# light-meal — FDA nutrient content claim qualification criteria

For light-meal, claim term is light; nutrient is calories; food format is meal; threshold is The food meets the definition of: ( A ) “Low in calories” as defined in; cfr section is 21 CFR 101.56(d)(1)(i), recorded from its source on 2026-08-17.

- **Claim ID:** light-meal _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Claim term:** light _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Nutrient:** calories _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Food format:** meal _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Threshold:** The food meets the definition of: ( A ) “Low in calories” as defined in _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **CFR section:** 21 CFR 101.56(d)(1)(i) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Special conditions:** A statement appears on the principal display panel that explains whether “light” is used to mean “low fat,” “low calories,” or both _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> The terms “light” or “lite” may be used on the label or in the labeling of a meal product as defined in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.13#p-101.13(l)> § 101.13(l) and a main dish product as defined in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.13#p-101.13(m)> § 101.13(m) , provided that: ( i ) The food meets the definition of: ( A ) “Low in calories” as defined in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.60#p-101.60(b)(3)> § 101.60(b)(3) ; or ( B ) “Low in fat” as defined in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-101.62#p-101.62(b)(3)> § 101.62(b)(3) ; and ( ii ) ( A ) A statement appears on the principal display panel that explains whether “light” is used to mean “low fat,” “low calories,” or both (e.g., “Light Delight, a low fat meal”); and

## Source

- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-D

Last verified: 2026-08-17. Review by: 2027-08-17.
Part of [FDA nutrient content claim qualification criteria](https://referencesource.org/fda-nutrient-content-claim-criteria/).