Eat a variety of foods
Meals and snacks
Eat fruit and veg
Meat, fish or pulses
Fatty and sugaryfoods
Enjoy your food
Sources of help
Choose foods from each of the five food groups - fruit and vegetables, bread, cerals and potatoes, fish, meat and alternatives, fatty and sugary foods and milk products. A third of your diet should be fruit and vegetables and a third bread, cereal and potatoes. Aim for the proportions shown on the Balance of Good health.
Have meals and snacks based on bread, potatoes and
cereals
Eat all types and choose high fibre kinds whenever you can. Foods in this group include
breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, cornmeal, chapattis, nan and pitta bread.
Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables
Choose fresh, frozen, tinned or dried. Avoid adding sugar or salt or choosing fruit in syrup.
Include meat, fish or pulses and dairy produce eachday
Moderate amounts of meat, fish and alternatives are needed. This group includes eggs, nuts, beans and pulses. Fat intake can be minimised by choosing lean meat and using less fat and oil in cooking. Fat intake can be minimised by choosing lean meat and using less fat and oil in cooking. Dairy produce includes milk, yogurt, cheese and fromage frais. Low fat varieties such as skimmed or semi-skimmed milk are the best choices.
Keep fatty, sugary and salty foods to a minimum
Avoid adding fat and /or sugar to foods. Only have foods like cream, chocolate, crisps, biscuits, pastry, cake, puddings, rich sauces and sweets occasionally rather than every day.
If you need to, use a little salt in cooking or add a small amount to meals - not both! Foods like crisps and other salty snacks, smoked meats and bacon, canned or packet soups and vegetables and ready meals can be high in salt. Cut down if you can.
Food plays an important part in life. Eating should be an enjoyable and pleasurable experience for everyone.
Other groups such as the Under 5's, the elderly, pregnant and women who are breastfeeding, the sick and those requiring special therapeutic diets are likely to have different nutritional needs.
The Balance of Good Health
Enjoy Healthy Eating
Local
NHS Direct 0845 4647