Reading Labels
Pupil resources for this lesson. Use these sheets alongside the matching slideshow.
Reading Labels: paper detective sheet
1. Find the information
Use fictional Label A below. Circle, point to or copy: the highlighted allergen; the use-by date; where to store it; and what the label says after opening.
FICTIONAL LABEL A: Creamy tomato soup. Teaching extract, not a real product or a complete retail label.
Ingredients: water, tomatoes (40%), potato, cream (MILK), onion, rapeseed oil, salt.
Use by: 8 October 2026. Keep refrigerated at 5°C or below. Once opened, use within 24 hours and before the end of the use-by date.
Pack size: 400g. Illustrative price: £1.20. Salt: 0.60g per 100g; 1.20g per 200g portion.
2. Choose the next action
Read these fictional cases. For each, say whether the key issue is a safety date, a quality date or storage. State an adult-check action. No tasting is part of this task.
CASE 1. Pretend today is 9 October 2026. Soup A has stayed refrigerated and has not been cooked or frozen. Its use-by date is 8 October 2026. It smells normal.
CASE 2. Pretend today is 9 October 2026. Unopened plain crackers say “Best before 8 October 2026. Store in a cool, dry place.” The packet has stayed dry and is intact.
CASE 3. Pretend today is 7 October 2026. Soup A says “Keep refrigerated at 5°C or below” but has been left on a warm table overnight. Its use-by date is tomorrow.
3. Make a fair comparison
Use the two fictional teaching labels. State which has less salt per 100g, which costs less for a 400g pack, and why neither comparison settles allergy suitability.
Label A: 400g pack; £1.20; salt 0.60g per 100g; salt 1.20g per 200g portion; ingredients include MILK.
Label B: 400g pack; £1.00; salt 0.30g per 100g; salt 0.90g per 300g portion; warning: May contain CELERY.
Compare the same line: salt per 100g on both labels.
Optional: are 200g and 300g portions the same measure?
A fictional customer has a celery allergy. What must you do before choosing B for them?
Exit check
An unopened chilled pot says “Use by yesterday”. It was never cooked or frozen. It smells normal. What should you do?
Source: BUILD_FoodWise_Autumn1_W1-W6_Complete_Pack.zip · Documents/Pupil_Booklet.docx
Fictional labels A and B
These are invented teaching extracts with illustrative prices, quantities and dates, not real products or complete legal labels. Read before comparing. Capitals mark allergen information in this exercise. Adults approve actual ingredients and suitability.
FICTIONAL LABEL A: Creamy tomato soup. Teaching extract, not a real product or a complete retail label.
Ingredients: water, tomatoes (40%), potato, cream (MILK), onion, rapeseed oil, salt.
Use by: 8 October 2026. Keep refrigerated at 5°C or below. Once opened, use within 24 hours and before the end of the use-by date.
Pack size: 400g. Illustrative price: £1.20. Salt: 0.60g per 100g; 1.20g per 200g portion.
FICTIONAL LABEL B: Tomato and bean soup. Teaching extract, not a real product or a complete retail label.
Ingredients: water, tomatoes (40%), white beans (15%), onion, rapeseed oil, salt. May contain CELERY.
Use by: 9 October 2026. Keep refrigerated at 5°C or below. Once opened, use within 24 hours and before the end of the use-by date.
Pack size: 400g. Illustrative price: £1.00. Salt: 0.30g per 100g; 0.90g per 300g portion.
Source: BUILD_FoodWise_Autumn1_W1-W6_Complete_Pack.zip · Documents/Resource_Cards.docx
Date and storage case cards
Use only the pretend date printed on each case. Name the type of issue, then state an adult-check action. Do not taste or use smell to overrule a use-by date.
CASE 1. Pretend today is 9 October 2026. Soup A has stayed refrigerated and has not been cooked or frozen. Its use-by date is 8 October 2026. It smells normal.
CASE 2. Pretend today is 9 October 2026. Unopened plain crackers say “Best before 8 October 2026. Store in a cool, dry place.” The packet has stayed dry and is intact.
CASE 3. Pretend today is 7 October 2026. Soup A says “Keep refrigerated at 5°C or below” but has been left on a warm table overnight. Its use-by date is tomorrow.
Source: BUILD_FoodWise_Autumn1_W1-W6_Complete_Pack.zip · Documents/Resource_Cards.docx
Teacher reference: allergen and date checks
Keep this reference with the lesson notes. Pupils need to practise finding relevant information and asking for help; memorising the full list is not required.
The 14 regulated groups are: celery; cereals containing gluten; crustaceans; eggs; fish; lupin; milk; molluscs; mustard; peanuts; sesame; soya; sulphur dioxide/sulphites above the regulatory threshold; and tree nuts.
Examples of cereals containing gluten: wheat, rye, barley and oats. An ingredient list identifies the relevant cereal.
Regulated allergens used as ingredients are emphasised on relevant prepacked-food ingredient lists. People may also be allergic to ingredients outside the 14.
“May contain” signals possible unintended allergen presence. An absent warning is not a safety guarantee.
Use-by teaching cases here are food that remained chilled and was never cooked or frozen. Timely cooking/freezing has separate rules and must be managed by the adult under school procedures.
A best-before date alone does not require disposal or establish suitability. Adults consider product condition, storage and individual needs; there is no pupil taste-test.
Source: BUILD_FoodWise_Autumn1_W1-W6_Complete_Pack.zip · Documents/Resource_Cards.docx