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How to Read a Nutrition Facts Label: Servings, %DV and Sugars

The label is easy to misread when you skip the first line. Here is the order to read it in, what 5% and 20% Daily Value mean, and how to compare two products fairly.

By the Life in Your Pocket team · Updated on November 2, 2026

Most of us glance at the front of a package and trust the claims there: "light," "natural," "high protein." The Nutrition Facts label on the back is where the actual numbers live, and reading it takes about a minute once you know the order. This guide follows the FDA's own walkthrough of the U.S. label.

Step 1: Servings and serving size

Start at the top. The label lists how many servings are in the package and what one serving is. Every figure below that line refers to one servingnot the whole package. A small bag can hold two servings, which means eating the whole bag doubles every number.

The serving size shows an amount people typically eat. It is not a suggestion of how much you should eat. If you usually eat a bigger or smaller portion, scale the numbers to match.

Step 2: Calories

Calories tell you how much energy one serving provides. In the FDA's example label for lasagna, one serving is listed at 280 calories. If that example package held two servings and you ate both, the arithmetic is simple: 2 × 280 = 560 calories. That multiplication is the single most useful habit the label teaches.

Step 3: Nutrients to limit and nutrients to get more of

The FDA's guide groups nutrients into two lists. Many people eat too much of the first and too little of the second:

• Limit: saturated fat, sodium and added sugars.
• Get more of: dietary fiber, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium.

You do not need to avoid a food because one line looks high. Use the label to see the trade-offs and compare options.

Step 4: Use %DV as a quick filter

The % Daily Value column puts each nutrient in context. The FDA's rule of thumb:

So you can scan quickly. You might want a low %DV for sodium, saturated fat or added sugars, and a high %DV for fiber or potassium. The percentages are based on the daily values printed in the label's footnote, which assume a general-purpose diet, so your own needs may differ. A doctor or registered dietitian can tailor that for you.

Step 5: Compare two products fairly

Different brands often list different serving sizes, which makes a side-by-side look misleading. Before comparing, check that the serving sizes match, or recalculate. Here is a made-up example to show the method. The numbers are invented, not from any real product:

At first glance Brand A looks lower (6 g versus 8 g). Per 30 g, Brand B is actually lower (about 5.3 g). The serving size was hiding the answer.

Packages with two columns

Some packages can reasonably be eaten in one sitting or across several. For these, the FDA describes a label with two columns: one for a single serving and one for the entire package. If you see two columns, use the one that matches how you will eat it.

Why this belongs on a budget blog

The label also helps your wallet. When you compare by the same amount (per 100 g or per 30 g, say) and by price, you can see whether the premium product is better or just better marketed. Pair this habit with a smart grocery list and the tips in how to spend less on groceries.

Common mistakes

• Reading the numbers without checking servings per container.
• Assuming the serving size is a recommended portion.
• Comparing two products with different serving sizes.
• Judging a food by one line instead of the whole label.
• Trusting the front of the package over the facts on the back.

With this routine, the label becomes a tool instead of a wall of numbers: servings first, calories next, then the nutrients to limit and to get more of, and %DV to scan quickly. For the full official wording, read the FDA page listed under Sources.