Behind the stars: How to interpret the Health Star Ratings on food packaging

June 10, 2024

The Health Star Rating is a front of packet labelling system that looks at the overall healthiness of a product.

The system works by giving a star rating anywhere from 0.5 through to 5 stars. More stars are given to more nutritious foods.

How to use it?

Reading food labels can be a daunting task, so any tools that make this a little easier are always useful. As we often say in our Packed with Goodness session, the front of food labels can be very distracting and hard to decipher!

The Health Star Rating is designed to help shoppers quickly and easily compare similar foods from the same category, for example when trying to decide between two different breakfast cereals, without needing to read labels in detail .

How can you use it for the lunchbox?

When selecting items for the lunchbox we suggest reaching for less processed and packaged foods where possible.

When buying from packets, you can use the Health Star Rating to compare foods within the same category and find the best of the bunch with a little more ease.

Keep in mind, the stars are not designed to compare foods in different categories. For example, a 4-star breakfast cereal might not be a better option than a 3.5-star yoghurt. Use the stars to compare and find healthier options within each category.

What to consider when using the Health Star Rating

The star ratings are only on packet foods. Many healthy foods, like fresh fruit and vegetables and lean meats, are not packaged foods and do not display a Health Star Rating.

The Health Star Rating can be useful when choosing packet foods, however, shouldn’t replace using the nutrition information panel to determine the best choice for you and your family. Food companies can choose which products they put the star rating on and may opt to only use it on their healthier items. Plus, some food companies choose not to use star ratings at all, which doesn’t necessarily mean they do not offer a healthy option.

Remember

Wholefoods are usually cheaper and better for our health. This includes foods such as fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, legumes, eggs, fish, red meat, and chicken. As these are not packaged foods, they don’t have a health star rating.

To learn more about how to read food labels download our handy wallet card or check out some of our blogs: