Food and nutrition
Key information on this page includes:
Healthy eating
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is an important part of maintaining good health, and can help you feel your best.
This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and eating the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
Following these tips will help to make sure you are eating a healthy, balanced diet:
- Eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day - See 5 a day.
- Base meals on higher fibre starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pasta.
- Have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks).
- Eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins.
- Choose unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat them in small amounts.
- Drink plenty of fluids (at least six to eight glasses a day).
For more information on maintaining a balanced diet click here: The eatwell guide - NHS
5 a day
Fruit and vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals and fibre, and an important part of a balanced diet for kids and adults.
Eating plenty of fruit and veg helps keep us healthy, and may reduce the risk of disease and some cancers.
Healthier food swaps
Making simple food swaps can help cut down on sugar, salt and fat in you and your family's diet. Even just one or two everyday swaps can really make a difference and go a long way to making every day healthier - but the more swaps you make, the better!
Cooking
It is better to cook your own food using fresh ingredients rather than processed foods. Cooking healthy meals can be great fun.
For ideas for healthy recipes click here: Recipes - Healthier families - NHS.