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Most people know that a healthy diet means reducing your fat and sugar intake and eating more fruit and vegetables but making changes to what you eat is not always as easy as it sounds.

Your lifestyle may mean you don't have time to make your own meals or you may not have access to healthy foods at work.

How can I make my diet healthier but still enjoy the food I like?

You may find it easier to change in small, gradual steps.  

Eating well is about having a wide variety of foods.  It doesn't have to mean completely stopping eating what you have always eaten.

What we eat can have a very positive effect on our health. Eating a well balanced diet is one of the most important actions we can take to reduce our risk of developing chronic diseases.

Eat a balanced diet with plenty of variety. Eating more of some foods and less of others can improve our health in both the short and the longer term. Here are some simple steps that will work for most people:

• Have plenty of fibre rich starchy food such as bread, rice pasta, potatoes and cereals - try to have a starchy food with each meal.
• Have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day.
• Have less foods containing large amounts of fats, especially saturated (animal) fats.
• Have moderate amounts of dairy foods and try to include lower fat options more frequently.
• Have moderate amounts of meat, fish and alternatives such as eggs, nuts and pulses.
• Have sugary foods and drinks only occasionally.
• Add less salt to food and cook more foods from scratch.
• Drink plenty water.

The difficulty is often how to include these as what you serve for a meal and what you put into your shopping basket. The Eatwell Plate provides a good picture of what a healthy balanced diet should look like.

There are groups within the population where these recommendations will not be suitable. This includes older people over the age of 75 years and children under the age of 5 years. Both these groups within the population have very different nutritional requirements than the general population. These recommendations may not be suitable for people who have to follow a therapeutic diet. If in doubt contact your healthcare professional.