1. Today we are going to be talking about general healthy eating
Today we are going to be talking about general healthy eating. We’ll be looking at: The five food groups
The importance of eating fruit and vegetables
Water and its importance for good health
What a balanced meal looks like
Why eating a variety of foods is important

2. This poster is the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. It has been developed by the Government of Australia to help Australians select the foods needed for good health. It was updated in 2013.
It shows the different food groups and gives a guide as to how much each of these food groups should contribute to an average person’s diet over a day.
The five food groups include:
Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties
Vegetable and legume/beans
Fruit
Notice that grains, vegetables and fruit take up most of the plate
Milk, yoghurt, cheese and/or alternatives, mostly reduced fat
Lean meats, and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans
Foods on this poster have been grouped according to the type of nutrients they provide – like vitamins, minerals, fibre, protein, iron and calcium. If a variety of food is eaten from each of the food groups every day then it is likely the average person will be eating in a way that will provide them with a healthy diet. This goes a long way to preventing chronic diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
A healthy diet is also important for weight control and to role model good eating habits to children.

3. The grain food group is a good source of energy.
You will see that this group takes up a large portion of what we should eat every day. This group provides us with energy (known as carbohydrates) as well as a range of vitamins, minerals and fibre
Fibre is the part of the plant that is not completely broken down in the stomach and passes into the bowel
Fibre helps us to feel fuller for longer and
Fibre helps to speed up the removal of waste from the body – but make sure you drink plenty of water as well!
Eating fibre from wholegrains has also been shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers, such as colon cancer
There is more fibre in wholegrain foods for example brown bread and grainy bread compared to white bread, so choose wholegrain or wholemeal options where possible
Eating wholegrains reduces your risk of excessive weight gain, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
Remember to eat a variety of grains – if all you eat is wheat bread, rice and wheat pasta – then you are only eating two grains (wheat and rice). Look out for products made with different grains like, rye, corn and barley.

4. Vegetables and legumes/beans also take up a large portion of the plate.
Aim for five serves of vegetables each day – we will disucss what a serve looks like a little later.
Vegetables include different parts of the plant such as the roots, stems and leaves
Legumes (or pulses) are the seeds of plants and provide us with protein, iron and zinc
Examples of legumes include peas, beans, lentils and chick peas
Technically some vegetables should be classified as fruit – like tomatoes – but they have been grouped according to the way most people eat them in Australia – savoury dishes
The vegetable group is particularly important because it is low in kilojoules (or energy) and full of vitamins and fibre. Eat more than five serves if you want to, with the exception of potatoes. Including extra potato in your diet will depend on how much energy you expend.
Different coloured vegetables provide different health benefits
Plant foods contain compounds called phytochemicals that give the plant its colour and flavour and also provide the plant with protection from pests and disease – and these same compounds have been found to be of benefit to human health as well;
For example – dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and bok choy, broccoli and cabbage have been shown to reduce the risk of certain cancers
Different coloured vegetables provide different benefits.
So it’s a good idea to include a variety of different coloured vegetables on your plate every day.

5. Fruit is another important food group – and you’ll notice it’s not quite as large as the vegetable group. Aim for two serves of fruit each day – we will disucss what a serve looks like a little later.
This group includes whole fresh fruit, as well as canned and frozen.
Similar to vegetables, there are a large variety of fruits and different coloured fruits provide different benefits
Fruit also contains fibre - eat fruit with the skin on where possible for extra fibre
Choose canned fruit in natural juice – not syrup
Eating fruit every day reduces your risk of heart disease and some cancers.
You will notice that fruit juice and dried fruit are not on the poster.
Occasionally a small serve of dried fruit or fruit juice without added sugar can be substituted for whole fruit (but not every day)
It takes several pieces of fruit to make a glass of juice – up to four oranges to make a glass of juice; however it is unlikely you would eat four oranges in one sitting. This means you can drink a lot of kilojoules very easily.
Fruit juice is also very acidic and too much may damage teeth.
If you choose to drink juice, keep the serve size small.
Dried fruit can add variety to your diet. However, like fruit juice, dried fruit is easy to over-do
How many dried sultanas can you eat in one sitting? Remember each sultana is equivalent to one whole grape!
Dried fruit is also very sticky – and can contribute to tooth decay (whole fruit does not have the same effect on teeth)
Keep the serve size of dried fruit small.

