Eating well

The Eatwell Guide shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. You do not need to achieve this balance with every meal but try to get the balance right over a day or even a week.

Top tips

• aim to have 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day
• base your main meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner around starch foods like bread, potatoes and wholegrain rice.
• 2-3 portion of milk and dairy foods such as a glass of milk or a small piece of cheese
• aim to eat 2 or 3 iron rich foods such as meat, fish, beans or pulses a day
• try to reduce high fat, sugar foods where possible. Choose unsaturated oils and spreads.

Information on eating well to reach and maintain a healthy weight.

The Eatwell Guide does not apply to children under the age 2 because they have different nutritional needs. Between the ages 2 and 5 children should gradually move to eating the same foods as the rest of the family in the proportions shown in the Eatwell Guide.

Advice on feeding your baby.

Eating well on a budget

Love Food Hate Waste provides helpful hints, tips, and guidance to help you get the greatest value from your food.

Eat well, spend less (British Dietetic Association) – this food fact sheet will give you some ideas to help you to eat well and keep costs down

Eating healthy on a tight budget (British Heart Foundation) – 6 top tips

Budget Friendly Recipes (HEART UK), provides some recommended lower-cost healthy recipes to consider.

If you are struggling with the cost of food visit our help with food costs page for help.

Torch Wellbeing Cafes is an organisation promoting Wellbeing Cafe’s hosted by local churches. These are safe spaces where “it is ok not to be ok”.

Dates, times, and locations of events are on their website.

Telephone: 0118 380 0260
Email: help@torchhub.org.uk

Weight loss

NHS Better Health – Lose weight plan

Body Mass Index is used to gauge if someone is a healthy weight for height or carrying too much or too little. Check your BMI on the NHS checker.

Healthwise Physical Activity Referral | Better UK. 12 week group support programme to learn about eating well. If you are over 18 with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 30 (or 27.5 for black, Asian and other minority groups). Phone: 0118 937 5000 or healthwise.reading@gll.org.