Food & Health Alliance

The eatwell week demonstrates how healthy eating guidelines can be used to create a balanced diet over one week. In Scotland, the principal public health tool for promoting a healthy balanced diet is the eatwell plate.  The eatwell week was designed by a team from the Department of Life Course Nutrition and Health at the University of Glasgow, and applies eatwell plate advice to provide an example of a healthy balanced diet over the course of a week.

The eatwell week highlights that increased consumption of starchy foods (such as bread, potatoes, pasta and rice) and infrequent consumption of high fat and/or sugar foods are important in achieving a healthy balanced diet. The main challenge in designing the eatwell week was in keeping salt intake below the maximum recommended salt intake of 6g/day.

In focus group testing, the style and presentation of the resource were received positively. The content of the eatwell week menu was found to be realistic and consumers found the recipes simple. It was clear however, that the resource in its current form requires further development before it can be delivered to consumers and health professionals.

This project demonstrates a menu that incorporates foods that are popular and widely consumed by adults in the UK, which meets dietary recommendations.  Development of the eatwell week supports the Scottish Government’s Obesity Route Map and Action Plan.

Charles Milne, Director, Food Standards Agency, said:  “I am excited at the prospect of this new healthy eating resource for Scotland. The eatwell week aims to help consumers to increase consumption of starchy foods and fruit & vegetables and lower their consumption of high fat and/or sugar foods."

 “We have planned a programme of work over the next year to ensure that consumers in Scotland will benefit from the eatwell week resource, which can help them to understand what a healthy balanced diet looks like.”