6. Milk, yoghurt and cheese or alternatives should be eaten every day – mostly reduced fat
Foods from this group are high in calcium, which is important for our bones and teeth and may protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
For those people who don’t drink cow’s milk – there are alternatives – like soy milk. Alternative milk drinks are not a natural source of calcium – so to get the same benefit look for varieties that have calcium added – most do these days. To get enough calcium it is recommended that adults eat at least three serves from this food group each day (Women over 50 need up to 4 serves per day) A serve is one of the following:
a glass of milk (250ml)
two slices of cheese
a tub of yoghurt (3/4 cup)
So you could drink three glasses of milk or a tub of yoghurt and two slices of cheese – it’s up to you.
The fat content of foods in this group can vary quite a lot and full fat dairy milk contains saturated fat. Milk and yoghurt come in full fat, reduced fat, low fat and no fat varieties and there are also plenty of options for cheese.
To keep the fat content down (especially saturated fat) and reduce the amount of kilojoules consumed, the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating recommends most people aged 2 years and over should choose mostly reduced, low or no fat dairy options.
Cheese can also be salty, so limit full-fat cheese to 2-3 times per week.
NOTE: reduced, low or no fat milks are not suitable for children under two years of age.
Oat, rice, almond and coconut milk are not a suitable substitute for breast milk or formula for infants under 12 months of age as they do not contain sufficient protein to support growth.

7. Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes/beans take up a smaller section of the healthy plate
This group is rich in protein and iron, as well as vitamins including niacin and vitamin B12
Iron is important to make sure enough oxygen is getting to the muscles – without enough iron you may start to feel tired
Protein is important for repairing all the cells in the body.
Animal and non-animal sources are included in this group
The iron from animal sources like red meat, chicken and fish is easily absorbed by the body; however we can also get iron from non-animal sources, like eggs, nuts and legumes. Some cereals and breads also have iron added to them. This is especially important for people who don’t eat meat
The iron from non-animal sources is not easily absorbed by the body
To help your body absorb the iron from non-animal sources, these foods should be eaten with a food that contains vitamin C – this vitamin will help your body absorb the iron better (it also helps to absorb iron from animal sources). Good sources of vitamin C include capsicum, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Asian greens, tomatoes and most fruits, especially oranges.
For example – have grilled tomatoes with eggs or fruit on fortified breakfast cereal
Basically it is just another good reason to include fruit and vegetables with as many meals as you can over the day.
NOTE: You will notice that legumes/beans appear in two groups, this group as well as the vegetables group. For those people who do not eat meat, legumes/beans can provide some of the same nutrients as meat – i.e. protein and iron. If eating legumes as a substitute for meat the serve size is one cup.

8. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating shows us that fruit and vegetables make up a large part of healthy eating. We should be aiming for two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables every day. But what does a serve size look like?   
Demonstrate serving sizes using hands or objects such as the following:
1 cup =women’s fist or a tennis ball
1 tablespoon =thumb tip to first joint
½ medium potato = half a standard sized computer mouse
Fruit (1 serve = one of the following)
Medium apple (1 cup)
2 small pieces of fruit
1 cup chopped or canned fruit (in natural juice)
and occasionally
1½ tablespoons of dried fruit (e.g. sultanas)
Small glass of unsweetened juice (125ml)
Vegetables (1 serve = one of the following)
1 cup salad
½ cup cooked vegetables
½ cup legumes/beans
½ medium potato
Group discussion:
Ask participants if they are surprised by the serve size? Did they think it was more or less than that shown?
How many people think they eat five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit every day?
Does anyone have any suggestions about how to include more fruit and vegetables in their day?

