What does a healthy meal plan look like?
Build it on the Eatwell Guide. Fruit and veg make up just over a third of your food, and starchy foods the same. But no single meal has to balance. The day or week does.
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What does a healthy meal plan look like?
One that matches the NHS Eatwell Guide. Fruit and veg should make up just over a third of the food you eat each day. Starchy foods, like bread, rice, pasta and potatoes, make up just over a third too.
The rest is protein, dairy and a little oil. Foods like cake, biscuits and fizzy drinks sit outside the guide. Have them less often and in small amounts.
| Food group | How much | Easy picks |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit and veg | At least 5 portions a day, just over a third of your food | Apples, bananas, frozen peas, tinned tomatoes, salad |
| Starchy foods | Just over a third, wholegrain when you can | Brown rice, wholewheat pasta, oats, potatoes in their skins |
| Protein | Some, plus at least 2 portions of fish a week, 1 of them oily | Beans, lentils, eggs, chicken, salmon, mackerel |
| Dairy or alternatives | Some, lower fat and lower sugar | Semi-skimmed milk, plain yoghurt, unsweetened soya drink with added calcium |
| Oils and spreads | Small amounts, unsaturated | Olive, rapeseed or sunflower oil |
Sources: NHS Eatwell Guide; NHS: eating a balanced diet
Now the twist from the top. The NHS says you don’t need this balance at every meal. Get it right over a day, or even a week.
That’s why you plan a week, not a plate. A cheese pizza on Friday is fine if the rest of the week brings the veg. So plan your balance across the week, starting with the menu below.
What’s a good 7 day healthy eating plan?
Every lunch and dinner has a starchy food and some veg. The NHS says to have at least 1 starchy food with each main meal.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch and dinner |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Porridge with semi-skimmed milk and a sliced banana | Lentil soup with a wholemeal roll. Baked salmon, new potatoes in their skins and green beans. |
| Tuesday | Wholegrain lower sugar cereal with milk and berries | Jacket potato with tuna, sweetcorn and salad. Bean and vegetable chilli with brown rice. |
| Wednesday | Plain yoghurt with chopped fruit and a spoon of oats | Leftover chilli in a wholemeal wrap. Chicken and vegetable stir-fry with wholewheat noodles. |
| Thursday | Boiled eggs, wholemeal toast and tomatoes | Hummus, carrot sticks and a wholemeal pitta. Cod, potato wedges in their skins and peas. |
| Friday | Porridge with a tablespoon of raisins | Mixed bean salad with a little feta and wholegrain crackers. Homemade pizza with peppers, mushrooms and reduced fat cheese. |
| Saturday | Baked beans on wholemeal toast with grilled mushrooms | Chickpea, roast veg and couscous salad. Grilled mackerel, brown rice and roast peppers. |
| Sunday | Scrambled eggs, grilled tomatoes and wholemeal toast | Roast chicken without the skin, potatoes in their skins, carrots and cabbage. Leftover chicken and veg soup with wholemeal bread. |
Fish comes up four times, and two are oily (salmon and mackerel). That beats the NHS ask of at least 2 portions a week, 1 of them oily.
Add two pieces of fruit as snacks to help reach your 5 A Day. A portion is 80g of fresh, tinned or frozen fruit or veg, or 30g of dried fruit eaten with a meal.
Beans count once a day, however many you eat. Potatoes don’t count.
Don’t like a meal? Swap it for one from the same food groups. For more ideas, try these quick breakfasts and Mediterranean meals.
How do I make a family meal plan?
Use the same week for everyone over 2. The NHS says that after age 2, children should eat the same foods as the rest of the family, in the same balance. The guide also works whether you eat meat or are vegetarian.
Two changes for little ones. The Eatwell Guide doesn’t apply to babies and toddlers under 2, and full-fat dairy like cheese and yoghurt is recommended up to age 2. A low-fat diet isn’t suitable for children under 5, so give under-5s the full-fat cheese, not the reduced-fat swap.
| Age | Fibre a day |
|---|---|
| 2 to 5 | About 15g |
| 5 to 11 | About 20g |
| 11 to 16 | About 25g |
| Adults | 30g |
Source: NHS: fibre
Most adults only get about 20g a day, and 11 to 18 year olds about 16g. Wholegrain swaps, fruit, veg and potatoes in their skins all help close the gap. See how much fibre you need a day.
Children under 11 need even less salt than adults, so cook without it and let adults add their own.
How much fat, salt and sugar is too much?
Most people in the UK eat too much saturated fat, sugar and salt. They also don’t get enough fruit, veg, oily fish or fibre. These are the NHS daily limits for adults.
| What | No more than | Where it hides |
|---|---|---|
| Salt | 6g a day, about a teaspoon (also for children 11 and over) | Bread, breakfast cereals, soups and sauces |
| Saturated fat | 30g a day for men, 20g for women, on average | Butter, hard cheese, sausages, cakes, biscuits and pies |
| Fruit juice and smoothies | 150ml a day in total, a small glass | Juice, smoothies and juice drinks |
Source: NHS: 8 tips for healthy eating
You can’t see salt in bought food. About three-quarters of the salt you eat is already in it when you buy it.
So check the label. More than 1.5g of salt per 100g is high. More than 22.5g of sugars per 100g is high, and 5g or less is low.
For sugar in more detail, see how much sugar a day.
How do I keep a healthy eating plan going?
Plan the week once, then let the list and the freezer do the work.
Six habits that keep the week on track
- Write the week’s dinners before you shop, and buy what’s on the list.
- Cook a double batch twice a week, and eat the rest for lunch.
- Keep frozen veg and tinned beans in, as both count towards your 5 A Day.
- Cook with a small amount of vegetable or olive oil instead of butter.
- Check labels: more than 1.5g of salt per 100g is high.
- Drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day, such as water, lower fat milk, tea or coffee.
Sources: NHS: 8 tips for healthy eating; NHS: 5 A Day
Training a lot? The same balance applies. You may just need more food.
On average, women need around 2,000 calories a day and men around 2,500. How much you need depends on lots of things, including how active you are.
For training, see how much protein you need a day. Trying to lose weight? Use the weight loss meal plan instead.
When to speak to a GP
Have special dietary needs or a medical condition? A registered dietitian (a qualified food and diet expert) can help you adapt the Eatwell Guide. See a GP if:
- You’ve lost a lot of weight without trying over the last 3 to 6 months. The NHS lists this as a sign of malnutrition, which means not getting enough nutrients.
- You’ve lost interest in eating and drinking, feel tired all the time or weak, or get ill often and take a long time to recover.
- You’re worried a child or older person in your care may not be getting enough to eat, or a child isn’t growing or gaining weight as expected.
- You worry a lot about your weight or shape, eat very little, have strict food routines, exercise too much, or make yourself sick or take laxatives after eating. These can be signs of an eating disorder, so see a GP as soon as you can.
You can also talk in confidence to the eating disorder charity Beat on 0808 801 0677.