Lesson  - Working with Food Labels Objectives Students will become more knowledgeable reading food labels. Students will be able to order food items based on fat, sugar, and fiber content. Students will be exposed to different foods in order to promote a variety of healthy food choices.   Materials Needed Nutrition Facts Label with Guidelines Check Your Cupboards handout Other Food items with visible nutrition labels Recipe ideas to accompany food items for the children to bring home Supermarket circular Teaching Key Messages It's important to make healthy food choices everyday to keep the body healthy. A healthy diet means choosing healthy foods, but also getting a variety of those foods in your diet everyday. By learning to read the food label, children can be instrumental in making healthier food selections for themselves and their families. Students will understand the role food prices play in purchasing decisions. Activities 1. Introducing the Food Label Show a picture of a food label to students. " Food labels were developed to provide consumers with information about the nutrient composition of foods. To make this information uniform and easy to use, food-labeling standards have been developed." Questions: 1. What is a food label? 2. Why do you think we need labels on foods? 2. Tasting Time Students will be allowed to taste test some food items. Food items should be representative of food groups of the pyramid (Ex: Vegetables, Fruits, Grains). Have students identify each item. For those items with food labels, have students review the contents, serving size, fat content, fiber content, and sugar content. Provide students with "recommended" fat, fiber, and sugar content.  Ask students if food items are high or low in fat, sugar, and fiber. Have students taste each item and evaluate them based on appearance, texture, color, taste, etc. Questions: 1. What foods do you like? 2. How does each item fit into the Food Guide Pyramid? 3. Do you think you would eat these foods at home? 3.  Reading a Supermarket Circular Provide each student with a supermarket circular.  Discuss that the price of foods, as well as their nutritional value, is an important consideration when shopping. Ask students to look through the pages and describe what they see. Ask students to look at the section on fruits and vegetables. What is the price of some of the fruits and vegetables and what is the unit (pound, 5 lb bag, head, etc.)? Discuss some factors that affect price (i.e. if item is in season, where is it transported from, how easy is it to grow etc.) Discuss all the factors that are important when making food purchases: taste, convenience, nutritional value, price. Evaluation Strategy Have students select 3 to 5 items from their own pantry, refrigerator, freezer etc. at home and complete the "Check Your Cupboards" handout.