9. If you don’t currently eat five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit every day. Try increasing by one serve a day. So if you currently eat two serves of vegetables, try for three serves over the next two weeks and then increase from there.
Recap participants’ ideas to include more fruit and vegetables and use the suggestions below to fill in the gaps:
Slice up fruit and serve on breakfast cereal instead of using sugar or honey, for example, bananas, strawberries, canned fruit in natural juice (drained)
Grate up apples or pears and stir through yoghurt as a snack
Mix together reduced fat milk and yoghurt with some in-season fruit to make a smoothie
Stew over-ripe fruit and serve cold with low-fat yoghurt
If you eat muffins or cake, make sure they are fruit or vegetable based
Snack on vegetable sticks with a vegetable based dip (hommus or salsa)
Add grated or diced vegetables to sauces, for example, pasta sauce
Have some meat free days. Replace all or some of the meat in recipes with legumes, for example, chickpea curry instead of chicken curry.
Remember to leave edible skins on fruit and vegetables where possible, because most of the fibre and vitamins are just under the skin!

10. The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating shows us how much of each food group we should
be eating over the day – but what does a meal look like?
This picture is a guide to what a main meal should look like on a plate:
Vegetables should make up at least half of the plate at meal times (not including potato). They are low in energy and fat and are also high in fibre
Food from the lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes group are important sources of protein and iron and should fill about a quarter of the plate
Grain foods and starchy vegetables like potatoes are a great source of energy and fibre. They should make up the other quarter of the plate
A glass of tap water is the best option to drink with meals
Fruit and dairy foods (mostly reduced fat) can be eaten with meals for example as a key ingredient in a recipe, or between meals as a snack like yoghurt and a piece of fruit.
Distribute the paper plates and textas to participants
 For those participants that want to – get them to mark up the paper plates like the picture – to remind them what a healthy balanced meal looks like.

11. What about meals that aren’t served as individual food groups?
The healthy plate model works well for meals that are served in individual parts like a roast dinner with potatoes and vegetables
For combination meals like curries and stews where food groups are mixed, it can be a bit trickier
Look at the ingredients for the whole recipe. Vegetables should make up the largest part of the meal (remember to include onions and tomatoes), and lean meats (or alternatives) and starchy foods like potatoes, rice and pasta should make up smaller amounts.
How does the model work for people with different appetites?
Children and adults need different amounts of food. For example, younger children need less food
than older children, and people who are more active need more food than those who aren’t
Keep the proportions of food the same (e.g. half vegetables, quarter protein, quarter grain food or potato), just increase or decrease the overall amount of food to suit.
What if the recipe doesn’t include all the food groups?
This model is a suggested way of eating for main meals. Some recipes won’t include each food group
Always serve vegetables on the side if they are not included in the main recipe and incorporate extra vegetables where possible like adding grated vegetables to pasta sauce
If vegetables or other food groups are not included in a main meal then try to include them elsewhere in your day.

12. We have spoken about healthy food – but what is the healthiest drink?
Water is the best drink to quench thirst
Our bodies are made up of approximately 60% water
Water helps us to digest our food and remove waste from the body
Our bodies lose water every day through sweat, going to the toilet and breathing and we need to replace the water we lose to allow our body to continue functioning.
How much water should you drink?
The amount of water you should drink varies for each person depending on their level of activity and their health
A good indicator of how much water to drink is thirst
Remember to drink extra water during warmer weather and during physical activity.
What type of water should we drink?
Tap water
The water supply in Australia is monitored closely and is safe to drink from the tap
A naturally occurring chemical called fluoride has been added to the drinking supply in very small amounts because studies have shown that it helps to protect tooth enamel (or top layer of teeth)
Tap water is cheaper than other types of drinks like soft drink, fruit drinks and even bottled water
Water is kilojoule (or energy) free which means that it won’t contribute to weight gain.

13. What about other types of water?
Filtered tap water
Some people prefer the taste of filtered water to plain tap water
Filters remove some minerals from tap water which can improve the taste
Most do not filter out fluoride, but it is worth checking with the company who installed your filter – it is preferable to drink water with added fluoride to protect teeth
Tap water – regardless of whether it is filtered or not, tap water should be boiled and cooled before giving it to babies under 6 months of age. It does not have to be boiled for any length of time – a kettle that switches off automatically is fine to use.
Bottled water
Does not currently contain fluoride
Can work out to be quite expensive
Rainwater
Most new houses have rainwater tanks
Rainwater from well-maintained tanks should be clear and odourless. There shouldn’t be any chemicals in rain water however it may contain air-borne pollutants from industrial areas
Rainwater should be boiled and cooled prior to drinking, especially for children under 5 years of age and those with low immunity for example the elderly
Rainwater does NOT contain fluoride. So if you regularly drink and cook with rainwater, you may want to speak to your dentist about an alternative source of fluoride to keep your teeth healthy and strong.

