One side effect of becoming the “person who makes edibles” in your social circle is frequently asking if you’ll make a treat for a friend or family member. Since I have limited time and desire to be in the kitchen, I don’t often say an outright yes to these requests and make a general announcement: “come over, bring a container and take what you want.”
As much as I love my friends, I have noticed that I will quickly get taken advantage of if I say yes to every request (also, it’s usually people I wouldn’t consider friends who ask the most– such is life when I post about edibles on the internet).
I didn’t start writing this as a complaint, but it sure sounds like it, so let me get to the point. What information belongs on edible labels, especially those leaving your home? I think you should label all edibles all the time, no matter the destination. I have an open cabinet policy in my house. If you’re hungry, you should feel free to help yourself. So I would hate for someone to accidentally eat some weed when they were just looking for a snack. I at least mark everything with “420” in a visible place (usually the lid, since I love me some deli containers).
But let’s discuss some other vital pieces of information you should include on an edible label.
The Bare Minimum Information
If your handcrafted infused treats are gifted, you should pass along as much information as possible. You want your tasters to have all available information to make an informed decision.
Most importantly, you should ensure that the label says it’s infused food. As I said, I like to mark things with “420” if it stays at home, or you can create a unique symbol. A green cross is familiar and understood.
For any food leaving your kitchen to someone else’s, you should also include the following information:
- That it’s weed
- THC/CBD mg/serving
- Total THC/CBD (especially if there’s more than one serving/bag or container)
- Production date
The Nice-to-know Information
While the above list is what I would consider the bare minimum information that you should include on your edibles, the “nice-to-know” list should become part of your labeling etiquette — mainly including the strain name.
Some folks may not care because it’s all about the THC dose, but for others, it may change their selection or dose. I’m not usually strain-specific, but there are certain types of strains that might make me more prone to feeling tired than others. So I know to take a slightly lower dose than a citrusy strain that makes me feel energetic and excited.
This info is what I would consider nice-to-know but maybe not necessary (but kind of essential if we’re all being realistic):
- Strain name
- Type of cannabis product
- Ingredients
- Expiration
Extra, Extra
I love being a little bit “extra” (extraordinary, *wink*). And sometimes, that includes providing detailed information about the edibles I’ve made. This often goes way above and beyond what any average person would want to know. I just want to be prepared if they ask (no one asks). Of the following list of super extra information you could include on an edible food label, there’s only one that I’d consider worthy of the “nice-to-know” list: terpene profile. That’s probably the most helpful piece of info on this list.
- The grow the flower came from
- Production date of the flower/cannabis product
- The extraction method for the infusion
- Extraction method if using concentrates
- Any solvents used in the concentrates
- Terpene profile
If you decide to take on the role of your social circle’s resident baker, you must educate, and educate again, those around you about how to be safe and wise when embarking on their edible journeys. Everyone has different experiences with cannabis so remind them that it’s not a competition and it’s better to go slow and build up.
Finally, what information would you add to your edible food labels? Tweet me and let me know.
Photo by Margo Amala on Unsplash
