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How to eat well

Eating a wide variety of nourishing foods gives you the energy and nutrients you need to stay healthy.

Benefits of eating healthily

Eating well helps you feel your best and can reduce your chance of developing certain diseases.

If you have children, you’re also more likely to pass on good eating habits to them.

Good eating habits can help you to have:

  • a healthier body weight
  • a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer
  • a healthy cholesterol level
  • an improved sense of wellbeing

Good eating habits can also support you to live well with health conditions, such as:

Diet, nutrition and your body

Foods are made up of nutrients. Protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals are types of nutrients.

Your body needs the right mix of nutrients to be healthy and well. This is what it means to eat a balanced diet.

Different foods contain different nutrients. Choosing a mix of foods every day will help you get to get all the nutrients you need.

Foods that contain the same types of nutrients are grouped together in the food pyramid as:

  • vegetables, salads and fruit
  • wholemeal cereals and bread, potatoes, pasta and rice
  • milk, yogurt and cheese 
  • lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts
  • fats, spreads and oils

If you do not get enough nutrients in your diet, you may be at risk of malnutrition.

Vitamins and minerals

Vitamins and minerals are nutrients your body needs in small amounts to work properly and stay healthy.

Most people should get all the nutrients they need by having a varied and balanced diet. But some people may need to take extra supplements.

More about minerals and vitamins

Healthy eating habits

How you plan and prepare your food and drinks can make a difference to your health.

Plan your eating habits using these tips:

  • Eat regular meals and snacks.
  • Plan your meals in advance - this helps you eat a variety of nutritious foods and save money by having less convenience and processed foods
  • Prepare your meals using mostly fresh ingredients and choose foods like fruits, salads and vegetables for snacks.
  • Use healthier cooking methods like grilling and steaming instead of frying or roasting with oil or fat.
  • Use the food pyramid as a guide for serving sizes.
  • Take time to enjoy your meals sitting at a table.
  • Avoid eating in front of TV or computer screens.
  • Ask your GP if the "Healthy Food Made Easy" course is available near you.
  • To limit food waste, use leftovers in meals or snacks the next day.

Make healthy choices

Use the food pyramid as a guide for the types and amounts of food you need each day.

The number of servings you need depends on:

  • your age
  • your size
  • if you are a man or a woman
  • your activity levels

The nutrition advice for babies and children aged 0 to 4 years is different to that for older children and adults.

Learn more about nutrition for babies and young children aged 0 to 4

Food pyramid for 0 to 4 year olds

Children's food pyramid 0 to 4 years - to enlarge this image on desktop, right-click and select 'open image in a new tab.’ On mobile, pinch to zoom in on the image.
Children's food pyramid 0 to 4 years

Food pyramid for people aged 5 and older

Food pyramid for 5 and over - to enlarge this image on desktop, right-click and select 'open image in a new tab.’ On mobile, pinch to zoom in on the image.
Food pyramid for 5 and over

The food pyramid overview (Video)

Vegetables, salads, fruits

Base your meals on plenty of vegetables, salads and fruits. They provide many important vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Fill half your plate with vegetables, salads or fruit at every meal. Choose a variety of colours.

Choose 5 to 7 servings a day.

Serving size

One serving size is:

  • 1 apple, orange, pear or banana
  • 2 plums, kiwis or mandarin oranges
  • 6 strawberries
  • 10 grapes
  • 16 raspberries
  • half a cup of cooked vegetables - fresh or frozen
  • 1 bowl of salad – lettuce, tomato, cucumber
  • 1 bowl of homemade vegetable soup
  • 150ml of unsweetened fruit juice

Add fresh or frozen vegetables to stir-fries, stews and curries.

Limit fruit juice to once a day with a meal and always choose unsweetened.

Wholemeal cereals and breads, potatoes, pasta and rice

Choose wholemeal and wholegrain breads, cereals, pasta and brown rice.

Wholegrain and wholemeal choices contain vitamins and fibre to help keep your digestive system healthy.

