Healthy eating
Eat well without a named diet
You don't need a plan with a brand name to eat well. A few habits, repeated most days, do most of the work.
Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit, a quarter with protein such as fish, chicken, eggs, beans or tofu, and a quarter with whole grains or potatoes. Cook with olive or rapeseed oil, drink mostly water, and keep sugary drinks, processed meat and salty snacks for now and then.
Build your plate
The Harvard Healthy Eating Plate is a handy picture to keep in mind. It isn't strict. It just nudges the balance of each meal.
- Vegetables and fruit, half the plate. The NHS suggests at least five portions a day. A portion is about 80 g, roughly a handful. Frozen peas, tinned tomatoes and a bag of spinach all count.
- Protein, a quarter. Eggs, fish, chicken, Greek yogurt, lentils, beans or tofu. Protein keeps you full for longer.
- Whole grains or starchy foods, a quarter. Brown rice, oats, wholemeal bread, whole-wheat pasta or potatoes with the skin on. These bring fibre. UK guidance suggests 30 g of fibre a day, and most people get far less.
- Healthy fats, a little. A drizzle of olive oil, a small handful of nuts, some avocado or oily fish like salmon or sardines.
What to eat less of
Added sugar: the WHO suggests keeping it under 10% of your daily energy, and ideally under 5%. The AHA puts that at about 6 teaspoons (25 g) a day for women and 9 teaspoons (36 g) for men. One can of regular cola has more than that lower amount on its own.
Salt: most of it comes from bread, cheese, ham, bacon, soups, sauces and takeaways. UK adults are advised to have no more than 6 g of salt a day, about a teaspoon.
Processed meat such as bacon, ham, salami and hot dogs is best kept to an occasional food. So are pastries, biscuits and fried snacks, which are easy to overeat.
A simple day of meals
- Breakfast: porridge made with milk, topped with a sliced banana and a spoon of peanut butter.
- Lunch: wholemeal wrap with hummus, chicken or chickpeas, grated carrot and salad leaves, plus an apple.
- Snack: plain yogurt with berries, or a small handful of almonds.
- Dinner: salmon or a bean stew, roasted potatoes and a big pile of broccoli and peppers.
- Drinks: water, tea or coffee. The NHS suggests 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day.
Make it easy
Most food choices happen when you are tired and hungry, so set things up in advance. Keep frozen vegetables, tinned beans and fish, eggs, oats and a few spices in the house. Cook double at dinner and eat the rest for lunch. Put fruit where you can see it. None of this needs willpower, just a bit of shopping.
Leave room for the foods you love. A slice of birthday cake or a Friday takeaway won't undo a good week. Diet quality is about your overall pattern, not any single meal.
Guides and terms
Healthy eating basics
A fuller walk-through of meals, portions and shopping.
Read more →Mediterranean diet
The closest named diet to these basics, with a bit more olive oil.
Read more →DASH diet
The same idea with daily servings and a salt limit.
Read more →Plant-based diets
Ways to eat more beans, lentils and vegetables.
Read more →Diet quality
Why your overall pattern matters more than one food.
Read more →Added sugar
What counts, where it hides and daily limits.
Read more →Macronutrients
Carbs, protein and fat in plain terms.
Read more →Glycemic index
Why oats and white bread hit your blood sugar differently.
Read more →Diet or lifestyle change?
What separates a short-term diet from a lasting habit.
Read more →Is there one best diet?
Why good eating looks similar across most healthy diets.
Read more →Common questions
What does a balanced diet look like?
Roughly half your plate vegetables and fruit, a quarter protein and a quarter whole grains or potatoes, with a little healthy fat. Across the day that means at least five portions of fruit and vegetables, some fibre-rich starch at each meal, and water as your main drink.
Can I eat healthily on a budget?
Yes. Oats, eggs, tinned beans and lentils, frozen vegetables, bananas, carrots, cabbage and tinned fish are some of the cheapest foods in the shop and among the most nutritious. Cooking in batches cuts the cost further.
Is it OK to eat treats if I am eating healthily?
Yes. What matters is your usual pattern. A dessert a few times a week or a takeaway at the weekend fits fine if most of your meals follow the basics.