Life Skills Arcade Middle school Family and Consumer Sciences, grades 6 to 8

Handout 1.13

Handout 1.13: Nacho Label Math

Unit
Unit 1: Kitchen Skills and Smart Eating
Handout
1.13

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Lesson: 1.13 Lab 2, Day 1 (Step 3) and the label discussion during the bake on Day 2
Print: One per student. The Label Reader leads; everyone computes. A calculator is allowed.


Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________ Period: ______ Station: ______

The question: How much sodium is in ONE person's plate of the nachos we are making? Is this a snack to eat often or sometimes?

Directions: Use the four packages on your counter (chip bag, cheese bag, bean can, corn can). Find the serving size and the sodium per serving on each Nutrition Facts label. Then multiply by the number of servings OUR STATION puts in the pan (that number is already in the table; it is not the same as servings per container). Add. Divide by 7. Add the salsa bar. Compare to a whole day.

The numbers printed below are typical store brand numbers. Use the numbers on the real packages if they are different, and cross these out.

Part 1: Four labels, four lines

IngredientServing size on the labelSodium per serving (mg)Servings our station usesSodium our station puts in the pan (mg)
Tortilla chips (1 bag, 13 oz)1 oz (about 7 chips)1151313 x ______ = ______
Shredded cheese (1 cup)1/4 cup (28 g)18044 x ______ = ______
Black beans (1/2 can)1/2 cup (130 g)4001.75 (grade 6: use 2)1.75 x ______ = ______
Corn (1/3 can)1/2 cup (125 g)20011 x ______ = ______

The full labels, in case a package is missing:

Tortilla chips, restaurant style, 13 oz bag. Serving size 1 oz (28 g, about 7 chips). Servings per container about 13. Calories 140. Total fat 7 g (9%). Saturated fat 1 g (5%). Sodium 115 mg (5%). Total carbohydrate 19 g (7%). Dietary fiber 1 g (4%). Total sugars 0 g. Added sugars 0 g. Protein 2 g. Calcium 20 mg (2%). Iron 0.4 mg (2%). Ingredients: corn, vegetable oil, salt.

Shredded Mexican blend cheese, 8 oz bag. Serving size 1/4 cup (28 g). Servings per container 8. Calories 100. Total fat 8 g (10%). Saturated fat 5 g (25%). Cholesterol 25 mg (8%). Sodium 180 mg (8%). Total carbohydrate less than 1 g. Protein 6 g. Calcium 200 mg (15%). Ingredients: cheddar, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, and asadero cheeses (pasteurized milk, cheese culture, salt, enzymes), potato starch and powdered cellulose (to prevent caking), natamycin.

Black beans, 15.5 oz can. Serving size 1/2 cup (130 g). Servings per container about 3.5. Calories 110. Total fat 0.5 g (1%). Sodium 400 mg (17%). Total carbohydrate 20 g (7%). Dietary fiber 7 g (25%). Total sugars 1 g. Added sugars 0 g. Protein 7 g. Calcium 40 mg (4%). Iron 2 mg (10%). Potassium 350 mg (8%). Ingredients: prepared black beans, water, salt, calcium chloride.

Corn, whole kernel, 15.25 oz can. Serving size 1/2 cup (125 g). Servings per container about 3.5. Calories 60. Total fat 1 g (1%). Sodium 200 mg (9%). Total carbohydrate 13 g (5%). Dietary fiber 2 g (7%). Total sugars 5 g. Added sugars 0 g. Protein 2 g. Ingredients: corn, water, salt.

Part 2: The pan and the plate

Sodium in the WHOLE PAN: ______ + ______ + ______ + ______ = ______ mg

One person's share (divide by 7): ______ divided by 7 = ______ mg

Add the salsa bar (one serving each): salsa 2 tablespoons = 220 mg; sour cream 2 tablespoons = 15 mg.

One person's PLATE: ______ + 220 + 15 = ______ mg

Part 3: Compare to a whole day

The daily value for sodium is 2,300 mg. That is the "100%" on every label.

My plate divided by 2,300, times 100 = ______% of a whole day's sodium, from one snack.

(Grade 6: the percent is about 30%. Check that your plate number is close to 680 mg.)

Part 4: Judge it

Circle one: This is an OFTEN snack / a SOMETIMES snack.

Why? Use the number. ______________________________________________________________


The beans surprise. The black beans are the healthiest thing on the pan (7 g fiber, 7 g protein, iron) and one of the saltiest. Rinsing canned beans washes away about 40% of the sodium. If the Prep Cook rinses, about how much sodium leaves the pan? 40% of ______ (the beans line) = about ______ mg.

One swap. If you could change ONE ingredient to cut the sodium most, which one and what would you swap it for? (Ideas: low sodium beans, about 130 mg per serving; no salt added corn, about 10 mg; a reduced sodium chip, about 65 mg; less cheese.)

Swap: ________________________ New per-person plate: about ______ mg

Grade 8 stretch: do the same table for calories and for saturated fat. Whole pan calories: ______. Per person: ______. Saturated fat per person: ______ g, which is ______% of the daily value (20 g).