Nutrition
Understanding the Food Pyramid
Ireland's official healthy eating model made practical: shelves and servings, serving sizes, top shelf foods, simple swaps and a 7-day tracker.
€11.99Buy
Reading Food Labels
Read Irish food labels quickly and confidently in the shop
- 1 hour 50 minself-paced
- 6modules
- 4interactive tools
- Certificatewhen you pass
What you will be able to do
- find the key information on any prepacked food label in Ireland.
- rate fat, saturates, sugars and salt as low, medium or high per 100g and use this to compare similar products.
- use per 100g, per portion and reference intakes correctly.
- spot added sugars and salt in an ingredients list, including their other names.
- check what nutrition claims such as 'low fat' and 'reduced sugar' legally mean.
- find allergen information on packs and menus and use date labels safely.
- use a 30-second label routine to make healthier swaps in your weekly shop.
About this course
Food labels are full of useful facts, but between percentages, claims, panels and small print, it is hard to know where to look. This course shows you how to read food labels in Ireland quickly and confidently, so you can make better choices in the time it takes to pick up a pack.
You will learn what EU and Irish law says a label must show, how to use per 100g and reference intakes, how to judge whether a food is low, medium or high in fat, sugar and salt, how to spot added sugars and salt in ingredients lists, what claims like 'low fat' and 'reduced sugar' really mean, how allergens are shown on packs and menus, and the difference between 'use by' and 'best before'. 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 front-of-pack and label cheat card, a label comparison worksheet, an ingredients list decoder and a sugar, salt and fat benchmarks card.
Course modules
6 modules-
1Getting to know the label
What food labels in Ireland must show, where to find it, and how per 100g, per portion and reference intakes work.
- What is on a food label in Ireland
- Per 100g versus per portion
- Reference intakes and percentages
Label comparison worksheetSugar, salt and fat benchmarks card
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2Front-of-pack labels and the low, medium, high benchmarks
What you may see on the front of packs in Ireland, simple per 100g benchmarks for low, medium and high, how to use them quickly, and what they cannot tell you.
- What you may see on the front of the pack
- Reading the front of a pack in five seconds
- What front-of-pack labels do not tell you
Front-of-pack and label cheat cardSugar, salt and fat benchmarks card
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3The back-of-pack nutrition table
How to read each line of the nutrition table, compare products fairly and look closely at sugars, fibre and salt.
- Reading the nutrition table line by line
- Comparing two products fairly
- A closer look at sugars, fibre and salt
Label comparison worksheetSugar, salt and fat benchmarks card
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4Decoding the ingredients list
How ingredients are ordered, how to spot added sugars and salt under other names, and how allergens are shown.
- Order by weight and percentage labels
- Added sugars and salt under other names
- Allergens, 'may contain' and additives
Ingredients list decoder
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5Claims, marketing words and date labels
What nutrition claims legally mean, which marketing words have no set meaning, and how to use date labels safely.
- Nutrition claims decoded
- Marketing words and front-of-pack tricks
- Use by, best before and storage
Sugar, salt and fat benchmarks 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 loose foods.
- Your 30-second shopping routine
- Family foods: cereals, yogurts, snacks and drinks
- Labels beyond the supermarket shelf
Front-of-pack and label cheat cardLabel comparison worksheet
Tools included
Saved to your account, downloadable as PDF- CardsFront-of-pack and label cheat cardPocket cards that show how to read the front and back of food packs in Ireland in seconds, and what front-of-pack panels leave out.
- TemplateLabel comparison worksheetCompare two similar products side by side per 100g and record which one you will buy and why.
- ListIngredients list decoderA checklist of names to look for in ingredients lists, so you can spot added sugars, salt, allergens and marketing words quickly.
- CardsSugar, salt and fat benchmarks cardQuick-reference cards with low, medium and high benchmarks per 100g, reference intakes, Irish daily guidance and nutrition claim rules.
Who this course is for
- Adults who want to eat more healthily without spending longer shopping
- Parents and carers choosing food for children
- People cutting down on sugar, salt 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, coeliac disease or a food allergy, follow the advice of your GP, specialist team or a CORU-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 foods in Ireland have a colour-coded label on the front?
No. Ireland has no mandatory front-of-pack colour-coding. Some packs show a voluntary reference intake panel, and some products carry traffic lights or a Nutri-Score letter. The course shows you how to rate any product as low, medium or high from the nutrition table on the back.
Is this course about counting calories?
No. It covers calories (energy) as one part of the label, but focuses on reading sugars, salt, fat, fibre, ingredients, claims, allergens and dates to make better everyday choices.
Will the course help with food allergies?
It explains how the 14 major allergens and 'may contain' warnings are shown on labels in Ireland, and your right to written allergen information when you eat out. If you or your child has an allergy, always follow the advice of your GP or allergy team.
How long does it take?
About 2 hours in total, in six short modules. You can do a module at a time and practise in your next shop.
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 Front-of-pack and label 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. Price: €17.99. Written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition, using HSE and Irish national guidance.