What is the government trying to suggest with the Eat Well plate?: Decoding the Eatwell Guide

October 29, 2025 •

4 min read

In 2016, the UK's Eatwell Plate was updated and renamed the Eatwell Guide to incorporate new dietary recommendations, such as reduced sugar and increased fibre intake. This government-endorsed visual tool aims to clearly show citizens what is the government trying to suggest with the Eat Well plate in terms of achieving a healthy, balanced diet.

Quick Summary

The Eatwell Guide is a UK government visual tool showing the proportions of different food groups needed for a healthy, balanced diet. It promotes eating more fruits, vegetables, and high-fibre starches while limiting foods high in fat, salt, and sugar.

Key Points

Visual Proportions: The Eatwell Guide uses segment sizes to represent the proportion of each food group for a healthy, balanced diet.
Core Food Groups: The government suggests basing meals primarily on fruits, vegetables, and high-fibre starchy carbohydrates.
Limit Discretionary Foods: Foods high in fat, salt, and sugar are placed outside the guide, indicating they should be consumed less often and in small amounts.
Promote Variety: The guide encourages selecting a wide variety of foods from each food group to ensure a broad range of nutrients.
Support Hydration: The government's advice includes drinking 6-8 glasses of fluid daily, with water and lower-fat milk being the best choices.
Updated Guidance: The Eatwell Guide replaced the older Eatwell Plate to reflect updated dietary recommendations, particularly regarding sugar and fibre.
Emphasis on Wholegrains: The government promotes choosing wholegrain or wholemeal versions of starchy foods for higher fibre intake.

Understanding the Eatwell Guide: The Government's Modern Message

The Eatwell Guide is the modern, scientifically-backed iteration of what was once known as the Eatwell Plate. Developed by Public Health England and other food standards agencies, the guide provides a simple visual representation of the food groups and their ideal proportions for a healthy, balanced diet. Its recommendations are for the diet as a whole, rather than for each individual meal. This government initiative seeks to tackle public health issues such as rising obesity and associated diseases by providing a clear, evidence-based roadmap for better nutrition.

The Five Core Food Groups Explained

The Eatwell Guide divides the foods and drinks we consume into five main groups, each represented by a coloured segment. The size of each segment corresponds to the recommended proportion of that food group in our overall diet. By following these proportions, the government suggests that individuals can achieve a nutrient-rich intake necessary for good health.

1. Fruit and Vegetables (Just Over a Third)

This segment, representing the largest portion of the plate, emphasizes the importance of consuming a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. The UK government strongly suggests aiming for at least five portions a day, derived from fresh, frozen, canned, dried, or juiced sources. This group is vital for providing essential vitamins, minerals, and fibre, which supports healthy digestion and reduces the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.

2. Potatoes, Bread, Rice, Pasta, and Other Starchy Carbohydrates (Just Over a Third)

This is the other large segment, reinforcing the message to base meals on higher-fibre, starchy foods. Recommendations include choosing wholegrain or wholemeal varieties, which contain more fibre and nutrients than their refined counterparts. These foods provide energy and are a crucial part of the diet, and the government encourages retaining skins on foods like potatoes to maximise fibre intake.

3. Beans, Pulses, Fish, Eggs, Meat, and Other Proteins (Approx. 12%)

This segment highlights protein sources essential for growth and repair. The government suggests including fish twice a week, with one portion being oily fish like salmon or mackerel. Emphasis is placed on choosing leaner cuts of meat and limiting processed meats like bacon and sausage. Beans and pulses are highlighted as low-fat, high-fibre, and cost-effective alternatives to meat.

4. Dairy and Alternatives (Approx. 8%)

Dairy and dairy alternatives are important sources of protein and calcium for strong bones. The government's advice is to choose lower-fat and lower-sugar options wherever possible. This includes alternatives like soya drinks, which should be unsweetened and calcium-fortified.

5. Oils and Spreads (Approx. 1%)

This small segment represents oils and spreads, which should be consumed sparingly. The government suggests opting for unsaturated fats from plant sources, such as olive or rapeseed oil, over saturated fats found in butter or ghee. This is to help lower cholesterol and manage weight, as all fats are high in energy.

