How to use the Food Pyramid

The Food Pyramid balances foods in the amounts needed to make sure that you get all the energy and vitality that you need.

You can see at a glance that most of your food should come from the breads cereals and potatoes shelf and from the fruit and vegetables shelf. Fats, biscuits, cakes, confectionary and high fat food snacks can be enjoyed as part of a healthy eating plan, but in limited amounts.

Choosing foods from each shelf in the food pyramid in the correct amounts will provide you with the balance of energy, protein vitamins and minerals you need each day. The more active you are, the higher your energy needs will be. Energy should come from the breads, cereals and potatoes shelf, and from the fruit and vegetable shelf.

Foods that contain similar nourishment are grouped together and can be interchanged. This allows you flexibility of choice, and provides the variety you need for good health. If your children are not great vegetable eaters – don’t worry: try raw vegetables – and offer them more fruit instead – plenty of variety is the key to getting the balance right!
Amounts to eat from each shelf of the pyramid