Build a Healthy Lunchbox

Sometimes, snack foods from the grocery store aren’t the healthiest choices. They may be filled with added sugar, saturated fats, salt and sodium. Learn how to read labels to make the best decisions.

Read the label

How can you tell if packaged foods like snacks, cereal, breads and canned foods are healthy choices? Just look on the label on the package! The label tells you:

Serving Size – Pay attention to the serving size and the number of servings you eat. The label is based on one serving and it tells you how much one serving is. If you eat more, then you’re getting more calories.

Calories – Your body needs calories from food to work. But eating too many calories isn’t healthy. Read labels to find out the calories of different foods. For snacks, 100 calories per serving is considered a moderate amount; 400 calories per serving is a high-calorie snack.

Added Sugars – Some foods have more sugar added when they’re being made. For a healthy diet, make sure you eat foods that don’t have high amounts of calories from added sugars. They should be less than 10 percent of total calories every day.

% Daily Value – Your body needs nutrients to keep you growing and going every day. This number tells you how many nutrients are in each serving. Look for foods that are high in nutrients like fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium, and low in saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and added sugars.