Eating well

Top tips for eating well

Variety is key!

Eating a wide variety of foods means you are more likely to be consuming all the essential nutrients your body needs to function at its best.

Try to include different foods from each food group in your meals and snacks. This includes fruits and vegetables, starchy carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats. Can you eat a rainbow of fruit and vegetables over a week?

The Eatwell Guide on the NHS website explains more about each food group.

Check the labels

Nutrition labels can help you choose between products and keep a check on the number of foods you're eating that are high in fat, salt and added sugars.

The British Heart Foundation has more information about how to check the label.

The British Nutrition Foundation also provide tips on looking at labels.

Use vegetables and pulses to bulk out meals

Adding vegetables or pulses to meals is a good way of making them go further. For example, you can add mushrooms, beans or lentils to chilli or spaghetti Bolognese. These don’t always have to be fresh – tinned and frozen are great options too!

Try to eat regular meals

Eating regular meals helps to maintain your energy levels throughout the day. It is important to remember that a happy stomach equals a happy mind. Preparing snacks and lunches in advance are good ways to ensure you have something ready to hand when hunger strikes.

MIND have some great tips on the relationship between food and mood.

Stay hydrated

Drinking little and often can help to keep you hydrated throughout the day. Water is the best option, but milk, tea, coffee, fresh juice, no added-sugar smoothies and other sugar free drinks all count too.

You only need to drink 150ml, or half of a standard glass, of fresh juice for it to count as one of your 5 a day.

Just be aware of the caffeine content in tea and coffee.

When drinking smoothies or fresh juices, it's recommended to keep serving sizes to 150ml as they can be high in sugar.

Try simple food swaps

Eating well can start with small changes. Why not try swapping sugar on your breakfast for dried fruit or swapping white bread for wholemeal?

Find food swaps for kids.

Check your sources of information

You may have come across a handy piece of healthy eating advice online. Before you go any further, check that it is from a reputable source.

There is a lot of information available on social media and the internet that isn’t always true. Often, ‘fad’ diets get promoted online that are not based on scientifically correct information.

Reputable sources include the NHS (Better Health, Healthier Families) and health professionals such as GPs, Registered Dieticians and Nutritionists. Using these will ensure the advice you receive is safe, accurate and evidence based.

Last updated 08 November 2023