Presenter Guide
Lesson 3
Nutrients, Nutrition Facts Label and Consumer
Skills
Objectives:
(Purpose of
Lesson)
Nutrients: Essential for Health
 Recognize the six nutrient categories.
 Understand that nutrients in food are building blocks
that support the growth and health of the body.
 Learn which nutrients contain calories.
 Recognize the difference between simple and complex
carbohydrates.
 Understand the health benefits of a fiber rich diet.
 Distinguish the different types of fats and their impact
on good health.
 Recognize the major vitamins and minerals and their
significance in the diet.
 Recognize that plant-based foods supply
phytonutrients that appear to promote health.
 Recognize that eating a variety of foods within a
balanced diet provides the nutrients needed daily for
good health.
Decoding the Label
 Learn to read and use the Nutrition Facts Label to
identify nutrient-dense foods and obtain nutrition
information to make healthy food choices.
 Gain knowledge of common terms printed on the
Nutrition Facts Label and how to use this information to
make healthy choices.
Getting the Most for Your Money
 Become aware of strategies used by supermarkets to
encourage impulse buys.
 Learn to compare the unit prices of similar items.
 Learn skills to help them make smart choices and best
utilize their food dollars.
Lab
 Demonstrate knowledge of and use of common terms
printed on the Nutrition Facts Label to make healthy
choices.
Master Nutrition Program ∙ MISC-33 ∙ 7/08
Materials:
(All items
needed to
present the
lesson
including
participant
handouts)
Materials needed:
PowerPoint lessons:
“Nutrients: Essential for Health”
“Decoding the Label”
“Getting the Most for Your Money”
Handouts:
Nutrients: Essential for Health
Smart Choices: A Recipe for Good Health (LSU AgCenter
Publication 2928)
The Fats of Life (LSU AgCenter Publication 2724)
Eating Right Vitamins and Minerals (LSU AgCenter
Publication 2261)
Smart Choices: Feed Your Bones (LSU AgCenter
Publication 2979)
Louisiana’s Future: Families and Children Bone Up on Diet
and Osteoporosis (LSU AgCenter Publication 2815)
Smart Choices Healthy Heart Reduce Salt and Sodium in
Your Diet (LSU AgCenter Publication 2967)
Decoding the Label
Smart Choices: Nutrition Facts Label (LSU AgCenter
Publication 2965)
Eating Healthier and Feeling Better Using the Nutrition Facts
Label – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services –
www.healthierus.gov/dietaryguidelines
Health Claims on the Food Label
Getting the Most for Your Money
Save Money When You Buy Food (LSU AgCenter
Publication 2655)
Getting the Most for Your Money – Smart Supermarket
Shopping
Safe Home Food Storage, Texas Agricultural Extension
Service
Activity Sheets:
Nutrients: Essential for Health
Fat and Cholesterol Audit
Getting the Most for Your Money
Grocery Store Quiz
Compare Cost per Unit
Lab
Supermarket Search
Video:
Food Labeling Education Video from the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and Applied
Nutrition (May be downloaded from
Master Nutrition Program ∙ MISC-33 ∙ 7/08
Materials:
(cont.)
www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/vltlabel.html ) - 7 1/2 minutes
long
Other Materials:
Sample Nutrition Facts Labels from Food Packages (Have
some available that contain the footnote at the bottom of the
package and some that do not have the footnote.)
Small Paper Clip
5 Quarters
Pencils or Pens for Each Participant
Master Nutrition Program Session 3 Evaluation
Background
Information
(Supporting
evidence,
reading or
viewing
material)












Not All Fats Bad, Asserts LSU AgCenter Nutritionist (LSU
AgCenter News You Can Use for June 2005 –
www.lsuagcenter.com)
Osteoporosis: Protect Your Bones (LSU AgCenter Publication
2939)
Get Calcium! (LSU AgCenter Publication 2816)
LSU AgCenter Nutritionist Examines Water, Salt and Potassium
Requirements (LSU AgCenter News You Can Use for July 2005
– www.lsuagcenter.com)
How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label (U.S.
Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition) - www.cfsan.fda.gov
Nutrition Information – www.nutrition.gov or www.fda.gov
Food Pyramid – www.mypyramid.gov
Complete Food and Nutrition Guide from the American Dietetic
Association by Roberta Larson Duyff, MS, RD, FADA, CFCS
LSU AgCenter – www.lsuagcenter.com
Calcium – www.nationaldairycouncil.org or www.3aday.org
International Food Information Council – http://ificinfo.health.org
Revealing Trans Fats – U.S. Food and Drug Administration –
www.fda.gov



Total time
required
Keeping Up with the Changing Food Label: International Food
Information Council (IFIC) – www.ific.org
Safe Food Handling – USDA Food Safety and Inspection
Service – www.fsis.usda.gov
Eating Right Vitamins and Minerals (LSU AgCenter Publication
2261)
3 1/2 hours (including 15 minute break)
Master Nutrition Program ∙ MISC-33 ∙ 7/08
References
 Complete Food and Nutrition Guide, American Dietetic
Association – Roberta Larson Duyff, MS, RD, FADA, CFCS
 LSU AgCenter Nutrition Publications – www.lsuagcenter.com
o Smart Choices: A Recipe for Good Health (LSU AgCenter
Publication 2928)
o The Fats of Life (LSU AgCenter Publication 2724)
o Not All Fats Bad, Asserts LSU AgCenter Nutritionist (LSU
AgCenter News You Can Use for June 2005 –
www.lsuagcenter.com)
o Eating Right Vitamins and Minerals (LSU AgCenter Publication
2261)
o LSU AgCenter Nutritionist Examines Water, Salt and
Potassium Requirements (LSU AgCenter News You Can Use
for July 2005 – www.lsuagcenter.com)
o Osteoporosis: Protect Your Bones (LSU AgCenter Publication
2939)
o Get Calcium! (LSU AgCenter Publication 2816)
o Bone Up on Diet and Osteoporosis (LSU AgCenter Publication
2815)
o Smart Choices: Healthy Heart, Reduce Salt and Sodium in
Your Diet (LSU AgCenter Publication 2967)
o Smart Choices: Healthy Heart (LSU AgCenter Publication
2968)
o Smart Choices: Nutrition Facts Label (LSU AgCenter
Publication 2965)
o Save Money When You Buy Food (LSU AgCenter Publication
2655)
 Eat Smart Curriculum – Texas Cooperative Extension -
www.texasextension.tamu.edu
Lesson Guide
Author
 U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety and
Applied Nutrition – www.cfsan.fda.gov
 Shop Smart! Supermarket Shopping in the 1990s by Linda S.
Gossett, University of Idaho, Extension Educator – EFNEP,
Boise, Idaho
 It’s What’s Inside That Counts, A Self-Guided Tour of the Local
Supermarket to Encourage Shoppers to Make Healthy Choices –
Ohio State University Extension
 Keeping Up with the Changing Food Label: International Food
Information Council (IFIC) – www.ific.org
 Food Marketing Institute – www.fmi.org
 Progressive Grocer 74th Annual Report of the Grocery Industry
(April 2007) - www.progressivegrocer.com
 Eating Better for Less from North Carolina State University
Cooperative Extension Service – www.ces.ncsu.edu
 Safe Food Handling – USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
– www.fsis.usda.gov
Cathy Agan, Extension Agent (Family Nutrition Program)
Ouachita Parish
Master Nutrition Program ∙ MISC-33 ∙ 7/08
Lesson Plan
Desired Learning
Outcomes
See PowerPoint
Notes Pages for
content of lesson.
(Time required – 1
hour)
See PowerPoint
Notes Pages for
content of lesson.
(Time Required –
30 minutes)
See PowerPoint
Notes Pages for
content of lesson.
(Time Required –
45 minutes)
Lab – Reading
Food Labels,
Consumer Skills
and Store Tour
(Time Required –
1 hour)
Instructor Activity
Student Activity
Present PowerPoint Lesson
on Nutrients – Essential for
Health.
Fat and Cholesterol Audit
Conduct student activity where
indicated in PowerPoint notes.
Present PowerPoint Lesson on
Decoding the Label and show
Food Label Video where
indicated in the notes.
Show visuals: paper clip, 5
quarters and Nutrition Facts
Labels from food packages
when indicated in PowerPoint
notes.
Present PowerPoint Lesson on
Getting the Most for Your
Money.
Conduct student activities when
indicated in PowerPoint notes.
Conduct Supermarket Tour
and complete Supermarket
Search activity, including a
follow- up discussion of the
findings.
Food Label Video
Look at visual aids –
paper clip, 5 quarters and
Nutrition Facts Labels
from food packages
Grocery Store Quiz
Compare Cost Per Unit
Supermarket Search
Go to a local
supermarket and
give each
participant a copy
of the Supermarket
Search Activity
Sheet. Have
participants find
the items and
answer the
questions on the
activity sheet. If
you have a large
Master Nutrition Program ∙ MISC-33 ∙ 7/08
group, you may
divide them into
teams of two. It
might also be
helpful to have
individuals or
teams start at
different sections
of the supermarket
so they all aren’t
looking for the
same item at the
same time. Have
the group meet
back at the end
and discuss their
findings.
Evaluation
Participant
Assignment
Administer Master Nutrition
Exam following the series of
classes
Distribute Lesson 3 Handouts
for participants.
Master Nutrition Exam
Review Handouts
Master Nutrition Program ∙ MISC-33 ∙ 7/08