How to Teach Your Kids to Read Food Labels

Packaged foods are convenient. They’re everywhere. Let’s be real—they’re often a lifesaver on busy days. But here’s the thing: the colourful boxes and clever marketing claims can be shallow. What’s really inside that “healthy” snack or “natural” juice? Interestingly, it’s not always what we think.

Teaching your kids to read food labels is giving them the power of healthy choices. It helps them make smarter choices, avoid hidden nasties, and grow up with a solid understanding of what they’re eating. Let’s decode food labels, spot the mean nasties and choose the natural over chemical-laced lab-prepared health-affecting food.

Why Label Reading is a Must

We are the generation that cares about clean eating, getting right nutrition and raising mindful kids. Let’s face it—packaged foods are part of modern life. The trick is knowing how to navigate them. By teaching your kids to read labels, you are enabling them by:

• Helping them avoid harmful ingredients like artificial colours, maltodextrin, and palm oil.
• Empowering them to choose foods that fuel their growth and energy.

This is ultimately setting them up for a lifetime of healthy habits. Setting out to learn about food labels is fun for kids, especially when it starts from a grocery store.

Step 1: The Basics of Food Labels

Firstly, you need to get them familiarized with what’s on a food label. Here’s it is:

1. Serving Size:

·        This tells you how much food is in one serving.

·        Pro tip: Check how many servings are in the package. Some “healthy” snacks might have three servings, not one.

2. Ingredients List:

·        Ingredients are listed in order of quantity—most to least.

·        Teach your kids: If the first few ingredients are sugar, or something they can’t pronounce, put it back.

3. Nutrition Facts:

·        This section breaks down the nutrients—calories, sugar, protein, fiber, etc.

·        Focus on sugar, fiber, and protein. More fiber and protein = better snack.

Step 2: Spot the Hidden Nasties

Here’s where it gets real. Packaged foods are filled with sneaky ingredients that sound like they belong in a lab. Let’s break it down:

1. Artificial Colours

• • What They Are: Chemicals added to make food look brighter and more appealing.
  • Common Names: Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1 (or their fancy names like Allura Red and Tartrazine).
  • Why They’re Bad: Linked to hyperactivity, allergies, and mood swings in kids.
  • How to Spot Them: Look for words like “color,” “dye,” or codes like “E129.”

2. Maltodextrin

• • What It Is: A highly processed carb that spikes blood sugar faster than a sugar rush.
  • Why It’s Bad: Found in “healthy” food like health drinks, protein bars and baby food.
  • How to Spot It: It’s called “maltodextrin.” Sneaky, but not that sneaky.

3. Maida (Refined Wheat Flour)

• • What It Is: A zero nutrients version of wheat flour due to over-refining.
  • Why It’s Bad: It’s basically empty calories that can mess with blood sugar and sticks to the digestive tract in some cases.
  • How to Spot It: Look for “refined wheat flour,” “maida,” or “all-purpose flour.”

4. Palm Oil

• • What It Is: A cheap oil used in everything from cookies to instant noodles.
  • Why It’s Bad: High in saturated fats. Consumption causes an increased risk of heart disease, obesity, and nutrient deficiencies.
  • How to Spot It: Look for “palm oil,” “palm kernel oil,” or even just “vegetable oil” (which mostly contains palm oil).

5. Preservatives

• • What They Are: Chemicals that keep food from spoiling when it sits on shelves for months.
  • Common Names: Sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, BHA, BHT.
  • Why They’re Bad: Linked to allergies, hyperactivity, and long-term health risks.
  • How to Spot Them: Look for words ending in “-ate” or “-ite.”
    
    

Step 3: Make It a Fun Exercise

Here’s how to make it engaging for your kids in checking:

1. Ingredients

·        Give your kid a challenge to find specific ingredients.
Example: “Can you spot any artificial colours in this cereal?”

2. Comparison Game:

·        Pick two similar products (like noodles or chips) and compare their labels.
Ask your kid which one they think is healthier and why.

3. Star Rating:

·        In some countries like Singapore, food packages have a star rating (1 to 5 stars).
Teach your kid to give 4 or 5 stars to the common grocery items.

Step 4: Focus on the Good Stuff

While it’s important to keep unhealthy food and ingredients at a bay, you should teach your kids to look for the below:

1. Whole Foods:

·        Ingredients they recognize, like oats, almonds, or raisins.

·        The shorter the list, the better.

2. Fiber:

·        Keeps them full and supports digestion.

·        Look for at least 3-5 grams per serving.

3. Protein:

·        Builds strong muscles and keeps energy levels steady.

·        Great sources: nuts, seeds, lentils, whole grains, eggs, tofu, paneer, lean meat.

4. Healthy Fats:

·        Unsaturated fats from nuts, seeds, and olive oil are brain food.

Step 5: Practice

The more you practice, the easier it gets. Here’s how to make label reading a habit:

1. Grocery Store: Let your kid pick out a few items and read the labels together.
   
   
2. Kitchen and Fridge Check: Ask them to check these areas and discuss which snacks, sauces. or other food packs are healthy and which ones could be replaced.

Step 6: Lead by Example

Kids learn by watching. Try making label reading a regular part of your routine, they’ll naturally follow.

1. Read Labels Out Loud: Explain your thoughts and decisions “This yogurt has too much sugar. Let’s find one with less.”
   
   
2. Choose Healthy Options: Choose natural and healthy and try to show your kid that you prioritize whole, natural foods.
   
   
3. Stay Positive about food: Instead of saying, “This is bad for you,” focus on the alternatives and highlight positive: “This is a better choice because it has more fiber and less sugar.”
   
   

Teaching your kids to read food labels is one of the best ways to set them up for a lifetime of healthy eating. It’s more about being informed and making better choices, with every food they consume.

At Pueritia, we are all trying to keep it real. No hidden nasties, no confusing labels. Just good food for your kids.

So, next time you are grocery shopping or buying snacks, crack the labels together. Your kids and their future selves will thank you.