Guidance

The Eatwell Guide: how to use in promotional material

Updated 2 January 2024

1. About the Eatwell Guide

The Eatwell Guide, defines the government’s advice on healthy eating and is a visual representation of how different foods contribute towards a healthy balanced diet. The size of the segments for each of the food groups is consistent with government recommendations for a diet that would provide all the nutrients required for a healthy adult or child (over the age of 5).

The Eatwell Guide shows the proportions of the main food groups that form a healthy, balanced diet:

• eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day
• base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates, choosing wholegrain versions where possible
• have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks); choosing lower fat and lower sugar options
• eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish every week, 1 of which should be oily)
• choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat in small amounts
• drink 6 to 8 cups/glasses of fluid a day

If consuming foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar have these less often and in small amounts.

Find out more about choosing a healthy diet on the NHS Choices website.

2. The Eatwell Guide resources

• Eatwell Guide PDF
• Eatwell Guide JPEG
• Eatwell Guide greyscale version
• Eatwell Guide booklet

3. Guidelines for using the Eatwell Guide

The Eatwell Guide is not meant to represent the balance required in any one specific meal or over a particular timescale, rather it represents the overall balance of a healthy diet.

The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) (previously Public Health England) encourages organisations and individuals to use the Eatwell Guide to make sure everyone receives consistent messages about the balance of foods in a healthy diet.

The Eatwell Guide should be used appropriately within the context of government healthy eating messaging as outlined in this guidance. The Eatwell Guide and/or the OHID name or logo should not be used as a form of endorsement for a product(s) and/or organisation.

4. Using the Eatwell Guide as a model for healthy eating

The Eatwell Guide does not include references to frequency of serving and recommended portion sizes, with the exception of:

• fruit and vegetables: at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables a day
• fish: eat 2 portions a week, 1 of which should be oily
• red and processed meat: limit to less than 70g per day if you usually consume more than 90g every day

This is consistent with government advice and is in accordance with the available evidence.

The Eatwell Guide is intended as a tool suitable for use with most adults, and therefore it would be misleading to include specific frequency or proportion advice when people have individual requirements. However, registered dietitians, who work with individuals, should still tailor their advice in consultations based upon the individual’s current diet and food preferences.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are not a replacement for good eating habits. Most people can get all the nutrients their body needs by choosing a variety of foods across the five main food groups, in the proportions shown in the Eatwell Guide. Some people need certain supplements, for which there are government recommendations. With the exception of these, vitamin and mineral supplements should not be referred to in conjunction with the Eatwell Guide. Find out more about vital vitamins on the NHS Choices website.

Much of the food people eat is in the form of dishes or meals with more than one kind of food component in them. For example, pizzas, casseroles, pies, lasagne, spaghetti bolognese and sandwiches are all made with ingredients from more than one food group. These are often called ‘combination’ or ‘composite’ foods. To make healthy choices, people will need to identify the main food items or ingredients in combination foods and think about how these fit with the proportions shown in the Eatwell Guide.

5. Reproducing the Eatwell Guide graphic

You should use the accurate Eatwell Guide title, food group proportions, headings, colours and healthy eating messages as provided below. When you use the guide graphic, please do not change it. You can download a jpeg of the Eatwell Guide as provided in this publication.

5.1 Title:

Eatwell Guide

5.2 Subheading:

Use the Eatwell Guide to help you get a balance of healthier and more sustainable food. It shows how much of what you eat overall should come from each food group.

5.3 Segment proportions

Split into 5 segments to represent the 5 food groups as follows:

• potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrate foods: 38 %
• fruit and vegetables: 40 %
• dairy and alternatives: 8%
• beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other protein: 12 %
• oils and spreads: 1%

This adds up to 99% due to rounding up.

Segment proportions should remain as specified and in the positions illustrated on the guide graphic.

5.4 Colours

The colours used for each segment and the edges of each segment are included below:

• outer yellow: C0 M5 Y100 K0 R255 G230 B0
• inner yellow: C0 M32 Y100 K0 R234 G171 B0
• outer purple: C80 M96 Y26 K13 R83 G45 B109
• inner purple: C80 M96 Y26 K13 R83 G45 B109 (at 40%)
• outer blue: C100 M52 Y2 K15 R0 G84 B159
• inner blue: C100 M52 Y2 K15 R0 G84 B159 (at 60%)
• outer pink: C17 M100 Y65 K4 R197 G26 B74
• inner pink: C17 M100 Y65 K4 R197 G26 B74 (at 40%)
• outer green: C85 M10 Y100 K10 R0 G148 B68
• inner green: C85 M10 Y100 K10 R0 G148 B68 (at 60%)

5.5 Additional supporting messages

You can use the following Eatwell Guide tips to support the graphic.

The Eatwell Guide shows how much of what you eat should come from each food group. This includes everything you eat and drink during the day.

So, try to:

• eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day
• base meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohydrates; choosing wholegrain versions where possible
• have some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks); choosing lower fat and lower sugar options
• eat some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 portions of fish every week, one of which should be oily)
• choose unsaturated oils and spreads and eat in small amounts
• drink 6 to 8 cups/glasses of fluid a day

If consuming foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar have these less often and in small amounts.

In addition to use of the Eatwell Guide tips above and the supporting healthy eating messages, please consider using wider government healthy eating messages as found in the 8 tips for eating well on the NHS Choices website.

6. Copyright and licensing

The Eatwell Guide graphic is subject to Crown copyright protection, which is covered by an Open Government Licence. Under the terms of the licence, you may use and reuse the Eatwell Guide graphic and surrounding text free of charge in any format or medium.

The Eatwell Guide must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the following statement included to identify the source:

OHID in association with the Welsh government, Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland.