How to plan balanced meals and diets using current government guidelines, the Eatwell Guide, the eight tips for healthy eating, reference intakes, and how to make healthier choices and adapt recipes.

What this dot point is asking

AQA wants you to use current UK dietary guidance, especially the Eatwell Guide and reference intakes, to plan balanced meals and to suggest practical ways of making food healthier. This is applied nutrition.

The Eatwell Guide

The five groups and their rough proportions are:

• Fruit and vegetables - about a third of the plate; aim for at least five a day.
• Starchy carbohydrates (potatoes, bread, rice, pasta) - about a third; choose wholegrain for fibre.
• Protein foods (beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins) - a smaller section; choose lean and have two portions of fish a week.
• Dairy and alternatives (milk, cheese, yoghurt or fortified plant versions) - a smaller section; choose lower-fat, lower-sugar options.
• Oils and spreads - a tiny amount; choose unsaturated.

High-fat, high-sugar and high-salt foods sit outside the main plate and should be eaten only occasionally and in small amounts. The guide also shows hydration advice (6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day) and uses per-100 g and per-portion values around the edge so it links to food labels.

The Eatwell Guide applies to most people over the age of five, but not to under-twos, who need more fat and energy for rapid growth, nor exactly to people with specific medical diets. A strong answer applies the proportions to a real plate: a plate that is half chips and a fried burger does not match the guide, whereas a plate that is a third vegetables, a third wholegrain starch and a portion of lean or plant protein does.

Dietary guidelines and reference intakes

Making healthier choices and adapting recipes

You can improve a recipe by:

• Reducing fat - grilling instead of frying, using less oil, choosing lean meat or low-fat dairy.
• Reducing salt and sugar - using herbs and spices for flavour, cutting added sugar, using fruit for sweetness.
• Increasing fibre and vegetables - using wholemeal flour or brown rice, adding pulses and extra vegetables.
• Choosing healthier methods - steaming, baking or grilling rather than deep frying.

When you adapt a recipe, justify each change against a target: reducing saturated fat lowers cardiovascular risk, cutting free sugar protects teeth and weight, lowering salt helps blood pressure, and adding fibre, fruit and vegetables improves digestion and helps meet five a day. A named swap plus its reason scores far more than a vague "make it healthier".

Try this

Q1. State the two food groups that should make up the largest proportions of the Eatwell Guide. [2 marks]

• Cue. Fruit and vegetables, and starchy carbohydrates.

Q2. Suggest two ways to reduce the fat content of a recipe. [2 marks]

• Cue. Grill or bake instead of frying, use less oil, or choose lean meat and low-fat dairy.