Wholemeal breads, cereals and potatoes provide the best energy for the body to work.

Choose a variety of foods from this shelf every day

Serving size

One serving size is:

  • 2 thin slices of wholemeal bread
  • 1.5 slices of wholemeal soda bread
  • 1 pitta
  • a third of a cup of dry porridge oats
  • half a cup of unsweetened muesli
  • 1 cup of flaked type breakfast cereal
  • 1 cup of cooked rice, pasta, noodles or couscous
  • 2 medium or 4 small potatoes
  • 1 cup of yam or plantain

Milk, yogurt and cheese

Choose low-fat milk, yogurt or cheese. Low-fat options have the same amount of calcium as full fat.

Choose milk and yogurt more often than cheese.

These foods provide us with protein and calcium, which is important for healthy bones and teeth.

Serving size

One serving size is:

  • 1 glass (200ml) milk
  • 1 carton (125g) yogurt
  • 1 bottle (200ml) yogurt drink
  • 2 thumbs (25g) of hard or semi‑hard cheese, such as cheddar or edam
  • 2 thumbs (25g) soft cheese, such as brie or camembert

Using milk in cereal can be a good way to reach 5 servings a day for children.

Some yogurts and yogurt drinks can have added sugar. Check the label.

If you choose dairy alternatives such as soya milk and yogurts, choose the ones that have added calcium.

Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts

Include a variety of lean meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts or beans in 2 meals per day. Choose fish up to twice a week - one of these should be oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel.

These foods provide an important source of protein. Lean red meat is also a good source of iron.

Limit how often you eat processed meats.

Use low-fat cooking methods such as grilling, baking, steaming or boiling. 

Serving size

One serving size is:

  • 50g to 75g of cooked lean beef, lamb, pork, mince or poultry (half the size of the palm of your hand)
  • 100g of cooked fish, soya or tofu
  • three quarters of a cup of beans or lentils
  • 2 eggs
  • 40g of unsalted nuts or seeds

Fats, spreads and oils

A small amount of fat is an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet. Fat is a source of essential fatty acids, which the body cannot make itself.

The main types of fat found in food are:

  • saturated fats
  • unsaturated fats

Most fats and oils contain saturated and unsaturated fats in different amounts.

Try to cut down on foods and drinks that are high in saturated fats and replace some of them with unsaturated fats.

Serving size

One serving is:

  • 1 portion pack of reduced-fat or light spread for 2 slices of bread
  • 1 teaspoon per person of rapeseed, olive, canola, sunflower or corn oil used in cooking

Food and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt

Limit foods and drinks that are high in fat, sugar and salt. Eat them occasionally, but not every day.

Choose smaller amounts or fun-size servings. Limit chips and takeaway food as much as possible. Most of these are very high in fat, salt and calories.

Choose healthy snacks such as fruit and vegetables. Drink water instead of sugary drinks.

What a healthy day looks like

Find examples of how to use the food pyramid as a daily guide for healthy eating.

Jakub, an active boy aged 5 who loves being outdoors playing with his friends

Breakfast

200ml of low-fat milk for cereal and to drink
1 cup of wholegrain cereal

Mid-morning snack

10 grapes

Lunch

75g of tuna
1 wholemeal pitta bread
2 heaped tablespoons of sweetcorn
Lettuce
150ml unsweetened orange juice

Afternoon snack

Low-fat fruit yogurt drink

Dinner

75g lean mince beef burger
200ml of low-fat milk
4 boiled small potatoes
Half a cup of peas

Evening snack

1 apple

Niamh, a very active 10-year-old, plays GAA and loves to dance

Breakfast

200ml of low-fat milk for cereal and to drink
2 wholemeal breakfast biscuits
6 strawberries

Mid-morning snack

25g of reduced-fat cheese
10 grapes

Lunch

50g of chicken
Low-fat fruit yogurt drink
2 thin slices wholemeal bread
1 small bowl of salad - cucumber, iceberg lettuce, tomato

