Food as fuel
Eating well is vital for good health and a balanced diet that is low in fat, salt and sugar is the key. Sometimes just simple changes to the way we eat can make all the difference and following these tips will put you on course for a better diet.
What's on your plate?
The Food Standards Agency tells us that fruit and vegetables should make up a third of our daily diet, with bread, rice and potatoes and pasta making up another third, and the final third, which is to be eaten in smaller proportions, coming from milk and dairy products, fish, meat, eggs and beans. Foods high in fat and sugar should be kept to a minimum.
Five a day
Fruit and vegetables are the good guys - full of vitamins, minerals and fibre they have a role in reducing the risk of some diseases, like cancer and heart disease.
Government guidelines say we all need five a day, which may seem a lot. But it’s easier than you think; as well as fresh produce, frozen and canned fruit and vegetables and dried fruit all count towards the five a day, and pure fruit juice does too.
There are creative ways to get the kids to eat more vegetables such as chopping them up finely and hiding them in pasta sauces.
You could ask kids to help with the cooking too. If they are involved in helping to prepare the meal, including vegetables they are more likely to want to try the results of their efforts. Fruit can be cut up into fun shapes and made more appealing, or you could try more exotic varieties such as pineapple or mangoes, alongside apples and oranges
The Food Standards Agency's eight tips for eating well are:
- Base meals on starchy foods
- Eat lots of fruit and vegetables
- Eat more fish
- Cut down on saturated fat and sugar
- Try to eat less salt - no more than 6g a day
- Get active and try to be a healthy weight
- Drink plenty of water
- Don't skip breakfast
Where to eat well locally
Where to get nutrition advice locally
Links
Information on healthy living
Foods Standards Agency www.food.gov.uk