The Eatwell Plate
The eatwell plate is a nationally recoginsed healthy eating model based on the five food groups.
- Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods
- Fruit and vegetables
- Milk and dairy foods
- Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein
- Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar
The eatwell plate encourages you to choose different foods from the first four groups every day, to help ensure you obtain the wide range of nutrients your body needs to remain healthy and function properly.
Choosing a variety of foods from within each group will add to the range of nutrients you consume. Foods in the fifth group – foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar are not essential to a healthy diet.
The eatwell plate is suitable for most people including people of all ethnic origins and people who are of a healthy weight or overweight. It is also suitable for vegetarians.
However, it does not apply to children under two years of age because they have different needs.
Anyone under medical supervision or with special dietary needs might want to check with their GP, or a registered dietitian, to be clear about whether or not it is suitable for them.
For more information about the Eatwell Plate www.eatwell.gov.uk
If you visit www.eatwell.gov.uk you will also find information about:
- healthy diets at different ages and stages through life,
- food related health information e.g. obesity, diabetes etc
- food labels (including the traffic light system)
