Fruit and Vegetables

5 portions a day

Fresh, frozen, juiced, tinned or dried fruit and vegetables are particularly good sources of vitamins, minerals and fibre.







Bread, other Cereals and Potatoes

5 portions a day

Base most of your meals on these starchy foods. Use wholemeal or wholegrain versions as much as possible and avoid adding lots of fat. These foods give us carbohydrates for energy, fibre, protein and some vitamins and minerals.





High Protein Foods

2-3 portions a day

Include a variety of pulses (for example beans, lentils, peas and chick peas), nuts, seeds, eggs, soya, mycoprotein (Quorn) or wheat proteins to give you plenty of protein, minerals and vitamins





Milk and Dairy Products

2-3 portions a day

Good sources of calcium, protein and some vitamins. If you are avoiding dairy foods, choose fortified soya, rice or oat drinks or make sure that you eat other foods that are high in calcium.







Fatty and Sugary Foods

0-3 portions a day

Although we need to eat some fat, we all need to eat these foods sparingly and try low fat alternatives.

I don't really ever worry about getting the right portion amounts of the various groups. I think it's easier just to eat a varied diet. But this is good to give people a starting point so they realize what kind of variety they need to eat.

Having to have an exact number of "portions" of certain foods can make some people crazy. Or obsessed. Or overwhelmed. Or frustrated.



This is a good general guideline, but doesn't need to be followed precisely each and every day to the letter.



Eat a wide variety or fruits and veggies, include other items from other food groups to round out your meals/meet your specific needs/satisfy your hunger.