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“Changing your diet so that you eat more healthily more of the time can have big benefits for your overall wellbeing, both physically and mentally”

“The foundation of healthy eating is to have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day”

“Instead of resorting to a shop-bought lunch, take your own healthy version to work and send the kids to school with a tasty lunchbox too”

“Cooking your own meals from scratch automatically avoids processed food and saves money too”

Facts/stats
Only around 3 in 10 adults consume the recommended minimum five portions of fruit and vegetables per day
(British Heart Foundation)

Foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar should be restricted to small portions (100-150 calories)
(British Nutrition Foundation)

Around 29% of adults in the UK have obesity
(British Heart Foundation)

Changing your diet so that you eat more healthily more of the time can have big benefits for your overall wellbeing, both physically and mentally. It will mean you’ll have sufficient energy to stay active, and you’ll be getting all the nutrients you need for your body to work at its best. Another plus is that you’ll be able to maintain a healthy weight.

We all know that healthy eating is better for us, but you don’t have to give up your favourites. That’s because there’s no such thing as ‘good’ and ‘bad’ foods, so nothing is banned. In fact, the key to a healthy diet is getting the balance right between the different food groups. Unless you have a genuine food allergy or food intolerance, there’s no need to exclude any particular foods.

What’s a healthy balanced diet?
A healthy balanced diet consists of a wide variety of food from the five main food groups: fruit and vegetables; starchy carbohydrates; proteins; dairy and/or plant-based dairy alternatives; and unsaturated oils and spreads. If you base your daily meals around food from the five groups, you’ll get the balance right. You can download the government’s Eatwell guide to help you (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5bbb790de5274a22415d7fee/Eatwell_guide_colour_edition.pdf).

The foundation of healthy eating is to have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. This might sound difficult, but it’s easier than you think – and you don’t have to stop at five! Potatoes, yams, plantain and cassava don’t count, but everything else does, whether they’re fresh, frozen or tinned. Each portion size should be around 80g (30g for dried fruit).

As well as fruit and veg, your meals should include starchy carbohydrates like potatoes, bread, pasta and rice; protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, beans, pulses, eggs and meat-free alternatives; dairy and/or plant-based dairy alternatives, including cheese, milk and yoghurt; and small amounts of unsaturated fats like olive oil and vegetable oil. You should also drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day to stay hydrated.

Foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar, such as biscuits, cake, chocolate and crisps, are not included in the five food groups. That’s because they should be eaten in small amounts and only occasionally, not as part of a regular weekly diet. It’s fine to treat yourself, but not every day!

6 ways to boost your daily dietary needs
When you eat healthily more of the time, your meals will automatically be packed with vitamins and minerals that are essential for your body to work properly and to repair itself. Follow our tips to get started.

1. Plan your meals

If you never know what you’re having for your meals from one day to the next, it will be difficult to adapt to healthier eating based around the five main food groups. The trick is to get organised and plan your meals in advance – there are lots of meal-planning apps to help you. Keep in mind the healthy eating principles: make sure as many meals as possible have some fruit or veg, starchy carbohydrate and protein.

 

2. Have a nutritious breakfast

Start the day as you mean to go on with a breakfast that will keep you full until lunchtime. It should be made up of starchy carbohydrates and preferably one of your 5 a day. Try wholegrain cereal that’s low in sugar with a 150ml glass of unsweetened fruit juice; plain porridge topped with sliced banana; overnight oats with berries and dried fruit; or wholemeal toast with eggs, tomatoes or mushrooms.

 

3. Pack a healthy lunch

Instead of resorting to a shop-bought lunch, take your own healthy version to work and send the kids to school with a tasty lunchbox too. Use different types of bread for variety, such as bagels, pittas, wraps, wholemeal and granary bread. Fill the bread with salad ingredients plus a lower-fat protein, for example, chicken or turkey, tuna or salmon, or reduced-fat cream cheese or hard cheese. Add a portion of fruit and/or carrot, celery, pepper or cucumber sticks with a reduced-fat hummus dip.

 

4. Take healthier on-the-go snacks

Choose snacks that are focused on the food groups and don’t come in a packet! This avoids ultra-processed food and the extra saturated fat, sugar and salt that goes with it. Rice cakes with lower-fat cheese; a slice of malt loaf with strawberries; a home-made fruit salad; or a handful of unsalted nuts, seeds and dried fruit are all good choices to eat on the go.

 

5. Eat fewer processed foods

If you choose healthier foods instead of processed food more of the time, you’ll feel better for it. Get supermarket savvy and always check the food labels before you buy. This will tell you exactly what the ingredients are; generally, the longer the list, the more processed the product. The label will also tell you how much salt, sugar and saturated fat is in the food. Look for tinned vegetables and pulses without added salt; tinned fruit in juice, not syrup; and stock up on frozen veg so that you’ll always have some to hand.

 

6. Cook more often

Takeaways and ready meals are fine in moderation, but if you have them too often, you won’t get the energy or nutrients you need. Cooking your own meals from scratch automatically avoids processed food and saves money too. Look online for tips and advice if you’re new to cooking. Start by mastering a few simple dishes such as omelettes and stir-fries – packed with veggies, of course. Once you get the hang of it, it’s easy to cook larger batches of your favourite curries, stews and chillis; you can then freeze the portions you won’t be eating straight away – the ultimate healthy ready meal! Choose leaner cuts of meat such as turkey breast, back bacon and lower-fat mince, and grill, poach, bake and steam meals to cut down on fat.

 

Get help from your pharmacy

Many pharmacies provide a weight management service to support people to lose weight, especially if they’re obese and at risk of developing serious health conditions. Even if you don’t meet the criteria, you can still pop in for friendly advice.

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5 ways to get your 5 a day

1. Get your kids involved and make fun fruit kebabs with apples, strawberries and pineapple.
2. Add plenty of veg to stews, curries and stir-fries along with tinned pulses and beans.
3. Try different combinations of fruit in your smoothies, such as banana, orange and ginger; kiwi fruit and pear; or grapes and watermelon.
4. Make your own pasta sauce with tinned tomatoes and add veggies like courgette, onion, carrot and celery.
5. Enjoy salad all year round: roasted vegetables such as squash, beetroot and peppers are great with salad greens.