A healthybalanced diet

The Food Standards Agency Eat well plate is a handy, at-a-glance guide to each food group that shows the ratio of how much you should eat if you want to maintain a healthy, balanced diet.

Here are the details of what each food group provides.

FOOD GROUP NUTRIENTS
Bread, cereals, potatoes, pasta and rice Carbs, fibre, B vitamins, some calcium and iron
Fruit and vegetables Vitamin C, carotene, foliate, fibre, antioxidants
Milk and dairy foods Calcium, protein, vitamins A, D and B12
Meat, fish and alternatives Protein, iron, zinc, magnesium, B vitamins
Foods containing fats and sugar Essential fats, fat-soluble vitamins

 

The difference a balanced diet makes

The Food Standards Agency Eat well plate is a handy, at-a-glance guide to each food group that shows the ratio of how much you should eat if you want to maintain a healthy, balanced diet.

What each food group provides:

FOOD GROUPS NUTRIENTS
Bread, cereals, potatoes, pasta and rice Carbs, fibre, B vitamins, some calcium and iron
Fruit and vegetables Vitamin C, carotene, foliate, fibre, antioxidants
Milk and dairy foods Calcium, protein, vitamins A, D and B12
Meat, fish and alternatives Protein, iron, zinc, magnesium, B vitamins
Foods containing fats and sugar Essential fats, fat-soluble vitamins

The importance of portion sizes

People gain weight when they eat more calories than they use, so it's important to get the balance right and manage what you eat and how much. The choices you make about portion size affect your calorie intake every time you sit down to eat, so cutting down on portion size is a simple way to reduce that intake.

Here are a few tips to help you control your calorie intake when faced with large portions:

  • At home, avoid or minimize second helpings and serve food on individual plates
  • When eating out, order two starters or skip a course. Order a small portion whenever you can
  • Put snacks into bowls or on plates rather than eating straight from the packet
  • At a party, avoid standing at the buffet table. Fill your plate with what you want and then walk away!
  • Measure food with weighing scales or in a measuring cup to give you an accurate idea of what a portion should be - you can often find portion size guidance on the food label. All Special K cereals are labelled with a suggested serving size on the front of all packs

Create your FREE Special K Personal Plan