Prioritising healthy eating is an investment in your health now and in the future. Like physical activity, the food choices that you make each day add up over time. Choosing a wide variety of nutritious foods every day from the Australian Dietary Guidelines five food groups, along with drinking plenty of water will help you to stay healthy and reduce the risk of disease.
Why is it important to eat well?
The nutrients you consume through food and beverages (including proteins, minerals, and vitamins) are essential for maintaining good health. Your diet significantly impacts your health and wellbeing throughout all stages of life.
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommend eating a wide variety of nutritious foods from each of the the five food groups everyday, in recommended amounts. Did you know that only 1 in 13 adults eats enough fruit and vegetables? With a little bit of planning, you can start incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your and your families diets.
Eating well can:
- Contribute to quality of life
- Help to maintain healthy body weight
- Protect against infection
- Reduce risk of chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some forms of cancer
- Reduce the risk of premature death
Tips for Healthy Eating
- Make a plan of meals that are healthy and realistic for you to prepare each week.
- Write our your list of groceries on your phone or in the supermarket app
- Stock up with healthy, minimally processed ingredients for the week to make preparing meals easy when you are short of time.
- Use what groceries you have in the fridge and utilise frozen fruit and vegetables.
- Take advantage of what is in season and visit your local farmers markets.
- Prepare meals ahead of time and freeze left overs to save time later.
- Ensure you prepare yours and your families meals and lunchboxes ahead of time.
- Start the day with breakfast based on wholegrain cereal or bread, low fat milk or yoghurt, eggs, fruit and vegetables before you leave the house.
- Make it part of your routine to eat family dinners at the table or take your meals outside and enjoy on the deck or grass with no distractions.
Simple Steps to Healthier Eating
Health and Wellbeing Queensland Recipes
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Australian Dietary Guidelines
Explore posters, brochures, and media resources, learn about implementing the guidelines, discover tips for healthy eating, access recipes, ensure food safety, and utilise Eat for Health calculators.