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    February 24, 2021

    Displaying Your Serving Size Using a Common Household Measure in English, French, and Spanish

    When you create a Nutrition Facts label for foods sold in the U.S. or Canada, regulations require the serving size be displayed as a common household measure (e.g. cup, teaspoon, piece, slice) next to the metric weight (in grams) or metric volume (in milliliters).

    For example: 1 cup (100g) or 1 can (250 mL)

    When you create a Nutrition Facts label for foods sold in Mexico, you have the option of adding a household measure when you use the Dual Column label and show nutrients per serving as well as the required nutrients per 100g (or mL).

    If you need to create a bilingual Nutrition Facts label, you must also display the household measure in both languages. Genesis R&D Foods offers features that allow users to create U.S. bilingual English/Spanish labels, Canada French-only and bilingual English/French labels, and Mexico Spanish-only and bilingual Spanish/English labels.

    This blog will cover how to enter household measures in English, Spanish, and French. As a bonus, we have also included a list of the Top 10 Household Measures, Translated and links to our English/Spanish and English/French household measurement translation Cheat Sheets.

    Entering a Household Measure in Genesis R&D Foods

    To enter a household measure for your label in English, Spanish, and French:

    1. With your Recipe onscreen, go to Edit Label > General.Edit nutrition label settings
    2. Expand Serving Size. (This will be available regardless of which country regulation you have selected.)
    3. Type in the English, Spanish, and/or French terms.
    4. Click OK.

    Example of a U.S. Bilingual Label

    1. With your Recipe onscreen, go to Edit Label > General.
    2. Select U.S. for Regulation.
    3. Select Nutrition Facts (2016) for Category.
    4. Go to Format Options and check Show Bilingual.
    5. Click OK.

    This is an example of a U.S. bilingual label showing both English and Spanish for “cup”:
    Example of a US bilingual Nutrition Facts Label

    Example of a Canada French-Only Label

    1. With your Recipe onscreen, go to Edit Label > General.
    2. Select Canada for Regulation.
    3. Select Nutrition Facts (2016) for Category.
    4. For Language Order, make sure the Primary is French.
    5. Click OK.

    This is an example of a Canada label showing the French for “cup”:

    Example of a Canada Bilingual Label

    1. With your Recipe onscreen, go to Edit Label > General.
    2. Select Canada for Regulation.
    3. Select Nutrition Facts (2016) for Category.
    4. Go to Format Options and check Show Bilingual.
    5. Click OK.

    This is an example of a Canada bilingual label showing both French and English for “cup”:

    Example of a Mexico Dual Column Label

    1. With your Recipe onscreen, go to Edit Label > General.
    2. Select Mexico for Regulation.
    3. Select Nutrition Facts (2020) for Category.
    4. Select Dual Column – Per Serving for Style.
    5. Click OK.

    This is an example of a Mexico Dual Column label with both per 100g and per serving nutrient amounts showing the Spanish for “cup”:

    Example of a Bilingual Mexico Dual Column Label

    1. With your Recipe onscreen, go to Edit Label > General.
    2. Select Mexico for Regulation.
    3. Select Nutrition Facts (2020) for Category.
    4. Select Dual Column – Per Serving for Style.
    5. Go to Format Options and check Show Bilingual.
    6. Click OK.

    This is an example of a bilingual Mexico Dual Column label with both per 100g and per serving nutrient amounts showing the Spanish and English for “cup”:

    Top 10 Household Measures, Translated

    By popular request, we have compiled a list of the top 10 common household measures with their Spanish and French translations.

    Note: If there is not a Spanish or French abbreviation for a term, English abbreviations are generally understood and may be used. 

    Household Measurement Translation Cheat Sheets

    • A full list of English and Spanish terms can be found here.
    • A full list of English and French terms can be found here.

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