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This lesson covers the Eatwell Guide as required by AQA GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition specification 8585, section 3.2.3. The Eatwell Guide is the UK government's current model for a healthy, balanced diet. You need to understand the proportions of each food group, how to use it for meal planning, and why it was introduced as a replacement for the earlier Eatwell Plate.
The Eatwell Guide was published by Public Health England (PHE) in 2016, replacing the previous Eatwell Plate. It is a visual representation of the proportions in which different food groups should be consumed to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. The guide applies to most people over the age of two, regardless of weight, dietary restrictions, or ethnic background.
The guide is displayed as a plate divided into five unequal segments, each representing a food group. Foods and drinks that are high in fat, sugar, or salt sit outside the main plate, indicating they should be consumed only in small amounts and not as part of every meal.
Exam Tip: Make sure you can name all five food groups in the Eatwell Guide and state the approximate proportion each should contribute to the diet. This is a very commonly examined topic.
| Food Group | Approximate Proportion | Key Nutrients Provided | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit and vegetables | About 39% (just over a third) | Vitamins (A, C), minerals (potassium), fibre, water | Apples, broccoli, carrots, peppers, oranges, frozen peas |
| Starchy carbohydrates | About 37% (just over a third) | Carbohydrate (starch), fibre, B vitamins, iron, calcium | Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, cereals — choose wholegrain where possible |
| Proteins | About 12% | Protein, iron, zinc, B vitamins, omega-3 (oily fish) | Beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat — aim for two portions of fish per week (one oily) |
| Dairy and alternatives | About 8% | Calcium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin B12 | Milk, cheese, yoghurt, soya alternatives — choose lower-fat and lower-sugar options |
| Oils and spreads | About 1% | Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), essential fatty acids | Unsaturated oils (olive, rapeseed, sunflower), low-fat spreads — use sparingly |
Foods and drinks high in fat, sugar, or salt — such as crisps, chocolate, biscuits, cakes, ice cream, sugary drinks, and butter — are shown outside the main plate. These should be eaten infrequently and in small amounts. They are not required for a balanced diet.
Exam Tip: The Eatwell Guide does not ban any food. It shows that high-fat, high-sugar foods should be consumed less often and in smaller portions, not eliminated entirely. This is a common misconception in exam answers.
graph TD
A["Eatwell Guide"] --> B["Fruit & Vegetables<br/>≈ 39%"]
A --> C["Starchy Carbohydrates<br/>≈ 37%"]
A --> D["Proteins<br/>≈ 12%"]
A --> E["Dairy & Alternatives<br/>≈ 8%"]
A --> F["Oils & Spreads<br/>≈ 1%"]
A -.-> G["High Fat / Sugar / Salt<br/>(outside the guide — eat less often)"]
style A fill:#2c3e50,color:#fff
style B fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
style C fill:#f39c12,color:#fff
style D fill:#8e44ad,color:#fff
style E fill:#2980b9,color:#fff
style F fill:#e67e22,color:#fff
style G fill:#e74c3c,color:#fff
A portion of fruit or vegetables is roughly 80 g (or one handful for an adult). Here are some practical examples:
| Food | One Portion |
|---|---|
| Fresh fruit (apple, banana, orange) | 1 medium piece |
| Small fruits (grapes, strawberries) | A cupped handful (about 80 g) |
| Dried fruit (raisins, apricots) | 30 g (about 1 heaped tablespoon) |
| Vegetables (broccoli, carrots) | 3 heaped tablespoons (about 80 g) |
| Tinned or frozen fruit/veg | Same weight as fresh (80 g) |
| Fruit juice or smoothie | 150 ml (counts once only) |
| Beans and pulses | 3 heaped tablespoons (counts once only) |
Exam Tip: Potatoes do not count as one of your 5 A Day because they are classified as starchy carbohydrates. However, sweet potatoes, parsnips, swedes, and turnips do count.
When planning meals for a day, you should ensure:
| Meal | Example | Food Groups Covered |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Porridge with semi-skimmed milk and sliced banana | Starchy carbs, dairy, fruit |
| Snack | Apple and a small pot of yoghurt | Fruit, dairy |
| Lunch | Wholemeal pitta with hummus, mixed salad, and a glass of water | Starchy carbs, protein, vegetables |
| Snack | Carrot sticks with a small handful of nuts | Vegetables, protein |
| Dinner | Grilled salmon fillet, brown rice, steamed broccoli and peppers, olive oil dressing | Protein, starchy carbs, vegetables, oils |
While the Eatwell Guide is a useful tool, it does have limitations:
| Feature | Eatwell Plate (old) | Eatwell Guide (current, 2016) |
|---|---|---|
| Visual format | Circular plate | Plate with additional messages around the outside |
| Food groups | 5 food groups | 5 food groups (same structure) |
| High-fat/sugar foods | Included as a segment on the plate | Moved outside the plate |
| Hydration advice | Not shown | Shown — 6–8 glasses per day |
| Oil and spreads | Part of fat/sugar segment | Separate segment (1%) |
| Portion guidance | Limited | More detailed, with additional notes |
Exam Tip: When asked to evaluate a meal plan, always refer back to the Eatwell Guide. Check whether each food group is represented in the correct proportions and suggest specific improvements with reasons (e.g. "Add a portion of oily fish to increase omega-3 fatty acid intake for heart health").
Jack, a 30-year-old office worker, records his intake for one day. We will evaluate whether it matches the Eatwell Guide and suggest improvements. His RI for energy is around 2500 kcal, with proportions approximately 39% fruit/veg, 37% starchy carbs, 12% protein, 8% dairy, 1% oils, and very little from high-fat/sugar/salt foods.
