Printable · Ages 9–12
Nutrition Label Detective Worksheet
Practice reading Nutrition Facts labels for two made-up cereals: serving size, the 5%/20% Daily Value guide, added sugars, ingredients and allergens. Ages 9–12.
Use it with: Reading a Nutrition Facts Label with Kids: A Hands-On Activity
Original ChefSolus printable. Content checked by AI fact-check and safety passes; not reviewed by a human professional. Review method.
Nutrition Label Detective Worksheet
Be a label detective
Use the practice labels to answer the questions. All numbers are for ONE serving.
Quick guide to % Daily Value (%DV): 5% or less is LOW. 20% or more is HIGH.
Nutrition Facts
About 9 servings per container
Serving size1 cup (45g)
Calories160
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g4%
Saturated Fat 0.5g3%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 160mg7%
Total Carbohydrate 31g11%
Dietary Fiber 5g18%
Total Sugars 9g
Includes 8g Added Sugars 16%
Protein 5g
Vitamin D 2mcg10%
Calcium 130mg10%
Iron 3.6mg20%
Potassium 190mg4%
INGREDIENTS: Whole grain oats, whole grain wheat, sugar, brown rice syrup, sunflower oil, salt, cinnamon, calcium carbonate, reduced iron, vitamin D3. CONTAINS: WHEAT.
1. How many servings are in the whole box?
2. If you ate 2 cups, how many grams of added sugars would that be? What %DV?
3. Which nutrient on this label has 20% DV or more (HIGH)?
4. Name two nutrients that are 5% DV or less (LOW).
5. Is dietary fiber low, high, or in between? How do you know?
6. Ingredients are listed from the most to the least by weight. What is the first ingredient? Is it a whole grain?
7. Find two names for added sugar in the ingredient list.
8. Which major food allergen does the CONTAINS statement name?
Nutrition Facts
About 12 servings per container
Serving size3/4 cup (30g)
Calories120
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1.5g2%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 190mg8%
Total Carbohydrate 25g9%
Dietary Fiber 1g4%
Total Sugars 12g
Includes 12g Added Sugars 24%
Protein 2g
Vitamin D 2mcg10%
Calcium 0mg0%
Iron 2.7mg15%
Potassium 40mg0%
INGREDIENTS: Rice flour, sugar, honey, corn syrup, salt, reduced iron, vitamin D3.
9. Look at a real package your teacher or grown-up gives you. Write its serving size and its Added Sugars %DV.
10. Compare one serving of each cereal. Which has more Added Sugars? Is that amount LOW or HIGH by %DV?
11. The two serving sizes are different (1 cup and 3/4 cup). Why does that matter when you compare the labels?
12. Write one question you still have about food labels.
Answer key — Nutrition Label Detective Worksheet
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | About 9 servings |
| 2 | 16g added sugars, 32% DV (8g × 2 and 16% × 2) |
| 3 | Iron (20% DV) |
| 4 | Any two: total fat (4%), saturated fat (3%), cholesterol (0%), potassium (4%) |
| 5 | In between: 18% DV is more than 5% and less than 20%, so it's close to high |
| 6 | Whole grain oats. Yes, it starts with the word "whole." |
| 7 | Sugar and brown rice syrup |
| 8 | Wheat |
| 9 | Answers will vary |
| 10 | Honey Puff Rounds: 12g added sugars, 24% DV, which is HIGH (Crunchy Oat Squares has 8g, 16% DV) |
| 11 | All numbers are for one serving. A 3/4 cup serving is smaller than 1 cup, so cup for cup the difference in added sugars is even bigger than the labels show |
| 12 | Answers will vary |