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

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.
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 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.