Minds On

The new Canadian Food Guide

Access this video entitled “New Canadian Food Guide” to learn more about healthy eating.

Now that you have explored the video, complete these “True or False” questions.

For each question, select either true or false.

Acknowledgements(Opens in a new window)

Action

Nutritional value

Making healthy food choices can be very challenging. Since 2007, nutritional labelling became mandatory in Canada on all prepackaged foods. These labels can help consumers make more informed food choices. Food labels provide various types of information and can assist consumers to:

  • compare and choose products more easily
  • know what ingredients a food product contains (including allergens)
  • choose products with a desired amount of nutrients or calories

Press ‘Definition’ to access descriptions of a nutrient and calories.

Nutrient: a substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of life.

Calorie: a unit of energy that the body can burn as fuel.

What’s on a food label?

Food labels can have three types of information:

  • nutrition facts
  • ingredient list
  • nutritional claims
A food label broken down into the sections of nutritional claims, nutrition facts, and ingredient list.

Most food labels will include all 3 types of information.

Some foods do not require food labels, such as fruit.

Why do you think food labels are helpful? If possible, share your answers with a partner.

What are nutrition facts?

Nutrition facts are detailed information about a food’s nutrient content, for example calories, fats, proteins, carbohydrates, and sodium (salt).

Nutrition facts help you understand how many calories and nutrients a food item has. It also helps to make food comparisons easier. They also help identify possible allergens (such as nuts or dairy).

Examine the following food label.

A food label listing nutrition facts. Some important information includes the serving size (1 cup), servings per container (4 servings), total carbohydrates (34 grams), protein (11 grams), and total sugars (5 grams).

Then, use the same food label to find the following nutritional information. Record the information in a method of your choice as you find them.

  • serving size
  • servings per container
  • total carbohydrates
  • protein
  • total sugars

Complete the Nutritional Facts in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. Record your answers in the fillable chart or by using any method of your choice.

Serving size = __ cup

Servings per container = __

Total carbohydrates = __ g

Protein = ___g

Total Sugars = __g

Press the ‘Activity’ button to access Nutritional Facts. 

Activity(Open PDF in a new window)

Press ‘Answer’ to access the correct nutritional facts from the previous activity.

  • Serving size = __1_ cup
  • Servings per container = _4_
  • Total carbohydrates = _34_ g
  • Protein = __11_g
  • Total Sugars = _5_g

Food label features

Explore the following carousel of images to discover various features of food labels.

Student Success

Think-Pair-Share

After examining the different parts of a food label, discuss with a partner if possible, if you have ever noticed these food label features before or have used them in the past. Record your answers using a method of your choice.

How can you use the information on a label to make healthy food choices?

Student Tips

Student tips

While it is important to examine food labels carefully to make healthy food choices, it is also important to keep in mind that balance is important. Healthy eating patterns happen over time and having treats occasionally is ok.

What would you eat?

Examine the following breakfast and food labels. Using what you know about food labels and nutrition, would you consider this a healthily breakfast? Why or why not?

Student Tips

Healthy food 101

Some things to keep in mind when evaluating food choices:

  • consider the calories
  • the serving size (is it the entire package or a portion?)
  • the nutrient content (are there any vitamins or minerals? is it full of sugar or salt?)

Press the following tabs to access the different parts of the breakfast. You may record your answers using a method of your choice.

Nutrition facts for a pop tart. A serving size is 1 pouch (40 grams). It is 150 calories per serving. The nutrition facts are: Fat, 3 grams, 4% (Saturated, 1.5 grams, plus Trans 0 grams, 8%); Cholesterol, 0 milligrams; Sodium, 160 milligrams, 7%; Carbohydrate, 30 grams, 11% (Fibre >1 gram, 3%; Sugars, 17 grams); Protein, 1 gram. Vitamin D, 0%; Calcium, 0%; Iron, 2%; Potassium, 0%.

Nutrition facts for a carton of chocolate milk. A serving size is 1 cup (250 millilitres). It is 160 calories per serving. The nutrition facts are: Fat, 2.5 grams, 4% (Saturated, 1.5 grams, plus Trans 0 grams, 8%); Cholesterol, 10 milligrams; Sodium, 170 milligrams, 7%; Carbohydrate, 26 grams, 9% (Fibre, 0 grams, 0%; Sugars, 28 grams); Protein, 9 grams. Vitamin A, 10%; Vitamin C, 0%; Calcium, 30%; Iron, 2%.

Nutrition facts for blueberries. A serving size is 1 cup (140 millilitres). It is 80 calories per serving. The nutrition facts are: Total Fat, 0 grams, 0% (Saturated, 0 grams, plus Trans 0 grams, 0%); Cholesterol, 0 milligrams; Sodium, 0 milligrams, 0%; Carbohydrate, 20 grams, 7% (Fibre, 3 grams, 12%; Sugars, 14 grams); Protein, 1 gram. Vitamin D, 0 milligrams, 0%; Calcium, 0 milligrams, 0%; Iron, 0 milligrams, 2%; Potassium, 110 milligrams, 3%.

If you were going to make this breakfast healthier, what items could you add or remove to make that happen?

Explain your thinking and record your ideas using a method of your choice.

Consolidation

Friending food

Using the information you have learned from the Minds On and Action activities, you will create a poster, an advertisement, or a social media post about how reading food labels can help make healthy breakfast choices.

You may create your product using any method of your choice.

Reflection

As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel…

Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.