Our 5 Top Healthy Eating Tips

(1) Aim to get 5-7 portions of fruit and veg a day

Fibre keeps our bowel habits regular, reducing constipation and helps keep us fuller for longer. 

Simple ways to boost your fibre intake include consuming 5-7 portions of fruits and vegetables per day, increasing your intake of wholegrains, and adding plant protein foods sources high in fibre into your diet, such as beans, chickpeas and lentils.

Fruit can be added as a topping to a lot of meals and snacks. Try adding it on top of porridge, cereal or yogurts. For a savoury option, try topping your wholegrain toast with some veg such as mushrooms or tomatoes or bulk up your omelet with a variety of veg.

Take your existing recipes and modify them to include more fruit and veg. For example, add blueberries to your pancake recipe or a variety or mixed veg to a pasta sauce.

(opens in a new window)Here is more information on fibre.

(2) Limit processed foods

Food processing involves any process that turns fresh food into a food product. Food is processed for a variety of reasons including, to make the food digestible, to extend the shelf life or to add vitamins and minerals back to the food (fortification).

Some processed foods contain excess saturated fat, refined sugars, salt, are calorie dense and provide little fibre. These foods should be limited to maintain a healthy diet.

Eating a variety of plant foods, limiting processed meats as much as possible and eating wholegrains are a few steps you can take to limit your processed food intake.

(3) Hydrate adequately

(opens in a new window)Here is an informative guide on hydration.

The key points to remember are:

• The average person should be drinking between 1.5-2 litres of water per day
• Always carry a refillable water bottle to ensure easy access to water
• 20-30% of the water we need comes from our food

(4) Choose healthy cooking methods

If you can, cook foods in the following ways:

• grilling
• stir frying
• air frying
• roasting or baking with minimal oil
• steam or blanch in boiling water
• microwave

These cooking methods mostly use water and steam instead of oil. Quicker cooking methods also reduce the loss of nutrients, for example grilling will better preserve heat sensitive nutrients than braising. 

(5) Organisation is key

Preparing your lunch the night before a busy day is a must. It’s one less thing to think about in the morning and saves so much time and money!

Similarly, meal prepping and bulk buying require planning but pay off majorly in the long run.