14. You may have noticed there are two more food groups at the bottom of the poster. Small amounts of unsaturated fats and oil spreads should be eaten each day (about 1 -2 tablespoons for adults). This allowance includes polyunsaturated or monounsaturated margarines, oils from nuts or seeds (olive, canola, peanut, soy, macadamia, rice bran, grapeseed, safflower, sunflower, sesame) and nut pastes.
Blended oils are not a good choice as they may contain palm oil which is high in saturated fat.
Other foods like icecream, chips, pies and pastries are not needed for good health, but they are enjoyable. These are not everyday foods – so save them as a treat every now and then.
We are almost at the end of our session, so let’s just recap what we have discussed today:
Healthy eating is about variety and eating a range of foods from each of the five food groups every day
Aim for two serves of fruit and five serves of vegetables each day – and make your plate colourful!
Use every day items to estimate serving sizes for example, our fist
Refer to the healthy plate you drew up to remember what a healthy meal looks like
Choose tap water as your main drink.
Before we finish today we have an activity to do together. Don’t worry if you get stuck because we will go through the answers together at the end.

15. How much of each food group should make up a healthy plate?
Match the food with the food group
Distribute the ‘Match the food with the food group’ and ‘How much of each food group should make up a healthy plate?’ activity sheet to participants
Explain the three activities to participants:
Activity 1- ‘Match the food with the food group’: There are nine different pictures of foods. Using the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating picture, match each food to the correct food group.
Activity 2 - ‘How much of each food group makes up a healthy plate?’ There are pictures of four different food groups and a blank healthy plate model. Choose the food group that matches each portion on the plate. For example, which food group should make up half of the plate?
Activity 3 - ‘Which is the best drink to quench thirst?’ There are four pictures of different drinks. Circle the best drink for our body
Give participants about 5 minutes to complete the activities and discuss the answers as a group
Group discussion and evaluation
What will you take away from today’s session?
Do you feel more confident that you can increase the amount of fruit and vegetables you eat in a day?
What changes, if any, do you plan to make as a result of today’s session?

16. How much of each food group should make up a healthy plate? ANSWERS
Match the food with the food group
ANSWERS
Match the food with the food group answers:
Rice and naan bread are foods from the grain food group
Chilli, lentils, eggplant and cucumber are all from the vegetables and legumes (or beans) group
Lentils appear in two groups, in this group as well as the vegetables group. For those people who do not eat meat, lentils and other legumes/beans can provide some of the same nutrients as meat – i.e. protein and iron.
Dates are from the fruit group
Cake is not included on the ‘healthy plate.’ Save it for an occasional treat
How much of each food group should make up a healthy plate? Answers:
Vegetables should make up at least half of the plate at meal times (not including potato). They are low in energy and fat and are also high in fibre
Food from the lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes group are important sources of protein and iron and should fill about a quarter of the plate
Grain foods and starchy vegetables like potatoes are a great source of energy and fibre. They should make up the other quarter of the plate
A glass of tap water is the best option to drink with meals
Fruit and dairy foods (mostly reduced fat) can be eaten with meals for example as a key ingredient in a recipe, or between meals as a snack like yoghurt and a piece of fruit.

17. What did you think of today’s session?
What do you remember most from today?
Do you think you know more about general healthy eating?
What are you going to do differently?
Group discussion – these questions may need to be asked differently depending on your participants
What will you take away from the session?
Do you feel more confident about general healthy eating and what a healthy plate looks like, after todays’ session?
What changes, if any, do you plan to make as a result of todays’ session?

18. Developed by HELPP,
Funded by SA Health, and managed by
Nutrition & Dietetics, Flinders University
Contact: Food Safety and Nutrition Branch, SA Health Tel:
or Nutrition & Dietetics, Flinders University Tel