The food and beverages we eat and drink (our diet) play an important role in our overall health and wellbeing. Diets that provide insufficient or excessive amounts of energy, nutrients and other components can result in ill health. Healthy eating is not only important for our mental health and wellbeing. Other health conditions that are often affected by our diet include overweight and obesity, coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, some forms of cancer and type 2 diabetes, and poor general health can impact on mental health and wellbeing.

The following recommendations are from the Australian Dietary Guidelines. These recommended serves are for adults, and vary for children or pregnant or breastfeeding women. You don’t need to eat from each food group at every meal – just over the course of the day. You can use the average number of serves calculator to work out what’s right for you.

  • Fruit

    Try to eat at least 2 serves of fruit per day.

  • Vegetables

    Try to eat at least 5 serves of vegetables per day.

  • Grains

    Try to eat 4 to 6 serves of grains per day, including bread, cereal, rice, pasta, noodles, barley, semolina, polenta, bulgur or quinoa.

  • Dairy

    Try to have 2.5 to 4 serves of dairy or alternatives per day, including milk, yoghurt, cheese.

  • Protein

    Try to eat 2 to 3 serves of meat, fish, poultry, eggs, tofu, nuts, seeds, legumes or beans per day.

  • Water

    Drink plenty of tap water during the day. Staying well hydrated is essential to good health.

  • Junk food

    Limit intake of foods containing saturated fat, added salt, added sugars and alcohol.