As a general guide, you should look for foods that contain the following:

How to compare nutrient content

To compare nutrient content in products, you should look at the 'per 100g column' in the nutrition information panel, on the food package.
Serve size is not as useful. This is because the manufacturer determines the serve size and this may not be the same as your serve size, and can vary across products.

For adults only

As these figures are based on an average adult diet, you may need more or less than the above figures and this will vary based on your age, height, weight, sex and how much activity or exercise you do.

How do I use the Daily Intake Guide

You can use %DI labels to find out what is in a serve and the percentage that the serve will contribute to your daily intake. You can also use the %DI to compare similar products so that you can choose the product that more closely matches the nutrients that you need. For example, if you were trying to lose weight, you would choose the product with the lowest percent for energy, highest fibre and lowest saturated fat.

What is Low GI?

Glycemic Index (GI) is a ranking given to foods to describe how quickly the carbohydrate they contain is digested and absorbed and raises blood sugar levels.
Carbohydrates are an important energy source for the body and carbohydrate containing foods are an important part of a healthy diet.

Foods that are quickly digested and absorbed have a high GI whilst those that are slowly digested and absorbed have a low GI. Foods with a high GI lead to glucose being absorbed into the blood quickly while those with a low GI have the opposite effect.

Recent studies also show that eating low GI foods may help to prevent some diseases.

Some foods contain the Glycemic Index symbol. Glycemic Index Ltd runs the GI Symbol program. It is a non profit organisation formed by the University of Sydney, Diabetes Australia and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. For more information on the GI Symbol Program go to: http://www.gisymbol.com.au 

Resources and further reading in Australia:

Food Standards Australia New Zealand – www.foodstandards.gov.au

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is an independent statutory agency established by the Food Standards Australia New Zealand Act 1991. The website has an Interactive Label Poster to explain the NIP and product packaging, as well as poster version and a recorded explanation from Lydia Buchtmann, Communications Manager from Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. 
http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/_srcfiles/Food%20Labels%20Posterfinal%20.pdf

Food for Kids is produced by Choice, Australia's leading consumer organization. Choice uses a smiling face rating system to help parents make informed choices about food for their family. www.choicefoodforkids.com.au

Dietitians Association of Australia: Food Labeling Page - www.daa.asn.au

The Heart Foundation: Reading Food Labels - www.heartfoundation.org.au

Healthy Weight Week website - Understanding Information on Food Packaging - www.healthyweightweek.com.au

Healthy Kids School Canteen Association, South Australia - www.healthy-kids.com.au

Foods with a shelf life of less than two years must have a 'best before' or 'use-by' date. These two terms mean different things.
The 'best before' date refers to the quality of the food – food stored in the recommended way will remain of good quality until that date. It may still be safe to eat certain foods after the 'best before' date, but they may have lost quality and some nutritional value.
By contrast, foods that should not be consumed after a certain date for health and safety reasons must have a 'use-by' date and cannot be sold after that date. You will find 'use-by' dates on perishables such as meat, fish and dairy products.

Some foods carry the date they were manufactured or packed, rather than a 'use-by' date. This allows you to tell how fresh the food is. For example, bread and meat can be labeled with a 'baked on' or 'packed on' date.

You should always do the following:
•    Check the 'use-by' or 'best before' date when you buy food.
•    Keep an eye on the 'use-by' or 'best before' dates on the food in your cupboards.
•    Don't eat any food that is past its 'use-by' date, even if it looks and smells okay.