I usually just go with the conversations I have with my dietitian. I don’t really try to figure out my own nutritional needs, since I can just ask her.
I read them and understand them and… usually ignore them. Mostly because I read them while I’m eating instead of while I’m buying, and by that point I’m just goddamn hungry and need to get some kind of nourishment in me, no matter how bad it is for me. (I forget to eat a lot.)
I read them and understand them. I don’t eat healthily all the time, but it balances out. I try to go for low sodium, fat, and cholesterol foods, cutting calories when possible. For instance, I’ll eat pizza or junk food, but to balance it out, I drink skim milk and whole-fruit juices. I kind of enjoy reading labels on things…
I do the majority of the shopping around here. I always read the labels, but it is secondary to figuring out how much I am paying per ounce for something. I am smart enough to know that .25 cents each or four for a dollar is the same thing.
I have been reading them ever since I can remember… probably because I used to eat most meals by myself growing up, and so it was something to do while I ate. It lead to my interest in nutrition and eventually I found myself checking ingredients more closely once I became a veghead.
I’ve been reading labels for years. After my daughter was diagnosed w/celiac, I started reading them even more closely. I often decide on which product/brand to buy based on the nutritional info.