Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label and Serving Sizes

The Nutrition Facts label is getting a makeover!

Check out an overview of the changes, along with a side-by-side comparison of the original vs. new label, compliance dates for implementation, FAQs, fact sheets and infographics (that can be printed in English and Spanish), and information on updates to serving sizes for certain package sizes.

You can educate your participants on the the difference between the two labels using the FDA's education campaign, The New Nutrition Facts Label: What's in it for You? that includes downloadable fact sheets and images, videos, and social media posts, and the Interactive Nutrition Facts Label to help your participants learn how to use the label as a tool for maintaining healthy dietary practices. Among the downloadable materials (in English and Spanish) are:

What's New with the Nutrition Facts Label
Serving Size
Calories
Added Sugars
Nutrition Facts Label and MyPlate

Seeing double? No need to check your eyes, some foods (those that can reasonably be consumed in one meal or snack) will have two columns ("dual column labeling") - one for listing the nutrition facts for a single serving, and one listing the nutrition facts for the entire contents of the package (see the example to the right, or check out a larger version of the dual column label here).

Additional information on how to understand and use the label is available, as is more information about sodium on the label, a Sodium in Your Diet fact sheet (in English and Spanish), a video about making healthy choices using the label, and other resources.

Want to know more about the science behind the recent changes? View the Behind the Label video.
 

Eating Out

The Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods provides useful information to help consumers make informed nutrition choices and maintain healthy eating patterns. But what about when eating out? Americans eat and drink about one-third of their calories from foods prepared away from home. Enter calorie labeling on menus resources to help your participants make healthier food choices. 

Also available is the Health Educator's Nutrition Toolkit that includes resources (including an introductory guide, handouts, a presentation with pre- and post-tests, and an infographic) that provide realistic tips on how to shop for and prepare food as well as order food when eating out to build a healthy diet.