How front-of-pack labels and food content creators help consumers eat smarter

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MANILA, Philippines — Staring at the fridge, wondering what to cook next — it’s a daily dilemma for many Filipino families.

For those living alone with little culinary experience, preparing hearty meals takes time and effort. Many turn to packaged or processed food for convenience, which are quick to heat, easy to fry, although not always healthy.

But with social media now a constant companion, food content creators have transformed the digital space into a modern cookbook. 

For Raf dela Cruz, a 24-year-old high school teacher, online food content creators became his mentors when he started learning to cook during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The first dish he attempted was Erwan Heussaff’s Hineleban Adlai Risotto, and he still recalls writing down his own version of the recipe. 

More than just a meal, Raf was fascinated by the stories behind food and its ingredients, like adlay — a grain cultivated in Mindanao that is a  gluten- and sodium-free alternative to rice.

People scrolling through their feeds come across easy, creative meal ideas that make cooking feel less intimidating. From budget-friendly dishes to viral food hacks, many Filipinos now turn to online creators for inspiration. 

Watching someone just like them, who once struggled in the kitchen, makes learning to cook feel more doable. And beyond the recipes, it’s also a way to better understand what’s on their plate.

Seeing these food content creators prepare a variety of dishes, including those Raf once avoided, even helped him develop a deeper appreciation for food and expand his palate.

“Dati nung bata ako, nandidiri ako sa laing. Ayoko siya kainin. But now that I kinda know kung paano siya ginagawa, tapos may difference pala kung may ganitong spice or kung ganitong klaseng gata, mas na-appreciate ko na siya,” he told Philstar.com.

(When I was a kid, I used to be disgusted by laing. I didn’t want to eat it. But now that I kinda know how it’s made, and that there’s a difference if you use certain spices or the type of coconut milk, I’ve come to appreciate it more.) 

Raf also occasionally buys food brands endorsed by content creators. But since he also cooks for his family, he still prioritizes what’s accessible, affordable and suitable, considering their health restrictions.

“I forgot who the creator was, but one time I wanted to try plant-based, at yung pinag-usapan pa niya ay na ganitong brand nung chickpeas, kumpara dito, mas mura to. Mas masarap din siya,” he said. 

(I forgot who the creator was, but one time I wanted to try plant-based, and they were even talking about how this brand of chickpeas, compared to another one, was cheaper. It also tasted better.)

Liz Cochico — a mother, businesswoman and foodie — has similarly bought products based on a food content creator’s recommendations. She’s tried recipes from Chefs Tatung and Sandy Daza. 

However, she prefers recipes with healthier, low-fat and low-sugar ingredients, as she cooks for a family with seniors who have health conditions.

As a consumer, however, Raf said price is the biggest factor in choosing which brand or product to buy at the grocery. It’s the first thing he checks, especially since the nutrition facts label is often hidden behind the packaging.

If there were front-of-pack warning labels that clearly indicated whether a product was high in calories, sodium, sugar or fat, Raf said he would factor them into his decision rather than relying solely on price.

“So, if baka nanghihinayang pa ako sa rushed decision ko with the price, baka mas informed na ako, at least mas informed,” he added. 

(So, if I were hesitant about my rushed decision because of the price, I might be more informed now, at least a bit more informed.)

But what are food warning labels? 

Imagine grocery shopping made simpler: instead of squinting at the fine print of nutrition facts, labels flag products high in key nutrients like sodium, sugar and fat. These prominent, often black octagonal labels appear on the front of packages, and have been shown in studies to be easily understood, even by children. 

No label? If implemented, the policy would signal that products without front packaging labels meet healthy nutrient thresholds. Countries like Chile, Peru, Uruguay and Mexico have already adopted this measure.

In Peru, where front-of-pack warnings were introduced in 2019, a 2022 study found that within two years, the prevalence of labeled products dropped by 28% for beverages and 20% for food — suggesting companies reformulated products to meet prescribed limits.

Meanwhile, in Chile, two years after such warning labels were implemented in 2016, children and adolescents lowered their sugar, sodium and fat intake in schools. According to the 2023 longitudinal study, intake further declined by 2019.

To curb the growing incidence of noncommunicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension, even among children, the Philippine Congress is considering the Healthy Food Marketing Environment Bill, which advocates for prominent health labels to promote healthier eating habits.

However, the proposal has yet to be taken up by the health panels of both chambers in Congress before it can be forwarded to the plenary, so the policy still has a long way to go.

While front-of-package warning labels simplify nutrition facts, the Department of Health (DOH) told Philstar.com that limiting the aggressive marketing of high-sodium, high-sugar and high-fat packaged foods is difficult to do. 

Placing the burden solely on consumers to stay informed raises their risk of noncommunicable diseases, which remain the leading causes of death in the country in 2024, according to national data.

Public support for clearer nutrition labels is also evident. A 2024 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey found that 66% of Filipinos favor warning labels on pre-packaged and ultra-processed food, including beverages.

Not only regular consumers, but also food content creators — aware of their influence on Filipinos’ meal and brand choices — see health warning labels as a guide for better decision-making and more informative content.

Transparency in every bite

Abi Marquez, known as the “Lumpia Queen” for her creative takes on lumpia, sees herself as the “first consumer” of her content, which is why she produces videos of food recipes that are not only entertaining but also educational.

“When you become a creator, if you strip down its definition, I think at the end of the day, to me, it’s providing value to other people,” she told Philstar.com.

What began as a passion that creatively fulfills her, Abi believes committing to being a food content creator means recognizing your impact on others and using it to do good.

Should food warning labels be implemented, she agrees it would likely make people more conscious of their purchases and even avoid products with labels. 

As a content creator, she also sees the labels helping her be more transparent about the pre-packaged goods she uses in her recipes.

