# Nutrition Facts Label for Children 1 Through 3

A vertical panel with Daily Values for children 1 through 3. The footnote says 1,000 calories a day.

Foods made for children 1 through 3, other than infant formula, use the Daily Values for that age. The footnote says 1,000 calories a day.

**URL:** https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/children-1-3/
**Provider:** BetterMenu (https://bettermenu.live)
**Rule:** Required for foods for children 1 through 3. [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(iii)), [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(i))
**Source:** FDA 21 CFR 101.9, eCFR as of 2026-02-12
**In BetterMenu Studio:** Studio works out the per-serving and per-package numbers from your recipe today. It exports the standard vertical panel. Children 1 through 3 export is not available yet. Studio gives the amounts per serving, and your designer sets them in the panel for children 1 through 3 with their Daily Values.

These pages are for conventional foods and drinks, not dietary supplements or medical foods.

## Do I need this?

Required if the food is made for children 1 through 3.

The page asks one question at a time, only while the answer can still change the result:

- Who is the food made for? (Everyone 4 and older / Infants through 12 months / Children 1 through 3 / Infants and children 1 through 3 / Pregnant or lactating women)

Decision rules, from the same logic as the page:

- If who it is for is “Everyone 4 and older”, then: Not this format. Use Standard vertical.
- If who it is for is “Infants through 12 months”, then: Not this format. Use Infants through 12 months.
- If who it is for is “Children 1 through 3”, then: You need this format.
- If who it is for is “Infants and children 1 through 3”, then: Not this format. Use Infants through 12 months (two %DV columns).
- If who it is for is “Pregnant or lactating women”, then: Not this format. Use Pregnant or lactating women.

Next steps once it applies: Use the Daily Values for children 1 through 3. Change the footnote to 1,000 calories.

## How it differs from standard vertical

The layout is the same as the standard panel. The %DV comes from the Daily Values for children 1 through 3. The footnote says 1,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice, not 2,000.

| Nutrient | Adults and children 4+ | Children 1 through 3 | Change | Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Total Fat | 78 g | 39 g | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(9)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(9)) |
| Saturated Fat | 20 g | 10 g | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(9)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(9)) |
| Cholesterol | 300 mg | 300 mg | Same | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(9)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(9)) |
| Sodium | 2,300 mg | 1,500 mg | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(9)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(9)) |
| Total Carbohydrate | 275 g | 150 g | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(9)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(9)) |
| Dietary Fiber | 28 g | 14 g | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(9)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(9)) |
| Added Sugars | 50 g | 25 g | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(9)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(9)) |
| Protein | 50 g | 13 g | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(9)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(9)) |
| Vitamin D | 20 mcg | 15 mcg | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(iv)) |
| Calcium | 1,300 mg | 700 mg | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(iv)) |
| Iron | 18 mg | 7 mg | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(iv)) |
| Potassium | 4,700 mg | 3,000 mg | Lower | [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(iv)) |

## Infants and children 1 through 3

A food made for both infants through 12 months and children 1 through 3 shows two %DV columns, one for each group.

Sources: [21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(i)), [21 CFR 101.9(e)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(e))

## FDA sample label

- Children 1 through 3 years: printed in [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(iii)(A)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(iii)(A)), published at 81 FR 33742 (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/05/27/2016-11867/food-labeling-revision-of-the-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels). The values on FDA's sample are illustrative.

## For your designer

Space: The same as the standard vertical panel.

| Part | Value | Source | Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nutrient, vitamin and mineral rows | 8 pt or larger | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(1)(iii)) |
| “Calories” | 16 pt or larger, bold | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(1)(iii)) |
| Calorie number | 22 pt or larger, bold | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(1)(iii)) |
| Servings per container | 10 pt or larger | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(3)(i)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(3)(i)) |
| Serving size line | 10 pt or larger, bold | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(3)(ii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(3)(ii)) |
| “Amount per serving”, “% Daily Value*” and the footnote | 6 pt or larger | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(1)(iii)) |
| “Nutrition Facts” heading | No smaller than any other type, except the calorie number | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(2)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(2)) |
| Bold | “Nutrition Facts”, “Serving size”, “Amount per serving”, “% Daily Value*”, the names of nutrients that are not indented and the %DV figures. The calorie number and the serving size line are bold too. Servings per container is not. | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iv)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(1)(iv)), [21 CFR 101.9(d)(1)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(1)(iii)), [21 CFR 101.9(d)(3)(ii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(d)(3)(ii)) |
| Footnote | Says 1,000 calories a day, not 2,000 | Rule text | [21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(iii)) |

“From FDA’s sample” means the value was measured from FDA’s sample label, not stated in the rule text. “BetterMenu’s choice” is our own value where the rule text is silent.

- Download FDA’s sample label, Children 1 through 3 years: https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/fda/er27my16.010.png

## Common mistakes

- Leaving the footnote at 2,000 calories. It says 1,000 calories a day. ([21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(iii)))
- Using adult Daily Values for the %DV. ([21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(i)))
- Making a food for infants and toddlers with one %DV column. It needs a column for each group. ([21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(c)(8)(i)))

## Example: A 4 oz cup of applesauce for toddlers

The cup is made for children 1 through 3. Its %DV comes from their Daily Values and the footnote says 1,000 calories a day. ([21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(iii)](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.9#p-101.9(j)(5)(iii))) An invented product, for illustration.

## Related formats

- [Infants through 12 months](https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/infants/)
- [Pregnant or lactating women](https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/pregnant-lactating/)
- [Standard vertical](https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/standard-vertical/)

## Rule text

> “Foods, other than infant formula, represented or purported to be specifically for children 1 through 3 years of age shall include a footnote that states: “*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 1,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.””
> 21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(iii), eCFR as of 2026-02-12

> “For purposes of declaration of percent of Daily Value as provided for in paragraphs (d), (e), and (f) of this section, foods represented or purported to be specifically for infants through 12 months, children 1 through 3 years, pregnant women, and lactating women shall use the RDIs that are specified for the intended group.”
> 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i), eCFR as of 2026-02-12

> “For foods represented or purported to be specifically for both infants through 12 months of age and children 1 through 3 years of age, the percent of Daily Value shall be presented by separate declarations according to paragraph (e) of this section based on the RDI values for infants through 12 months of age and children 1 through 3 years of age.”
> 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i), eCFR as of 2026-02-12

## Frequently asked questions

### What footnote does a label for children 1 through 3 use?

It says the %DV tells you how much a nutrient in a serving contributes to a daily diet, and that 1,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Sources: 21 CFR 101.9(j)(5)(iii)

### Which Daily Values does a label for children 1 through 3 use?

The Daily Values for children 1 through 3. Most are lower than the values for adults.

Sources: 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i), 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv), 21 CFR 101.9(c)(9)

### Does a food for infants and toddlers use this label?

No. It uses one panel with a %DV column for each group. The infants page covers it.

Sources: 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(i), 21 CFR 101.9(e)

## Machine-readable data

This page as JSON: https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/children-1-3/data.json
Every format: https://bettermenu.live/tools/label-formats/data.json