Nutrition Facts Label Tools for Educators

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Aug 26, 2020, 13:00 ET

SILVER SPRING, Md., Aug. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- As the school year gets underway, students and teachers are looking forward to learning new things together. To support educators, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated many of its nutrition education resources on the new Nutrition Facts label. The new label, which is based on updated scientific information and new nutrition research, is the first major update to the label in over 20 years. The refreshed design and updated information make it easier for teachers to encourage students to make informed food choices that contribute to lifelong healthy eating habits.

The following free resources from FDA can easily be incorporated into lessons that engage students in the classroom and online.

Snack Shack in the popular Whyville online community gives kids (ages 8-15) hands-on experience in understanding and using the Nutrition Facts label as a tool to compare snacks, make smart food choices, and build healthy lifelong habits. Students can work cooperatively with their friends while they learn through two fun games in this online community, Label Lingo and Snack Sort.
Read the Label materials challenge kids ages 9 to 13 to look for and use the Nutrition Facts label on food and beverage packages. The materials – available in English and Spanish – include fun, easy tips and targeted education to provide young people with label reading skills to achieve a healthy diet.
Science and Our Food Supply is a collection of free supplementary curricula about nutrition, food safety, and agricultural biotechnology. Designed for middle and high school classrooms, these guides provide hands-on activities and inquiry-based learning that link food safety and nutrition to students' everyday lives. They are crafted in a teacher-friendly modular format that easily fits into science, health, and other classes.
Interactive Nutrition Facts Label allows students to explore the updated label online and is helpful for virtual learning. The online tool provides an overview of the label and each of its elements as well as an in-depth look at specific nutrients and their role in our daily diet. Educators and students can easily access corresponding resources and materials.

To raise awareness about the updated label, FDA launched The New Nutrition Facts Label: What's In it For You? campaign in March 2020. In addition to the wide range of education resources specifically for students and teachers, the comprehensive campaign includes fact sheets, videos, and more to help you learn more about the refreshed label found on packaged foods and drinks.

Contact: Media: 1-301-796-4540 Consumers: 1-888-SAFEFOOD (toll free)

SOURCE U.S. Food and Drug Administration