Did you know that in May of 2016 that nutrition labels changed? For example, nutrition labels now have total calories in a larger font and must include the amount of added sugar in the food product. Here is a comparison of the old nutrition label to the new:
Using nutrition labels is an excellent way to maintain a healthy diet. For example, when determining whether a food product is high in a specific nutrient, the rule of thumb is if one serving provides 20% or more of your daily value for a given nutrient, that product is high in that nutrient. In the nutrition label above, the food product would be considered high in iron because one serving provides 45% of your daily value of iron. On the flip side, 5% or lower is considered low. But even more important is knowing the serving sizes of foods. For instance, a serving size of pasta is about the size of your fist. Portion control is critical to ensure that those pesky calories do not exceed your daily recommended amount. What is your daily recommended amount? A useful tool is the MyPlate Plan, which calculates your daily calorie needs as well as the recommended serving amounts for each food group based on your age, weight, height, and activity level. You can find this resource here: MyPlate Plan.
Did you know Logansport Community School Corporation has its own website dedicated to food service? The Logansport Berry Cafe has a variety of information regarding nutrition, including breakfast and lunch menus as well as nutrition facts for each food item on the menu. You can find all this information out at https://loganberrycafe.com. Click on the "Menus" option at the top and you will have access to the daily menus. Once in the menu, you can hover your mouse over a food item and all the nutritional information of that item will be shown. This is an excellent tool for students and families to make healthier food choices while also ensuring that students get the right amount of nutrients. See an example below:
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