How to read food labels and menus

Learning how to understand this information can help you compare similar products. It can also help you make healthier choices for you and your family. Here are some steps to get you started. 

Use the Health Star Rating

Check the Nutrition Information Panel

The Nutrition Information Panel is on the back or side of food packaging. You'll often find it as a table called ‘Nutrition Information’. The panel will show you how much of certain nutrients are in a serve and in 100g or 100mL of the product.  Food and drink manufacturers are required to include the following nutrients in the panel:   

If any other nutrient is mentioned anywhere on the label it must also be included in the panel.  

When you’re shopping or reading a menu, using the per 100g / 100mL column can help you compare products more easily as you are comparing the same amounts. If you try to compare the nutrients per serving sizes, the serving sizes for each product may differ which makes comparing impossible. Try to choose packaged foods with more fibre and less saturated fat, salt (sodium), sugars and kilojoules (energy). Remember to also check the number of servings in the pack. For foods from  takeaway stores and fast food and quick service restaurants, look for the options with fewer kilojoules (energy).

Example panel

For more detailed tips check the Eat For Health guide for understanding food labels.

Check the ingredients list

You can use the ingredients list to check if the product is high in ingredients which contain saturated fat, sodium (salt) or sugar. The ingredients are listed from largest to smallest by weight.  

Names for saturated fat

Saturated fat is an unhealthy fat and some of the names for ingredients which contain saturated fat that you might find on the ingredients list include: 

Names for added sugar

Some products contain ingredients that already have natural sugar in them, such as fruit and yoghurt. These are healthy sources of sugar.  

Other names for sodium (salt)

Other names for sodium (salt) can include: 

• baking powder/ baking soda 
• celery salt 
• garlic salt
• yeast extract
• monosodium glutamate (MSG)
• sea salt
• vegetable salt
• sodium.

Along with table salt, sodium can be found in many different food additives. If your health professional has advised you to cut down on sodium, look for ingredients with the word ‘sodium’ in them. For example, table salt is sodium chloride, baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. 

Check the amount of energy (kilojoules or calories)

We get energy from the protein, fat and carbohydrates including sugar, in our food and drinks.

Learn more about kilojoules and energy. 

Check nutrition and health claims

Some products might make nutrition content claims such as ‘good source of vitamin C’, ‘low fat’, ‘reduced salt’ or ‘high in fibre’. Nutrition claims don’t necessarily mean a product is healthy. For example, a product with ‘low fat’ may still be high in kilojoules (energy) or sugar. 

Some products might make claims about health benefits, such as ‘vegetables are a source of vitamin C and vitamin C is needed for healthy teeth and gums’. 

When you’re trying to make a healthy choice, check the whole product (including the Health Star Rating on packaged food and nutrition information panel) including any claims. 

Check for allergens

Anyone who makes and packages food must identify and list allergens in the ingredients list in a bold type. Common allergens include eggs, milk, tree nuts, peanuts, soybean gluten, fish and others.  

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