Breakfast (approx 450 kcal)
- 2 slices white toast with butter and strawberry jam
- 1 mug instant coffee with whole milk and 2 teaspoons sugar
Mid-morning (approx 250 kcal)
- 1 chocolate bar
- 1 fizzy drink (330 ml)
Lunch (approx 950 kcal)
- Cheese and ham baguette (white)
- Packet of salted crisps
- 1 medium chocolate brownie
- 500 ml bottle of cola
Afternoon (approx 150 kcal)
- Slice of cake from the office
Evening meal (approx 900 kcal)
- Sausages (2) with mashed potato and gravy
- Small portion of peas
- Glass of red wine
- Ice cream for dessert
Total: approximately 2700 kcal
Fruit and vegetables. Peas are his only vegetable — perhaps 1 portion (80 g). Target is 5 A Day. This is a major shortfall. Starchy carbohydrates. White bread, white baguette, and mashed potato are present, but all refined — little wholegrain and minimal fibre (estimated 12 g vs 30 g target). Proteins. Ham, cheese, sausages — all processed and high in saturated fat and salt. No fish, beans, or pulses. No oily fish (target is one portion per week). Dairy. Whole milk in coffee, cheese in baguette, ice cream — whole-fat and mostly discretionary. Eatwell recommends lower-fat choices. Oils and spreads. Butter used — saturated. No unsaturated oils featured. Outside the guide. Chocolate bar, crisps, brownie, fizzy drinks, cake, wine, ice cream — the diet is dominated by high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt foods.
Summary of shortfalls. Free sugars well above 30 g target (likely >100 g); fibre below target; saturated fat likely >15% of energy (target <11%); salt likely >6 g. Improvements: swap white toast for 2 slices wholemeal with a banana and low-fat yoghurt; replace the chocolate bar and fizzy drink with an apple and water; swap the baguette for a wholemeal tuna and salad wrap with salad and 1 orange; swap cake for a small pot of fruit; swap sausages for grilled chicken or salmon with boiled potatoes, broccoli, and carrots; fruit instead of ice cream. Revised intake would hit 5-a-day, include oily fish, use wholegrains, and cut free sugars and saturated fat to within guidelines.
Common misconception: "The Eatwell Guide says you have to eat 5 portions of different fruits and vegetables every single day."
The 5 A Day recommendation is the total number of portions — it does not specify that each must be a different type, although variety is encouraged for a broader range of vitamins and minerals. A portion is 80 g of fresh, frozen, canned, or dried fruit or vegetables, or 30 g of dried fruit. Fruit juice counts only once, regardless of how much you drink, and the same applies to beans and pulses because their nutrient content is narrower. Potatoes do not count — they sit in the starchy carbohydrate group. Equally, the Eatwell Guide does not ban any food; it simply places high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt foods outside the main plate, indicating they should be consumed less often and in smaller portions.
Exam question (6 marks): Describe the Eatwell Guide and explain how following it contributes to a balanced, healthy diet. Refer to specific food groups and proportions.
Grade 3–4 response (approximately 2 marks). "The Eatwell Guide is a plate with different foods on it. You should eat lots of fruit and vegetables and not too many chocolates or cakes. It helps you be healthy because it tells you what to eat." This response identifies the guide as visual and mentions one food group, but does not name proportions, other food groups, or health mechanisms.
Grade 5–6 response (approximately 4 marks). "The Eatwell Guide is a visual model showing the proportions of the five food groups. Fruit and vegetables make up about a third of the plate, starchy carbohydrates about a third, protein around 12%, dairy around 8%, and oils and spreads just 1%. Foods high in fat, sugar, and salt are outside the plate and should be eaten less often. Following the guide helps provide a balanced intake of vitamins, minerals, fibre, and energy, which supports health and reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes." This response names all five groups with roughly correct proportions and begins linking to disease, but does not give specific food examples or DRVs.
Grade 7–9 response (approximately 6 marks). "The Eatwell Guide (Public Health England, 2016) is the UK government's model for a balanced diet for those aged two and over. It shows five food groups as proportions of a plate: fruit and vegetables ~39% (e.g. apples, broccoli, frozen peas) providing vitamins A and C, potassium, fibre, and water — supporting 5-a-day at 80 g portions; starchy carbohydrates ~37% (bread, rice, potatoes, pasta — wholegrain preferred), providing carbohydrate, B vitamins, iron, and fibre (target ≥30 g/day); proteins ~12% (beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat — including two portions of fish per week, one oily, for omega-3); dairy and alternatives ~8% (lower-fat milk, yoghurt, cheese, or fortified soya drinks) for calcium (DRV 700 mg), protein, and B12; oils and spreads ~1% (unsaturated, e.g. olive or rapeseed oil). Foods high in fat, sugar, and salt sit outside the plate. Eight hydration tips and the reference intakes (2000 kcal women, 2500 kcal men) accompany the guide. Following it supplies all macronutrients in appropriate proportions and reduces risk of obesity (BMI ≥30), cardiovascular disease (by limiting saturated fat and salt), type 2 diabetes (by limiting free sugars and maintaining healthy weight), dental caries, and bowel cancer (through adequate fibre)." This response uses the formal source, precise proportions, names specific foods, references DRVs/RIs, and links every recommendation to a disease outcome.
This content is aligned with the AQA GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition (8585) specification, Section 2: Food, nutrition and health — Nutritional needs and health. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the official AQA specification document.