Nutrition
Understanding Canada’s Food Guide
Canada's official healthy eating guide made practical: balanced plates, hand portions, simple swaps and a 7-day tracker.
C$16.99Buy
Reading Food Labels
Read Canadian food labels quickly and confidently at the grocery store
- 1 hour 50 minself-paced
- 6modules
- 4interactive tools
- Certificatewhen you pass
What you will be able to do
- find the key information on any Canadian prepackaged food label.
- explain when the "High in" symbol appears and use it to compare similar products.
- use serving size and % Daily Value correctly, including the 5% and 15% rule of thumb.
- spot sugars and sodium in a list of ingredients, including their other names.
- check what claims such as "low fat" and "reduced in sodium" do and do not tell you.
- find allergen information and use best before and expiration dates safely.
- use a 30-second label routine to make healthier swaps in your weekly grocery shop.
About this course
Food labels are full of useful facts, but between serving sizes, % Daily Values, the new "High in" symbol, claims and small print, it is hard to know where to look. This course shows you how to read Canadian food labels quickly and confidently, so you can make better choices in the time it takes to pick up a package.
You will learn how the front-of-package "High in" symbol works, how to use serving sizes and % Daily Value (5% DV or less is a little, 15% DV or more is a lot), how to spot sugars and sodium in the list of ingredients, what claims like "low fat" and "reduced in sodium" really tell you, how Canada's priority food allergens are shown, and what best before and expiration dates mean. Then you will put it all together in a simple 30-second shopping routine.
It is for anyone who wants to eat better, shop for a family or check products for allergies. Four tools come with it: a "High in" symbol cheat card, a label comparison worksheet, an ingredients list decoder and a % Daily Value and sodium card.
Course modules
6 modules-
1Getting to know the label
What Canadian food labels must show, where to find it, and how serving size and % Daily Value work.
- What is on a Canadian food label
- Serving size and fair comparisons
- % Daily Value: a little or a lot
Label comparison worksheet% Daily Value and sodium card
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2The "High in" front-of-package symbol
When the "High in" symbol appears, how to use it in seconds, and what it cannot tell you.
- How the "High in" symbol works
- Reading the symbol in five seconds
- What the symbol does not tell you
"High in" symbol cheat card% Daily Value and sodium card
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3The Nutrition Facts table
How to read each line of the Nutrition Facts table, compare products fairly and look closely at sugars, fibre and sodium.
- Reading the Nutrition Facts table line by line
- Comparing two products fairly
- A closer look at sugars, fibre and sodium
Label comparison worksheet% Daily Value and sodium card
-
4Decoding the list of ingredients
How ingredients are ordered, how to spot sugars and sodium under other names, and how allergens and additives are shown.
- Order by weight, and what position tells you
- Sugars and sodium under other names
- Allergens, 'may contain' and additives
Ingredients list decoder
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5Claims, marketing words and date labels
What nutrient content claims do and do not tell you, which marketing words have no set meaning, and how to use Canadian date labels safely.
- Nutrition claims decoded
- Marketing words and front-of-package tricks
- Best before, expiration dates and storage
% Daily Value and sodium cardIngredients list decoder
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6Labels in real life
A quick shopping routine, label tips for family foods and drinks, and how to find information on menus, online and on unpackaged foods.
- Your 30-second shopping routine
- Family foods: cereals, yogurts, snacks and drinks
- Labels beyond the grocery store shelf
"High in" symbol cheat cardLabel comparison worksheet
Tools included
Saved to your account, downloadable as PDF- Cards"High in" symbol cheat cardPocket cards that show how to read the Canadian "High in" front-of-package symbol and the Nutrition Facts table in seconds, and what they leave out.
- TemplateLabel comparison worksheetCompare two similar products side by side and record which one you will buy and why.
- ListIngredients list decoderA checklist of names to look for in lists of ingredients, so you can spot sugars, sodium, allergens and marketing words quickly.
- Cards% Daily Value and sodium cardQuick-reference cards with Canadian Daily Values, the "High in" symbol thresholds, daily guidance, sodium conversions and date labels.
Who this course is for
- Adults who want to eat more healthily without spending longer shopping
- Parents and caregivers choosing food for children
- People cutting down on sugars, sodium or saturated fat
- People shopping for someone with a food allergy
Check with a health professional first if
- If you have a medical condition that needs a special diet, such as kidney disease, diabetes, celiac disease or a food allergy, follow the advice of your family doctor or nurse practitioner, specialist team or registered dietitian. This course explains labels but does not set targets for medical diets.
Your certificate
Answer at least 7 of the 10 final questions correctly and your certificate is ready to download straight away, with your name, the course and a verification ID anyone can check.
A certificate of completion shows you finished a general education course. It is not a professional qualification.
Certificate of completion
Your name
Reading Food Labels, 6 modules, completed 6 October 2026
Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition
Course authorID MNC-4K7Q-2Z9P
Verify at mynutricare.co.uk
Course authorID MNC-4K7Q-2Z9P
Verify at mynutricare.co.uk
Questions about this course
Do all Canadian foods show the "High in" symbol?
No. Since January 1, 2026, prepackaged foods that reach Health Canada's thresholds for saturated fat, sugars or sodium must show it. Many foods are exempt, such as plain fruit and vegetables, plain milk, yogurt and cheese, and single-ingredient foods like butter, oils and honey, and foods under the thresholds do not show it. The course shows you how to use the Nutrition Facts table and % DV for everything else.
Is this course about counting Calories?
No. It covers Calories as one part of the label, but focuses on reading sugars, sodium, saturated fat, fibre, ingredients, claims, allergens and dates to make better everyday choices.
Will the course help with food allergies?
It explains how Canada's priority food allergens, gluten sources and 'may contain' statements appear on labels. If you or your child has an allergy, always follow the advice of your family doctor, nurse practitioner or allergist.
How long does it take?
About 2 hours in total, in six short modules. You can do a module at a time and practice on your next grocery trip.
What do I get with this course?
6 modules with 18 short lessons (about 1 hour 50 minutes in total) and 4 interactive tools, including the "High in" symbol cheat card, Label comparison worksheet and Ingredients list decoder. Your tool results save to My Progress. A 10-question final check ends the course; score 7 or more for your certificate. Written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition. Prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD).