Variable Products

Your product variations need different nutrition information

When you sell products with multiple options—different flavors, sizes, or formulations—each variation often has unique nutritional values. A chocolate protein bar has different nutrition than vanilla. A 250ml drink contains half the nutrients of a 500ml bottle. This guide shows you how to handle these scenarios professionally.

Understanding Variable Product Nutrition

How It Works

The plugin uses a parent-child inheritance system:

  1. Parent Product: Sets default nutrition for all variations
  2. Variation Override: Specific variations can have their own nutrition data
  3. Fallback Logic: Variations without overrides use parent nutrition
  4. Dynamic Display: Customers see nutrition for their selected variation

This approach minimizes data entry while ensuring accuracy.

Setting Up Variable Product Nutrition

Step 1: Configure Parent Product

The parent product serves as your baseline:

  1. Edit your variable product
  2. Navigate to Product Data → Nutrition tab
  3. Check “Enable Nutrition Information”
  4. Enter nutrition data that applies to most variations
  5. Set appropriate serving size and input method
  6. Save the product

Best Practice: Use your most common or “standard” variation as the parent data.

Step 2: Override Specific Variations

For variations with different nutrition:

  1. Go to Product Data → Variations tab
  2. Expand the variation that needs custom nutrition
  3. Scroll to the nutrition section
  4. Check “Override product nutrition information for this variation?”
  5. Enter the specific nutrition data for this variation
  6. Save the variation

Note: Only override when nutritionally different – this saves maintenance effort.

Real-World Setup Examples

Example 1: Protein Bars (Different Flavors)

Product: Premium Protein Bar
Variations: Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry

Parent Setup (Vanilla – most popular):

  • Serving Size: 60g
  • Input Method: Per Serving
  • Energy: 1046 kJ
  • Protein: 20g
  • Fat: 8g
  • Carbohydrates: 15g

Chocolate Override (higher calories):

  • Override enabled ✓
  • Energy: 1130 kJ
  • Protein: 20g
  • Fat: 10g
  • Carbohydrates: 16g

Strawberry Variation:

  • No override (uses parent nutrition – same as vanilla)

Result:

  • Vanilla and Strawberry show identical nutrition
  • Chocolate shows its specific values
  • Minimal data duplication

Example 2: Beverages (Different Sizes)

Product: Fresh Orange Juice
Variations: 250ml, 500ml, 1L

Strategic Approach:

Parent Setup (nutritional baseline):

  • Input Method: Per 100ml
  • Energy: 180 kJ per 100ml
  • Vitamin C: 40mg per 100ml
  • Sugars: 9g per 100ml

250ml Override:

  • Override enabled ✓
  • Input Method: Per Serving
  • Serving Size: 250ml
  • Energy: 450 kJ (total for bottle)
  • Vitamin C: 100mg (total for bottle)
  • Sugars: 22.5g (total for bottle)

500ml Override:

  • Override enabled ✓
  • Input Method: Per Serving
  • Serving Size: 500ml
  • Energy: 900 kJ (total for bottle)
  • Vitamin C: 200mg (total for bottle)
  • Sugars: 45g (total for bottle)

1L Override:

  • Override enabled ✓
  • Input Method: Per Serving
  • Serving Size: 1000ml
  • Energy: 1800 kJ (total for bottle)
  • Vitamin C: 400mg (total for bottle)
  • Sugars: 90g (total for bottle)

Result: Each size shows appropriate total nutrition for that container.

Example 3: Mixed Override Strategy

Product: Gourmet Granola
Variations: Original, Chocolate Chip, Dried Fruit, Nuts & Seeds

Smart Setup:

Parent (Original):

  • Standard granola nutrition

Chocolate Chip Override:

  • Higher sugar and fat due to chocolate

Dried Fruit & Nuts & Seeds:

  • No overrides (similar enough to original)

Benefits:

  • Only maintain data where it actually differs
  • Reduces errors and update workload
  • Customers get accurate information

Customer Experience

Frontend Display Behavior

Before Selection:

  • No nutrition displayed (waiting for customer choice)
  • May show message “Select options to view nutrition”

After Variation Selection:

  • Appropriate nutrition table appears instantly
  • Shows override data if set, parent data if not
  • Updates dynamically as customer changes selections

In Nutrition Tab:

  • Dedicated tab shows all nutrition information
  • Parent nutrition with explanatory text
  • List of variations with specific data
  • Clear labeling of which nutrition applies to which variation

Mobile Responsiveness

The plugin ensures nutrition displays well on mobile:

  • Tables adapt to narrow screens
  • Font sizes adjust appropriately
  • Touch-friendly interaction
  • Quick loading times

Data Management Best Practices

Planning Your Structure

Before entering data:

  1. List all variations and their nutritional differences
  2. Identify the most common variation for parent data
  3. Group similar variations that can share nutrition data
  4. Plan your input method consistently
  5. Document your approach for future reference

Integration with Other Features

WooCommerce Product Bundles

Variable products can be part of bundles:

  • Bundle nutrition displays individual variation nutrition
  • Customer sees total bundle + individual item breakdown
  • Variation selection within bundle updates nutrition display

Variable products with proper nutrition setup provide customers with the accurate information they need while maintaining efficient data management for store owners. Take time to plan your structure before implementation for best results.

Was this page helpful?
Yes No