Special Olympics Ireland - Health Programme
Healthy
Eating
Food Pyramid
Eating a healthy diet is very important
We need to eat the right foods so that
our bodies work properly
The food pyramid helps
shows us what foods to eat
Healthy Eating
Special Olympics Ireland - Health Programme
Food Pyramid
FEW
Recommended
daily poRtions:
2
3
5+
6
top sHelF: Foods,
drinks and snacks high
in fat and/or sugar
pRotein: Meat,
fish and alternatives
daiRy: Milk,
cheese and yogurt
FRuit and
Vegetables
caRboHydR
Wholegrain
cereals, p
rice and
Top Tips for a Healthy Diet
Choose the low fat option
for dairy foods
Choose wholemeal breads,
pasta, rice and cereal
Trim all fat off meat
Don’t add salt at the table
Enjoy fresh fruit and yogurt
for a healthy dessert
Never skip meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Healthy Takeouts
Choose thin crust pizzas and add extra vegetables
Choose plain boiled rice instead of fried rice
Avoid battered dishes like sweet and
sour and choose a stir fry instead
6
The first shelf of the NS
Y
D AIL
Carbohydrates
P O R TI O
The second shelf of the
pyramid is fruit and veg
We should eat 5 portions
from this shelf everyday
A portion looks like:
5
Y
D AIL
Fruit and Vegetables
NS
pyramid is carbohydrate
We should eat 6 portions
from this shelf everyday
Examples: bread, potatoes,
cereal, pasta and rice
P O R TI O
Y
D AIL
3
NS
Dairy
P O R TI O
Protein
NS
Y
D AIL
2
The third shelf of the pyramid is dairy
We should eat 3 portions
from this shelf everyday
Examples: milk, cheese
and yogurt
P O R TI O
The fourth shelf of the
pyramid is protein
We should eat 2 portions
from this shelf everyday
Examples: meat, fish,
eggs and beans
FEW
Top Shelf
The last shelf of the pyramid is the top shelf
We should limit these foods
Examples: chocolate, crisps,
sweets and butter
PORTIO
NS
Water
NS
8
Y
D AIL
Although water is not on the
pyramid it is very important
Our bodies are made up
more than half with water
We lose water when we
sweat and go to the toilet
We must drink plenty of water
to keep our body healthy
Try to drink 8 glasses of
water everyday
P O R TI O
x8
1
Portion Size
1 Carbohydrate Portion =
1 medium
slice of bread
1/2
bagel
1 small
bowl of
cereal
1 medium
potato
3 dessert
spoons
of rice
3 dessert
spoons
of pasta
1 Fruit or Vegetable Portion =
1 medium
sized fruit
1/2 glass
juice
3 dessert spoons of
cooked vegetables
2 small
fruit
1 cereal bowl of
salad / veg soup
1 Dairy Portion =
1 matchbox
sized piece
of cheese
1 glass
of milk
125g pot
of yogurt
1 Protein Portion = a serving the size of a deck of cards of:
Produced in 2011 by Special Olympics Ireland ©