Healthy Eating

Healthy eating can be really straightforward and doesn’t have to be expensive.

The basic rule is to base meals on starchy foods such as rice and pasta, with plenty of fruit and vegetables (and not too much fat, salt or sugar) as this will give you all the nutrients you need, without the extra calories you don't.

When it comes to a healthy diet, balance is the key to getting it right. We all need to provide our bodies with the energy and nutrients required to function well and feel great.  That means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportion, so that over time we get all the nutrients we need to keep ourselves healthy.

Many people find achieving the balance difficult however, after a long day it can be tempting to grab the first ready meal on the supermarket shelf or reheat a microwave meal for the family.  This is ok occasionally but reading the nutrition labels on these foods you'll see that many contain high levels of fat, sugar and salt, and not much fibre, vitamins and minerals. 

Here are some handy tips to healthy eating:

• The trick to achieving a good balance is to plan ahead for your meals. 
• Try to cook from scratch, or use a combination of some fresh and some convenience foods, more often than relying on takeaways or ready meals.
  
• Always include vegetables and a starchy food at the main meal to provide satisfying portions without too much fat
  
• Write a shopping list based on your planned meals
• Build in slow cooker or fast cook choices for your busy days 

To achieve the right balance, use The Eatwell Plate. You can also learn more about the different food groups here on our website.