Foods Outside the Guide: High in Fat, Salt, and Sugar

Visually represented outside the main plate, foods like cakes, biscuits, sweets, and sugary drinks are not essential for a healthy diet. The government's message is clear: these should be consumed infrequently and in small amounts. Excess consumption of these foods contributes to a high intake of fat, salt, and sugar, increasing the risk of obesity and related health problems.

Comparison: UK Eatwell Guide vs. US MyPlate

While both the UK's Eatwell Guide and the US MyPlate aim to simplify healthy eating, there are subtle differences in their approach and emphasis, largely due to differences in nutritional research and policy. The following table compares key aspects of the two models:


Feature	UK Eatwell Guide	US MyPlate
Foundation	Public Health England and NHS recommendations.	USDA and Department of Health and Human Services guidelines.
Grains Segment	Specifies starchy carbohydrates and prioritises wholegrain versions.	Simply labels as Grains, without a strong visual emphasis on whole grains.
Oil Emphasis	Includes a small segment for unsaturated oils and spreads, to be eaten sparingly.	Depicts oils outside the plate, with advice to use healthy oils.
Portion Visual	Shows proportionate food groups for an overall diet, not just a single meal.	Represents a single meal plate, with proportions for each meal.
Excluded Foods	Explicitly places high-fat, high-sugar, and high-salt foods outside the guide.	Does not visually separate 'less healthy' options; guidance is provided separately.

Practical Application and Conclusion

The government's suggestion with the Eatwell Guide is fundamentally about balance and proportion. By making over a third of your diet fruits and vegetables and another third high-fibre starchy carbohydrates, you build a solid foundation of nutrient-dense foods. The smaller segments for protein and dairy ensure adequate intake of these building blocks, while the small oil segment and separate category for discretionary foods help control fat, salt, and sugar consumption. Furthermore, the guide highlights the importance of hydration by recommending 6 to 8 glasses of fluid daily. This visual, simplified approach serves as a powerful tool for public health communication, helping individuals make more informed and healthier food choices for a better quality of life and reduced risk of chronic diseases.

For more detailed information on healthy eating and portion sizes, the official NHS website is an excellent resource: NHS Eatwell Guide.

Eight Tips for Eating Well from the NHS

Base meals on starchy foods: Choose higher-fibre and wholegrain options like wholewheat pasta and brown rice.
Eat lots of fruit and veg: Aim for at least five portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day.
Eat more fish: Include at least two portions of fish per week, with one being an oily fish.
Cut down on saturated fat and sugar: Limit foods high in fat, salt, and sugar.
Eat less salt: Keep salt intake below 6g a day for adults.
Get active and be a healthy weight: Combine healthy eating with regular physical activity.
Don't get thirsty: Drink plenty of fluids, aiming for 6-8 glasses a day.
Don't skip breakfast: Eating breakfast can help manage weight and provide energy for the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

The primary message of the Eatwell Guide is to promote a healthy, balanced diet by showing the proportions of different food groups that should be consumed over the course of a day or week.

According to the Eatwell Guide, fruits and vegetables should make up just over a third of your total food intake, with the recommendation to eat at least five portions a day.

The guide applies to most healthy people aged two and over, regardless of weight, ethnic origin, or dietary preferences. However, it does not apply to children under two, and those with special dietary or medical needs should consult a dietitian.

The government suggests that foods high in fat, salt, and sugar are not essential and should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts, which is why they are positioned outside the main Eatwell Guide graphic.

The name was changed to 'Guide' to clarify that it represents the overall balance of a diet, not necessarily a single meal. The proportions were also resized to reflect newer recommendations for reduced sugar and increased fibre.

The guide includes a specific recommendation to drink 6 to 8 cups or glasses of fluid each day. Water, lower-fat milk, and sugar-free drinks are all counted.

The Eatwell Guide is the primary UK government-endorsed model, but different countries have their own versions. For instance, the USA uses MyPlate, and Australia has the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.