Healthy Eating

Healthy eating is about balance. It means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions and eating the right amount of food and drink.

It can be hard to make changes to eating - life is busy, traditions and family habits matter, healthy food can be pricey, and quick processed options are everywhere when you're short on time.

It’s easy to start with small changes that work for you and the whole family. Small changes make a big difference.

To get started:

• start now
• start small
• give it time to see changes
• set realistic goals for you and your family e.g. cook one homemade meal a week or try adding a side salad to your meals.

Healthy eating tips

People with special dietary needs or a medical condition should ask their doctor or a registered dietitian for advice.

Have:

• Eat a variety of vegetables and fruit

  • Try to include different colours and types — fresh, frozen, or canned all count.
  • Vegetables that are in-season tend to be cheaper and tastier. Click here for the Seasonal Veg Guide - Simply Veg.
  • Remember: potatoes, yams and plantains are starchy carbohydrates. 

• Eat lean proteins like chicken or turkey.

  • Good sources of protein can also be plant-based e.g. tofu, tempeh, beans.

• Eat beans and lentils. Beans are the ultimate kitchen shortcut – tasty, affordable, and endlessly adaptable.

  • Add in foods like lentils, chickpeas, black and red beans and other pulses to your meals. Find more information on Beans and pulses - Simply Veg.

• Eat at least two portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily fish like mackerel, sardines, hilsha etc.

  • Choose from fresh, frozen or tinned but watch out for the high salt in canned fish.

• Pick wholegrain types of rice, pasta and bread

  • Brown rice, bulgur wheat, couscous
  • Wholemeal, brown and seeded bread, chapatis and rotis,
  • Wholewheat pasta,
  • Potatoes with their skins on 

• Use small amounts of oils and spreads.
  • • Olive, sunflower, and rapeseed oils are good choices but try to use small amounts.
    • Bake, grill, air-fry or steam cook instead of frying in lots of oil.

• Use herbs, spices and lemon to add flavour and cut back on salt

  • Taste food before adding extra salt. Use herbs and spices to flavour food instead of adding salt.

• Eat whole, unprocessed foods.

  • Pick foods with fewer ingredients and less packaging.

• Drink more water

  • Drink plenty of water throughout the day to not be thirsty
  • Swap sugary drinks for water, diet, sugar-free or no-added sugar
  • Have tea and coffee without sugar. Use lower fat milk e.g. semi-skinned or unsweetened plant-based options.

Have less often and in small amounts:

• foods high in saturated fat, sugar and or salt
  • e.g. fried foods, packaged cakes and biscuits, some ready meals, sweets, chocolates and crisps.
• fried foods
  • Instead try grilling, baking, roasting or steaming.

Snacks

If you have three nutritious, balanced meals each day, you might find that you don’t need to snack.

If snacks are part of your diet (or your family’s), try to choose fruit, plain low-fat yoghurt and unsalted nuts for a more filling and nutritious choice.

You can find more easy snack swaps here.

If you are a parent, you can find expert tips, simple ideas and tasty inspiration to help your family with healthy snacking - Simply Snacking

Traditional and family favourites foods

You can still enjoy your favourite family favourites and traditional foods—just start with small changes like:

1. cooking with less oil
2. smaller portions of rice and fried foods
3. adding more vegetables to your plate.

Find a step-by-step guide on ways to make your family favourites healthier - Steps To Better - Simply Veg

Portion sizes

You should aim to adjust portion sizes to ensure you have the correct amount, depending your age, size and activity level.

Using your hand acts as a great guide. The British Heart Foundation have produced an interactive portion guide and handy tips to help keep your diet balanced.