by Angela V 
As a mom of two little boys, I am often running to get to school pick-ups and drop-offs, after school classes, medical appointments and more. Add cleaning, cooking, and picking up groceries to the list, and we have a pretty tight schedule.
I am often rushing while doing our grocery shopping and picking the best products for my family can sometimes be overwhelming with all the choices available at the store. Making informed food choices is important for us, and the Nutrition Facts Education Campaign (NFEC): “Focus on the Facts” website has been of great help. We also received a fun kit with some packaging examples to practice with, and I had a lot of fun with my two boys as we learned how to read Nutrition Facts, we compared food products using the table and picked the best choices.
When purchasing packaged food products, we now check the Serving Size and then look at the % DV to choose the nutrients we want a lot or a little of. For example, by using the Serving Size and % DV in the NFt, we can choose foods that have more fiber and calcium, and less saturated and trans fats and sodium.When looking at packages and the Serving Size is also important to see if you eat a different amount than the Serving Size, as you will need to adjust the numbers in the NFt.
I love that I can now make an informed decision when shopping for my family and I understand what I should be checking with purchasing packaged foods. Teaching the boys about it has also been great as they can learn to make better decisions from an early age.
You can find more information and learn how to use the NFt as well HERE.
THE GIVEAWAY
Win it: Visit www.FocusontheFacts.ca every day to test your knowledge on how to use the Nutrition Facts table with a four-step quiz and be entered to WIN a $300 grocery gift card! Enter to WIN daily!
Disclosure: This is a partnered post. Compensation has been provided for this post. However, all opinions and views on this post are 100% my own.
25 Comments on “Make Informed Food Choices + Enter to WIN a $300 Grocery Gift Card!”
I had to laugh when I saw your son using a magnifying glass to read the labels, I myself can barely decipher them as the print is so small.
We’re definitely a label reader family. We aim towards heart healthy foods.
Wow I didn’t know about the free kit from the NFEC! I’m going to sign up now to get ours! Thanks
I have been trying to decipher nutrition facts for years and really wish that serving sizes were more consistent across similar products.
I learned just how important the serving sizes mean and just how to understand the nutritional value of what I am feeding the children!
I have been reading labels since taking medication for high colestroll and high blood pressure.
It really opens ones’ eyes to see the different serving sizes and how much they are?
I learned how important it is to check the nutrition labels on food. They will provide you with the serving size so you know exactly how many calories, sugar, fat etc. you are getting per serving.
Like many others, I’d like to see serving sizes much more comparable. Since they now have to put these facts out there for the consumer they could do that I’m sure.
I really thing that using the Serving Size and % DV in the NFt, you can choose foods that have more fiber and calcium, and less saturated and trans fats and sodium. I have been doing this for some time, and I think I am much healthier for it.
I have been reading these labels for a while and it really bothers me that serving sizes can vary so much between products. You really have to pay close attention to what serving size they are talking about,
The serving size is ver important.
read the labels
I learned that you have to watch the serving size to get a true measure of nutrition.
I have learned that the serving size on the package is not necessarily the amount you should be eating.
I learned that too high a DV is sometimes a bad thing too!
I learned that you really have to pay close attention to what the serving size is
I learned it is very important to read labels and understand what they mean.
It is important to know about serving sizes, calorie intake, salt and nutrients. I have starting reading labels more often now. Its so important to read before you buy.
I learn it is important to know what the serving size the nutrition facts on the label is listed for.
It’s important to know the serving size to make sure you get the right amount of DV.
Your boys with the magnifying glass are super cute! I learned that you really need to pay attention to serving size.
Pay attention to serving sizes
Learning to read nutrition labels and understand them is so important and teaching children from a young age is a great idea!
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