1. Start with What Matters Most: Calories & Serving Size

Many clients glance at the calories without realizing it only applies to the serving size listed at the top. Help them spot this early and understand how it can affect their daily intake.

Coach Tip: Use food logs in HubFit to review what serving sizes clients are logging vs what’s listed on labels. It’s an easy way to start that conversation.

Example: If a snack shows 120 calories per serving but contains 2.5 servings per bag, the entire snack is actually 300 calories. Highlight how portion distortion can sneak in without awareness.

Visual Exercise: Ask clients to pour out a “serving” of cereal or crisps and compare it to what’s on the label. These kinds of exercises stick.

2. Break Down the Macros: Protein, Carbs, and Fats

Instead of overwhelming clients with every detail, focus on the three macros. Explain: Protein supports muscle repair, growth, and satiety. Carbs are the body’s primary energy source, especially around workouts. Fats aid in hormone production and help absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K.

Common Mistake: Clients often think all fats are bad. Use label examples to show the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats.

In HubFit: The macro breakdown in the daily and weekly views gives clients instant feedback on how their food choices align with goals. This helps reinforce lessons through action, and you can quickly adjust macro targets when needed.

3. Point Out Sugar and Fiber (The Carb Quality Clue)

Total carbohydrates don't tell the full story. Zoom in on fiber (a good thing) and added sugars (often not so good).

Coach Move: Teach them to aim for higher fiber, lower added sugar, especially with snacks, cereals, and sauces. Make a habit of comparing similar products.

Why It Matters: Fiber slows digestion and supports gut health. Too much added sugar, on the other hand, can spike energy and crash motivation, which can derail consistency.

Bonus: If clients are using HubFit’s barcode scanner, they’ll see this info at a glance. You can review their logs and highlight wins during check-ins.

4. Watch Out for Sneaky Label Tricks

“Low fat,” “organic,” or “gluten-free” doesn’t always mean healthy. Train clients to flip the box and look beyond the front claims.

Common Pitfall: Clients often trust front-of-pack buzzwords. Show them how to verify with the back label. Use side-by-side comparisons in your coaching content.

Pro Tip: During check-ins, ask clients to upload photos of confusing products. You can walk them through the label together using HubFit’s media upload in check-in forms.

Example Assignment: Ask clients to find one product with misleading packaging and explain why the label tells a different story. This helps reinforce label skepticism in a positive way.

5. Ingredients List = The Real Story

The fewer ingredients, the better. Help clients scan for red flags like hydrogenated oils, high fructose corn syrup, or artificial colors.

Coach Script: "If sugar is in the first three ingredients, it's basically a dessert."

Why It Works: Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. Teaching this trick helps clients spot processed foods quickly.

In Practice: Use this during a grocery walkthrough or virtual shop-along to turn it into a live lesson. Bonus points if clients send screenshots or product photos for discussion.

6. Teach Label Comparison on the Spot

Encourage clients to pick up two products and compare side by side: Which has more fiber? Less sodium? Better ingredients?

Quick Exercise: Assign this as a task. Have them snap and send two product labels from a shop. Turn it into a learning moment during your next check-in.

Conversation Starter: "What made you choose that one over the other?" This helps you understand their logic and redirect if needed.

HubFit Application: Include a label comparison task in your weekly check-in form using long text or media fields. You can even rate their label confidence over time.

7. Reinforce With Real Time Feedback

Learning sticks when clients apply it. As they log meals, use check-ins to comment on their choices. Positive reinforcement goes a long way.

With HubFit: Use daily logs to spot and praise label-aware choices Set up weekly nutrition check-ins with custom questions like "Did you compare any food labels this week?" Identify trends in missed macro targets and tie them back to better label reading

Extra Layer: Share screenshots or graphs from HubFit to visually show improvements or consistent habits forming over time. Seeing progress builds confidence.

Why Label Education is Easier with HubFit

If you want your clients to actually use what you teach them about food labels, HubFit makes it simple:

Clients can scan foods in seconds with our barcode scanner. You get access to real time food logs with macro breakdowns. Use custom check-in forms to ask about label confidence or run weekly label-spot challenges. The meal builder lets you create meals that show accurate macros, no guessing. Clients can review weekly nutrition graphs and get instant clarity.

All of this helps reinforce learning through action, making food label education both practical and powerful.