UtilibyWritten by the Utiliby editorial team · Last updated October 13, 2026 · Rules and formulas reviewed October 2026
What this free nutrition facts label generator does
This free online nutrition facts label generator turns the nutrient values you enter into a clean, FDA-style Nutrition Facts label that you can preview, check, download as a PNG or SVG image, print or copy as text. It applies FDA-style rounding, calculates the % Daily Values for you, includes the 2016 label features (larger calories, added sugars, vitamin D and potassium) and offers vertical, dual-column and linear formats.
It is designed for home bakers, cottage food makers, meal-prep businesses, restaurants, schools and students who need a clear label for a draft, a menu, a presentation or a product concept. A checks tab catches common data-entry mistakes, such as saturated fat higher than total fat. Everything is created in your browser, with no sign-up, and your numbers never leave your device.
How to make a nutrition facts label
- Enter serving information. Servings per container, the household serving size such as "1 cookie" or "2 tbsp", and the serving weight in grams.
- Enter the nutrients per serving as calories, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, fibre, total sugars, added sugars, protein, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium. Or press the load button to bring in your last result from the recipe nutrition calculator.
- Choose the format. Vertical is the standard label; dual column shows per serving and per container; linear gives a text line for very small packages.
- Check the preview and the Checks tab. The checks highlight values that do not add up.
- Download. Save the label as a PNG or SVG, print it as a PDF, download a CSV of the values or copy the text.
How to read a Nutrition Facts label
Start with the serving size, because every number on the label refers to it. If you eat two servings, double the numbers. The calories show the energy in one serving. The % Daily Value column tells you how much one serving adds to a day's worth of each nutrient: 5% or less is low and 20% or more is high. Aim for lower amounts of saturated fat, sodium and added sugars, and higher amounts of dietary fibre, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium.
What changed on the new nutrition facts label
| Feature | Old label | Current label (2016 update) |
|---|---|---|
| Calories and serving size | Regular type | Larger and bolder |
| Calories from fat | Shown | Removed |
| Added sugars | Not listed | Listed with % DV |
| Vitamins | Vitamin A and C | Vitamin D and potassium (plus calcium and iron) |
| Serving sizes | Older survey data | Based on what people actually eat |
| Daily Values | Older values | Updated (for example sodium 2,300 mg, fibre 28 g) |
| Footnote | Longer | Shorter and clearer |
FDA-style rounding rules used by the generator
| Nutrient | Rounding |
|---|---|
| Calories | Under 5: 0. Up to 50: nearest 5. Over 50: nearest 10. |
| Total fat, saturated fat, trans fat | Under 0.5 g: 0. Under 5 g: nearest 0.5 g. 5 g and over: nearest 1 g. |
| Cholesterol | Under 2 mg: 0. 2 to 5 mg: less than 5 mg. Over 5 mg: nearest 5 mg. |
| Sodium | Under 5 mg: 0. Up to 140 mg: nearest 5 mg. Over 140 mg: nearest 10 mg. |
| Carbohydrate, fibre, sugars, protein | Under 0.5 g: 0. Under 1 g: less than 1 g. Otherwise nearest 1 g. |
| Vitamin D, iron | Nearest 0.1 unit. |
| Calcium, potassium | Nearest 10 mg. |
These are summaries for guidance. The regulation has additional conditions, for example for products with claims and for specific nutrients, so check the current text of 21 CFR 101.9.
Daily Values and % DV
The Daily Values on the label are reference amounts for a 2,000 calorie diet: total fat 78 g, saturated fat 20 g, cholesterol 300 mg, sodium 2,300 mg, total carbohydrate 275 g, dietary fibre 28 g, added sugars 50 g, vitamin D 20 mcg, calcium 1,300 mg, iron 18 mg and potassium 4,700 mg. The % DV is the amount per serving divided by the Daily Value. For example, 120 mg of sodium is 120 ÷ 2,300 = 5%. Trans fat, total sugars and protein do not need a % DV on most labels.
Serving size and servings per container
The serving size should reflect the amount people typically eat at one time, expressed in a household measure (cup, piece, tablespoon) followed by the gram weight in parentheses. The FDA publishes reference amounts customarily consumed (RACC) for many foods. Products that are one serving or that are two to three servings but eaten in one sitting have special rules, which is why the dual-column format exists. The generator takes the serving size text as you type it and does not check it against the RACC list.
Vertical, dual-column and linear label formats
- Vertical (standard): the familiar tall label, used on most packages with enough space.
- Dual column: shows per serving and per container, helpful for packages that are often finished in one go.
- Linear text: a single line or short paragraph used when there is too little space for a panel.
The FDA also permits a tabular (horizontal) format and simplified formats for products with insignificant amounts of many nutrients. Those are not included here.
Using the label for home baking, menus and meal prep
A label is a clear way to share nutrition with customers, family or class. For menus and meal-prep containers the label shows calories and key nutrients at a glance. For a bake sale or farmers' market, check whether your local rules require nutrition labels at all; many cottage food laws require ingredients and allergens rather than nutrition facts. For a school project, the generator is a hands-on way to learn how labels work.
Selling packaged food: what you still need
If you sell packaged food, the Nutrition Facts panel is only one part. You also need a statement of identity, the net quantity, the ingredient list in descending order by weight, allergen declarations for the major allergens, and the name and address of the manufacturer or distributor. Nutrient values generally must come from laboratory analysis or an approved database, and some small producers and products qualify for exemptions, often requiring a notice or specific wording. Rules differ in Canada, the EU and elsewhere. Ask your local food authority or a regulatory consultant to review your label.