Afternoon snack

1 apple

Dinner

75g lean mince
200ml low-fat milk
1 cup of cooked pasta
1 serving of mixed vegetables - for example, chopped carrots, onion, celery, and tinned tomatoes cooked in sauce

Evening snack

200ml of low-fat milk for cereal and to drink
1 cup of wholegrain flakes
1 banana

Matthew, a 21-year-old student

Breakfast

200ml of low-fat milk for cereal and to drink
One third of a cup porridge
2 thin slices of wholemeal toast
16 raspberries

Mid-morning snack

1 pear

Lunch

2 eggs
Low-fat yogurt
4 small slices of wholemeal soda bread
Lettuce and tomato
2 mandarin oranges

Afternoon snack

1 apple

Dinner

75g of pork
2 cups of cooked wholewheat noodles
1 serving of mixed chopped vegetables, for example, bell peppers and onions, cooked in sauce

Evening snack

200ml of low-fat milk for cereal and to drink
2 wholegrain breakfast biscuits
1 banana

Siobhán, a 30-year-old mother who is breastfeeding

Breakfast

200ml of low-fat milk for cereal and to drink
1 cup of wholegrain cereal
Orange

Mid-morning snack

1 pear

Lunch

50g of chicken
Low-fat yogurt
2 thin slices wholemeal bread
Sliced tomato and cucumber
1 banana

Afternoon snack

25g of reduced-fat cheese
6 wholegrain crackers

Dinner

50g of lean mince
Kidney beans
1 cup of cooked brown rice
Small bowl of salad with tomato, lettuce and cucumber
Chopped peppers, onion, carrot and celery cooked in sauce

Evening snack

Half a dessert spoon of peanut butter
2 thin slices of wholemeal bread

Michael, a 52-year-old office worker

Breakfast

200ml of low-fat milk for cereal and to drink
2 wholemeal breakfast biscuits
1 apple

Mid-morning snack

1 pot of low-fat natural yogurt
10 grapes

Lunch

2 eggs
Low-fat yogurt
2 thin slices wholemeal bread
Lettuce, sliced cucumber and tomato
2 mandarin oranges

Afternoon snack

2 kiwi fruits

Dinner

100g of salmon
2 medium potatoes
Half a cup of broccoli
Half a cup of carrots

Evening snack

2 thin slices wholemeal toast
1 banana

Tom, who is 67 and has recently retired

Breakfast

1 cup of cooked porridge
16 raspberries

Mid-morning snack

25g of reduced-fat cheese
4 wholegrain crackers

Lunch

50g of chicken
Wholegrain panini
Coleslaw made with low-fat mayonnaise
Tomato, lettuce and cucumber

Afternoon snack

1 pot (125g) of low-fat yogurt
10 grapes

Dinner

100g of salmon
1 cup of cooked brown rice
Sliced peppers, mushrooms, onions cooked in sauce
2 mandarin oranges

Evening snack

1 banana

Mary, an active woman aged 70

Breakfast

1 cup of cooked porridge with low-fat milk
1 thin slice of wholemeal toast
6 strawberries
150ml of unsweetened orange juice

Mid-morning snack

A handful of almonds (30g)

Lunch

75g of lean mince
25g of reduced-fat cheese
2 medium potatoes
Half a cup of green beans
Half a cup of carrots

Afternoon snack

1 pear

Dinner

Three quarters of a cup of baked beans
2 thin slices wholemeal toast
1 grilled tomato

Evening snack

Low-fat custard
Stewed apple

Tips and resources to help you eat well

Children's food pyramid: 1 to 4 year olds

Download a healthy eating booklet for adults, teenagers and children aged 5 and over (PDF, 6.4 MB, 7 pages)

Visit the safefood recipes channel on YouTube for videos to guide you in preparing a variety of healthy meals and snacks

Safefood recipes playlist (Video)

101 Square Meals recipe cookbook - safefood.net

Page last reviewed: 23 March 2023
Next review due: 23 March 2026