Reading Labels
Reading Product Labels: Making Smart Choices
Product labels are more than just packaging—they are guides to safety, value, and health. Knowing how to read and interpret them is an essential life skill that empowers young adults to make confident shopping decisions. This course provides step-by-step strategies to help participants understand what labels are really telling them, how to compare products effectively, and how to avoid common marketing traps.
Through interactive lessons, participants will learn how to:
Identify essential details such as ingredients, nutrition facts, serving sizes, usage instructions, expiration dates, and storage guidelines. Students will practice spotting information that affects both health and product quality.
Evaluate need-to-know warnings, like allergens, potential side effects, or high levels of sugar, sodium, and unhealthy fats that may be hidden in everyday foods.
Understand symbols and certifications, including “organic,” “non-GMO,” “fair trade,” or recycling icons, and learn what these terms actually mean (and what they don’t).
Compare weight/quantity vs. cost by calculating unit pricing, helping them decide whether a larger package is truly a better deal or just a marketing tactic.
Recognize safety information on household products such as cleaning supplies, medications, and cosmetics—learning how to handle them responsibly.
Spot misleading marketing strategies that use buzzwords like “natural,” “lite,” or “made with real fruit” that may not mean what they seem.
In addition to classroom instruction, students will engage in hands-on practice activities, such as comparing two snack packages to determine the better value, identifying red flags on a cleaning product label, or reviewing expiration dates to decide which purchase makes sense for long-term use.
By the end of this course, participants will be able to read labels with confidence, ensuring they get the most out of every purchase while protecting their health, budget, and safety. They will leave with lifelong consumer awareness skills that help them avoid waste, make smarter choices, and stretch their money further.