Activity Overview: In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated the requirements for food labels leaving manufacturers several years to comply. As a result there may be two different food labels on the products around classrooms, lunchrooms, and homes. Both labels have the same information about food, but the format differs slightly.

Activity 1: Looking at Food Labels

Download and print or project the attached presentation of food labels for your class. Look for the measurement of calories, which appears near the top of the label below the information about serving size. Ask students what they notice about the calorie content of the new label. It's much more prominent than on the original label.

If you have completed the related activity Defining a Calorie, students will know that the measurement of calories denotes the energy content of the food. Otherwise, explain to students that the calorie is the measurement of energy most common in our lives because it is the standard measurement for food labels and dietary recommendations. More calories translates to more energy.

Side-by-side Comparison of Food Labels

Activity 2: Comparing Food Labels

There are differences in food labeling requirements between different countries. Print or project the attached document for your students. It is a comparison of the US and UK food labels.

Compare Food Labels

Ask students what they notice as differences between the two labels. Some points they could point out are listed here. Don't stop here! Encourage students to really explore and get familiar with the information contained on the food label.

• All the different nutrition facts are listed in the same size
• The "energy" measurement is labeled as "Energy" on the UK label rather than as "Calories"
• The serving information is below the nutrition facts on the UK label and above on the US label
• The US label includes the vitamin and mineral information for each serving
• Both labels include information about the percentage provided of each nutrition metric based on an average adult diet of 2000 Calories/kcal)

Activity 3: Compare Different Foods

If you've been working as a class up to this point, this is an opportunity to change organization down to a small group or individual level. Consider scheduling this activity before lunch, so you have more readily available foods available to compare. Alternatively, send this out as a lunchroom assignment for students. Ask them to find two different food labels from their lunchbox, canteen, or cafeteria. Students should be able to identify the Calorie content of the food, and then they should compare the two. Which food contains more energy per serving?