Remember that 5% DV or less is low and 20% DV or more is high for a food component. So for things like fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, or sodium, look for foods with a low % DV. For these nutrients, you should try to eat less than the 100% DV.
And look for a high % DV for 'good things,' like dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, and iron. You should be eating at least the 100% DV for these nutrients.
One thing to consider is that the % DV is based on a 2,000 calorie diet, which is the average energy needs for a child that is 7-10 years old. So for your older children and teens, they will likely need more than 100% DV.
Also remember that the Percent Daily Values are listed for a single serving, so if you eat two servings, you should double %DV. For this food label, you can see that eating two servings provides your kids with almost 80% of their Percent Daily Value of sodium!
