Tips for healthy eating

Healthy eating can feel overwhelming, so start by making one or two small changes a week and build up from there.

There are lots of ways to eat fewer discretionary foods by swapping them for foods from the five food groups, eating more mindfully, planning for eating out, and limiting portion sizes.

• Drink plenty of water and infuse fruits and herbs such as lemon slices, mint, cucumber slices, and orange slices, instead of sugary drinks.
• Don’t add sugar to cereal, tea, coffee and other drinks. To make it easier, try reducing the amount of sugar you add gradually, or try other natural sweeteners such as fruit or yoghurt on cereal instead.
• For snack ideas, try unsweetened yoghurt, fresh fruit or a small handful of unsalted nuts instead of grabbing a biscuit, cake, lollies or chocolate.
• When shopping, check food labels for the sugar content of the product (look for products with less than 15g sugar per 100g), and look for ‘no added sugar’ alternatives.
• If you choose a discretionary food, choose them only sometimes and in small amounts. They include high-sugar processed foods and drinks such as lollies, chocolates, soft drinks, energy and sports drinks, fruit drinks, cordials, as well as cakes, biscuits and ice creams.

• Avoid adding salt to cooking and at the table.
• Use smaller amounts of high salt ingredients such as sauces and try using herbs, spices, garlic or ginger instead.
• Look for and use ‘no added salt’ or ‘reduced salt’ products when you can (for example no added salt tinned tomatoes and no added salt baked beans).
• Check food labels for the sodium content and look for ‘reduced salt/sodium’ or ‘no added salt’ products. Foods with less than 400mg per 100g are good, and less than 120mg per 100g are best.

• Swap foods high in saturated fats such as butter, cream, coconut and palm oil with foods rich in unsaturated fats such as oils, spreads, nut butters/pastes and avocado.
• Swap cream on desserts for low-fat ricotta mixed with a little apple juice, or a dollop of low-fat yoghurt.
• Swap sour cream on savoury meals for a dollop of low-fat natural, Greek or coconut yoghurt.
• Swap fatty, processed sandwich meats such as fritz, salami and mettwurst for lean turkey, chicken, beef, tuna, salmon or sardines.
• Swap fatty cuts of meat for leaner ones. Choose lean beef, lamb or pork cutlets, and trim off any visible fat on meat, and fat and skin on chicken before cooking.
• Swap deep-fried and battered meat, chicken or fish for grilled, poached, barbecued or oven-baked.
• Swap creamy dishes for tomato-based dishes, or swap cream in recipes for a tin of reduced fat or light evaporated milk.
• Swap biscuits, cakes and pastries for healthier alternatives such as a delicious fruit platter or fruit salad with plain yoghurt.

Eating mindfully can improve enjoyment of food and reduce the amount of food needed to feel satisfied.

• Eat slowly and mindfully without distractions like TV, phone or tablet
• Concentrate on how a food looks, smells, tastes and feels when eating
• Put cutlery down while chewing, or sip water during the meal, and chew well to slow the pace.

• Swap fried, crumbed or battered foods for grilled, steamed or fresh foods.
• Swap creamy or cheesy sauces for tomato or vegetable-based sauces.
• Swap a side of chips or wedges for a baked potato, mashed potato, vegetables, salad or steamed rice.
• Swap a main course for an entrée-sized meal or stop eating when comfortably full and take the leftovers home for lunch the next day.
• Choose leaner cuts of meat and trim any visible fat and skin from meat.
• Remove any skin from chicken dishes.
• Ask for the sauce, dressing or butter on the side to control how much is added.
• Add extra veggies when able to, for example if ordering eggs on toast, choose to add sides like tomato, spinach, mushroom or avocado.
• Choose fruit-based desserts or swap cream for yoghurt, sorbet or custard.
• Opt for still or sparkling water instead of sugary drinks or alcohol
• If kilojoules are shown on the menu, choose a lower kilojoule meal.