Tips for accurate label numbers
- Use per-serving values that match the serving size you print, not per 100 g.
- Calculate nutrients from the complete recipe, then divide by servings; weigh the finished product when possible.
- Do not forget that rounding is applied to what you print; do the maths before rounding.
- Make sure fibre plus sugars do not exceed carbohydrate and added sugars do not exceed total sugars.
- Keep calories within about 20% of 4 × protein + 4 × carbohydrate + 9 × fat (fibre counts for less).
- Update the label whenever the recipe or the supplier changes.
Privacy
The label is generated entirely in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded or stored on a server. If you use the load button, the latest recipe result is read from your own browser's local storage, where the recipe nutrition calculator saved it.
Related free tools
Use these free online tools together with this one:
- Add up calories and macros for a full recipe with the recipe nutrition calculator.
- Find the cost of a recipe and each serving with the recipe cost calculator.
- Convert cups, grams and spoons with the cooking measurement converter.
- Set daily macro targets with the keto macro calculator.
- Check your body mass index with the BMI calculator.
- Track healthy eating habits with the habit tracker.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a nutrition facts label for free?
Enter the serving size, servings per container and the nutrients per serving (calories, fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, fibre, sugars, added sugars, protein, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium). The label is drawn instantly and can be downloaded as a PNG or SVG. No account is needed.
Where do I get the nutrient values for my recipe?
For a homemade or small-batch product, you can estimate with the companion recipe nutrition calculator, which saves the result so this page can load it. For a packaged food for sale, values normally come from laboratory analysis or an approved nutrient database, not an estimate.
Is this label FDA compliant?
The layout follows the standard US vertical label and the rounding and Daily Values follow the FDA rules as summarised here, but this is a draft and not a certified template. Compliance depends on the product, the claims, the serving size, the data source and the exemptions that apply, so have it reviewed before selling.
What changed on the new nutrition facts label?
The 2016 update made calories and serving size larger and bolder, added a line for Added Sugars, listed vitamin D and potassium in place of vitamins A and C, updated the Daily Values, removed Calories from Fat and updated the footnote. Servings are now based on amounts people actually eat.
How do I round nutrition values on a label?
Calories round to the nearest 5 up to 50 and to the nearest 10 above that. Fat, saturated fat and trans fat round to the nearest 0.5 g below 5 g and to the nearest 1 g above. Sodium rounds to the nearest 5 mg up to 140 mg and 10 mg above. Cholesterol rounds to the nearest 5 mg. The tool applies these automatically and can show exact values if you switch rounding off.
What is % Daily Value and how is it calculated?
% DV is the amount in a serving divided by the Daily Value for that nutrient, times 100. For example, 7 g of fat against the 78 g daily value is 9%. For vitamins and minerals the label rounds to the nearest 2%, 5% or 10% depending on size.
What are the Daily Values used?
Total fat 78 g, saturated fat 20 g, cholesterol 300 mg, sodium 2,300 mg, total carbohydrate 275 g, dietary fibre 28 g, added sugars 50 g, vitamin D 20 mcg, calcium 1,300 mg, iron 18 mg and potassium 4,700 mg, based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
What is the difference between total sugars and added sugars?
Total sugars include those naturally in food (fruit, milk) plus any added. Added sugars are sugars put in during processing or preparation, including syrups, honey and sugar. Added sugars cannot exceed total sugars.
What is the dual-column format?
A dual-column label shows nutrition both per serving and per container (or per unit), used for packages that could be eaten in one or several sittings. The tool multiplies your per-serving values by the number of servings and applies rounding to each column.
What is the linear format?
A linear (text) format is a short line of nutrition information allowed on very small packages. It lists the main nutrients in a single paragraph. The generator creates the text for you to copy.
Can I download the label as an image?
Yes. Download PNG creates a high-resolution picture with a white background, and Download SVG creates a scalable vector file that stays sharp at any size and can be edited in design software.
How do I print only the label?
Use Print / save as PDF. Only the label and the table of values for the tab you are viewing are printed, not the rest of the page.
Can I use this for a menu, a school project or a bake sale?
Yes. For menus, meal plans, classroom projects and informal sharing it is a convenient way to display nutrition. If you sell packaged food, check the labelling rules and exemptions that apply to your business and location.
Do small businesses need a nutrition facts label?
Some small and low-volume producers and some retailers are exempt in the United States, subject to conditions and sometimes a notice to the FDA, and there are other exemptions such as for foods in very small packages. The rules are detailed and change, so confirm with the FDA or your local authority.
Does the label include allergens and ingredients?
No. The Nutrition Facts panel is separate from the ingredient list and allergen statement, which are also required on packaged foods. This tool only creates the nutrition panel.
Does it work for countries outside the US?
The label follows the US format. Canada, the EU, the UK, Australia and other regions use different layouts, nutrient lists and reference values. Use the numbers as a starting point and follow your local rules.
Are my numbers saved or uploaded?
No. The label is created in your browser. Nothing is uploaded, and the last result from the recipe nutrition calculator is read from your own browser only when you press the load button.
Sources and further reading
- US FDA, Food Labeling: Revised Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels (2016) and the Daily Values on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels.
- US Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21, section 101.9 (Nutrition labeling of food), for rounding and format rules (summarised).
- US FDA, Nutrition Facts Label guidance for industry, including serving size and RACC references.
- Health Canada and EU Regulation 1169/2011, noted as examples of other labelling systems.
Sources were consulted in October 2026. Standards and rules can change, so always check the official page for your situation.