“If I'm gonna bake chocolate chip cookies and I'm using a chocolate chip with a label na this is high in sugar, well I can just say in the video na, ‘By the way guys, this is high in sugar, so we'll just put a little bit,’” Abi explained. 

This is one way to promote balanced and healthy eating, the DOH said. “For content creators who cook or prepare food, they can propose or use healthy alternatives to their cooking,” it added.  

Without the labels, Abi said consumers who struggle to read nutrition facts would find it difficult to identify which brands or products are healthier, or at least less unhealthy.

“It takes an extra step for people to turn the package around and read what it is, even if they could understand what it is. And, I know that the front packaging would be effective for me,” Abi said. 

Also trying to be more conscious of her health, she sees her search for healthier alternatives as something “bound to happen,” believing her content will evolve alongside her and her audience.

Although she hasn't published much yet, Abi is considering creating content or a series for those concerned with their sugar and sodium intake, while still staying true to her brand of cooking comfort food.

With great cooking comes great responsibility

For Kath and Gene Barcelo, creators of the “Food for Two” and “ConDorm” series, the recipes they have shared and recreated are often dishes they love. 

Like Abi, they started creating content out of passion, with no expectations. But after nearly four years, they recognize that a large following comes with responsibility.

“Ngayon na may followers, syempre, parang meron ka rin responsibility dun sa audience mo. Kumbaga, ‘pag nag-follow sayo ang tao, may binibigay sayo na time and trust,” Kath told Philstar.com.

“As much as possible, nakakapag-solve kami ng problem ng mga viewers namin,” Gene added.

(Now with more followers, of course, it's like you have a sense of responsibility toward your audience. When someone follows you, they’re giving you their time and trust. ... As much as possible, we try to help solve our viewers’ problems.)

With Kath following a stricter diet, Gene said they’ve started opting for lower-sodium options, like oyster sauce and other condiments. 

Still, like Raf and many consumers, seeking healthier alternatives isn’t the first priority when grocery shopping — it’s often the affordability and accessibility. 

But with front-of-pack labels, Kath and Gene believe they would weigh a product’s nutritional value more often, and not just purchase pre-packaged goods based on their price or brands they’re familiar with.

“Pwede pang i-improve kung paano sila minamarket, especially feeling ko this period parang mas naging health conscious ‘yung mga tao,” Kath said.

(The way products are marketed can still be improved, especially since I feel like people have become more health-conscious this time.)

Gene tried to recall the last time he flipped a product over to check the nutrition facts. As someone without health restrictions, he usually relies on front packaging; so for him, food warning labels would make him more aware of his choices.

“So, feeling ko psychologically may effect din siya sa mga tao,” he said, citing cigarette packaging as an example. “‘Pag may nakita kang warning label, … mas ma-iincline ka dun sa mga wala.” 

(So, I feel like it also has a psychological effect on people. ... And when you see a warning label, you may be more inclined to products without.)

Planning a healthier lifestyle — even consulting a fitness coach — Kath and Gene said they might share the process of the meals they cook as they work toward their health goals this year.

As viewers request “more nutritious and balanced meals,” they’re also open to trying new recipes while sticking to what they know best — making home cooking easy.

This way, the DOH said food content creators could build an online community where people share healthy, easy-to-make and more balanced meals.

Turning healthy dishes into a creative challenge

However, creating a health-conscious series is no easy task for food content creators who are used to whipping up dishes that satisfy their cravings. 

But for them, it's a challenge worth trying.

Alonzo “Cru” Cruel, known for cooking midnight snacks and comfort food, told Philstar.com that it’s quite difficult to convince people to eat hearty dishes. 

“A lot of the nutritional health value comes in during the conceptualization process,” he said. 

Since visually appealing and mouth-watering meals often capture attention online, he said food content creators must make healthy eating attractive without misleading audiences into believing, for example, that quick weight loss is possible by eating such meals daily.

DOH likewise said the “promotion of healthy eating habits usually requires creative strategies.” 

At the same time, creating a healthy dish series means considering how affordable, accessible and simple it is to prepare, since healthy products can also be quite pricey. 

“I still am trying to figure out how to reconcile them. How can you promote healthy eating habits and promote healthy eating without having to break the bank?” he said. 

According to the DOH, “price is a significant barrier to healthier eating, especially for low- and middle-income families.” 

“Fresh fruits, vegetables and lean proteins can be more expensive than processed foods, which are often seen as more affordable and accessible,” it added. 

Although Cru mentioned that if front-of-pack labeling were implemented, learning how to communicate them to viewers would be beneficial in making others more conscious — or at least aware. 

“If there could be labels [that say] ‘Uy, this is high in sugar,’ yeah it would really help us to look after ourselves,” he said, acknowledging that he sometimes overlooks nutritional value when purchasing products.

There were times when viewers pointed out that a product he used in a dish was far from healthy, which he saw as a learning experience.

“If you see that what I made was unhealthy, [I’d ask] how can we make something similar?” Cru shared, explaining that he would try alternative products suggested in the comments.

The experiences of consumers like Raf and Liz, who search online for food inspiration and healthier alternatives, illustrate how food content creators could serve as trusted sources of information through the skills and knowledge they share.

“There has to be a reconciliation with entertaining content, educational content, and content that will really help in promoting a healthier lifestyle,” Cru said. 

Food warning labels have yet to reach the fine print, and so the onus of discerning which products to stock the fridge with largely falls on consumers, advocates and food content creators.

While their efforts are valuable, real and lasting change depends on policy shifts and industry leaders, who hold the greatest power to reshape the food landscape — and ultimately, what ends up on our plates.

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Editor's Note: Reporting for this story was made possible with support from ImagineLaw Inc. This article was produced following editorial guidelines and ImagineLaw did not have input on how the story would be written.