Consumerism - Food Labeling

Summary

Identifying the nutrition label required on food packages to help make food choices that meet the Dietary Guidelines and promote good health.

Materials

Handouts:

• Nutrition Labeling Pre-Test
• Video Label Handout A
• Video Label Handout B
• Label Worksheets 1
• Label Worksheets 2
• Label Worksheets 3
• Label Worksheets 4
• Label Lingo Crossword Puzzle

Video: Label-Ease, Dairy Council, 12 minutes (Note: This video is no longer available.)

Reading Label Activity

• Collect several labels off of food products and glue to pieces of colored construction paper to be used to reinforce label reading.

Background for Teachers

The teacher needs to have a basic understanding of Nutrition labeling - its importance to the consumer, what is required by law, terms used on labels, and identification of the dates.

The teacher needs to follow along during the video on Label-Ease to help the students know which label the video is referring to on the Video Handouts A and B.

The teacher needs to compile labels from food products and attach them to a piece of construction paper to be used for the Reading Label Activity to be used as reinforcing and understanding label reading.

Student Prior Knowledge

The student would need to know how to read and interpret food labels.

Intended Learning Outcomes

The student will understand the importance of label reading to help make appropriate food choices in promoting a lifetime of good health.

They will be able to read and interpret definitions, terms and dates and identify the new format and the requirements for all nutrition labels for the benefit of the consumer.

Instructional Procedures

Hand out the Nutrition Labeling Test to be used as a Pre-Test to see what the students already know about label reading. After they have taken it, go over it together and go through the correct answers with them. Do not grade the test.

Lecture to the students about Food Labeling.

Hand out the Video Label Handouts A and B to be used as reference during the video - Label-Ease. Show the video. The students will follow along with the video and look at their handouts.

For review of the Label-Ease concept to count the fingers on the hand to identify if the food is nutritious, hand out the Label Worksheet 1, 2, 3,and 4. Call on the students in the class to have them identify how many fingers they have left standing and if the food item is nutritious.

Hand out the Reading Label Activity - Distribute the labels on the countertops around the room. Have the students walk around the room to complete the necessary information on their paper. Collect the assignments before the students leave. Be sure to collect all of the labels.

Final review activity - Hand out the label lingo Crossword Puzzle to be corrected at the end of class.

Bibliography

Label-Ease from the Dairy Council. (Note: This video is no longer available.)

Soundbites from National LiveStock and Meat Board, 1993.