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Use The Balance of Good Health (below) to help to plan your meals
Source: Food Standards Agency
 Bread, other cereals and potatoes
Base meals on these starchy foods such as bread, potatoes, rice, chapattis, pasta, noodles, starchy root vegetables like yams, oats, crackers and breakfast cereals. Have large amounts at each meal and choose these foods as snacks for example, sandwich rolls and crumpets.
 Fruit and vegetables
Try to have at least five portions of fruit and/or vegetables a day. Choose from fresh, frozen, dried, or canned (in juice) and remember a glass of pure juice counts as a portion (but only one a day!). Add fruit and vegetables to each meal such as chopped or dried fruit with breakfast cereal, salad with a pizza, chopped raw vegetables like carrots and cucumber in a lunch box and remember fruit makes a quick and healthy snack.
| Food type |
1 portion (80g) |
Example |
| Very large fruit |
One large slice |
Melon, pineapple |
| Large fruit |
One whole |
Apple, banana, orange |
| Medium fruit |
Two whole |
Plum, kiwi |
| Berries |
One cupful |
Raspberries, grapes |
| Stewed/canned fruit |
Three serving spoonfuls |
Stewed apple, peaches |
| Dried fruit |
Half serving spoon |
Apricots, raisins |
| Fruit juice |
Full wine glass |
Pure orange juice |
| Green vegetables |
Two serving spoonfuls |
Broccoli, spinach |
| Root vegetables |
Two serving spoonfuls |
Carrots, parsnips |
| Very small vegetables |
Three serving spoonfuls |
Peas, sweetcorn |
| Pulses and beans |
Two serving spoonfuls |
Baked beans, kidney beans |
| Salad |
Cereal bowlful |
Lettuce, tomatoes |
 Milk and dairy
foods
Aim for 2-3 servings per day of the lower fat varieties (a serving is 1/3-pint milk, 1 pot yoghurt and small matchbox size of cheese). These are lower in fat but still an excellent source of calcium.
 Meat, fish and alternatives such as beans, peas, lentils and eggs
Have small amounts and choose those lower in fat such as lean, trimmed meat, chicken without skin and cook without adding fat.
Try to have fish twice a week and make one of these meals oily fish such as fresh tuna, sardines, pilchards, mackerel, salmon and trout for heart health. Fish with soft bones such as sardines can be mashed up and eaten to provide extra calcium.
Pulses are cheap and healthy and can be added to meat dishes or for a meat-free meal.
 Foods containing fat and foods containing sugar
Use all fats such as butter, oil, margarine and spreads sparingly. Measure oil when cooking or use a spray. Better still cook without fat by for example using a non-stick pan, dry roasting grilling rather than frying.
Choose ‘good’ fats rich in polyunsaturates and monounsaturates and avoid saturated fat and Trans fats.
Learn to read food labels.
Food label advice on fat
| |
Per 100g |
Per 100g |
| |
This is a lot |
This is a little |
| Total fat |
20g |
3g |
| Saturated fat |
5g |
1g |
Note: Anything in between is classified as moderate
Source: Food Standards Agency
Try and keep high fat foods as a treat rather than something you eat every day. These include cakes, biscuits, fried and pastry items, chocolate, crisps and savoury snack
foods
Look for sugar free drinks and cut down on sugar you add to drinks, in baking and on breakfast cereals.
Be aware of hidden sugar – a low fat fruit yoghurt can contain 5 tsp. of sugar, a bowl of breakfast cereal 3 tsp. and a can of fizzy drink 10 teaspoons!
Food label advice on sugar
| |
Per 100g |
Per 100g |
| |
This is a lot |
This is a little |
| Sugar |
10g per 100g |
5g per 100g |
Note: Anything between 5g and 10g is classed as moderate
Source: Food Standards Agency
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