Healthy eating

Dietary guidelines are designed to:

• Tell people how to choose a variety of foods to get a healthy, balanced diet
• Encourage people to stay active to be fit and well
• Help people understand the importance of being a healthy weight
• Advise people to drink plenty of water so they don’t get thirsty
• Recommend that people eat regular meals to keep them healthy

There are 8 guidelines:

• Base your meals on starchy foods.
• Eat lots of fruit and vegetables.
• Eat more fish – including a portion of oily fish each week.
• Cut down on saturated fat and sugar.
• Eat less salt – no more than 6g (1 level teaspoon) a day for adults.
• Get active and be a healthy weight.
• Don’t get thirsty – drink plenty of water.
• Don’t skip breakfast.

• Diet means the food that you eat every day.
• There are also special diets (e.g. a low-fat diet, a calorie-controlled diet).
• Healthy, balanced diet contains the correct amounts of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals and water that people need for good health, to grow properly, be active and maintain a healthy body.

• It is based on the five food groups.
• The segments match the Government’s recommendations for a diet that would provide all the nutrients needed by a healthy adult or child (over the age of 5 years).
• From 2–5 years, children should gradually start eating a greater variety of foods as shown in the Eatwell Guide.

• Likes/dislikes
• Type of meal
• Food allergies/intolerances
• Religious/cultural dietary restrictions
• Health condition – may restrict what can be eaten
• Nutritional profile of the meal
• Lifestyle
• Time available to buy, prepare and cook food
• Cost of food
• What is available to buy
• Seasonal/local foods
• Portion sizes