient list for macaroni and cheese on the poster. Ask: Looking at this large label, what ingredients are in this package? Explain: Ingredients are listed in order by weight, with the most listed first. Ask: What are the main ingredients in this macaroni and cheese? How do you know?
Explain: Ingredients in parentheses tell what some major ingredients are made of. Discuss the reasons for ingredient lists, such as food sensitivities, religious reasons, and so on. (Note: People may be sensitive to milk, eggs or wheat; for religious reasons, some people avoid pork and/or shellfish; people with high blood pressure may look for foods without salt or sodium added.)
Have students name the ingredients in the frozen pizza or entree.
- Using food packages, have students work in small groups with ingredient lists, then the Nutrition Facts, to:
- learn about new or unfamiliar foods, such as tofu, flavored pasta, and egg substitutes
- identify ingredients in mixed or combination foods, such as frozen lasagna, canned soup, and frozen stir-fry vegetables
- identify ingredients and seasonings in condiments and sauces, such as taco sauce, ketchup, pasta sauce, and Italian seasoning
- compare similar foods, such as turkey and pork hot dogs; frozen beef burritos and bean burritos; orange juice and orange drink; various breakfast cereals; milk and soy milk; ice cream and frozen yogurt; white and mixed-grain bread
- compare traditional and modified foods, such as regular and unsalted peanut butter; regular and fat-free salad dressing; and regular and fat-free cookies
(Some of these comparisons may be assigned as homework for students to investigate at the supermarket.)
- Still in working groups, have students brainstorm safe food handling messages that could appear on labels. Imagine that they are a committee assigned to identify these messages. Have them present their ideas to the class, explaining their reasons.
Write a master list of their tips on the board. Discuss: Improper food storage and handling may cause food to spoil, resulting in food waste and possibly food-borne illness if the food is eaten. That's why many food labels have instructions for handling and storing.
Have students check the food labels to see what they say about food handling. Add these guidelines to the list on the board. Ask: What food labels might have food handling tips? What type of open dating do you find on each type of food?
- Again among the labels, have students look for dates. Define the types of open dates they find. These dates are voluntary. Ask: How can dates on labels help you as a consumer?
- From among all these labels, have students find and discuss other label information, such as quantity, manufacturer's and packer's address, and grading and inspection symbols. Explain that juice products carry a statement indicating the percentage that is juice; this information can be used along with the ingredient list.
- Create labels. Distribute the activity sheet, "Create a Snack Label." To apply what they've reamed, have students design a label for a fictitious snack that has teen appeal. Have them share their labels with the class.
The package also should include other information: product name, total volume or weight, open date, handling information, manufacturer's address.
To Learn More...
- More on the Label. Have students add nutrition information to the snack labels they created with the activity sheet. They can calculate the Nutrition Facts for a single serving from their ingredient list. Refer students to a food composition table for a nutrient analysis of ingredients and to the Daily Values on page 14 so they can calculate the %Daily Values for the required nutrients. The "Label Dictionary" on page 24 should help them write appropriate nutrient content and health claims.
Students might create their own packaging and art to extend the lesson further.
CREATE A Snack Label!
It's new! It fits in a healthful diet! It's a great food for teenagers! And it needs a label! What is it? A delicious snack—easy to eat and easy to prepare.
Here's part of your snack label—without any information, of course. You come up with the food, its ingredients, and the label information. Then write it on the label
- Decide what the snack food is. Put the name on the label.
- Write out the ingredients—in the right order!
- Remember the "dating scene." Put the open date on the package so the shopper knows what it means. Use the type of date that best matches your snack.
- How do you store and handle it? Include safe food handling information ... just a brief statement.
- What other information do you need? That's up to you. You're the expert!
