It’s important that we all eat a healthy, balanced diet and get enough fluids every day to stay hydrated. Take a moment during Nutrition and Hydration Week, 17-23 March, to find out how you can stay healthy and how you can help others.
Healthy eating plays an important role in our health and wellbeing. Ensuring we have a balanced diet can improve outcomes for a range of health issues including decreasing your likelihood of cardiovascular disease and improving mental wellbeing. This means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
Get more information and guidance from the NHS about eating a healthy, balanced diet.
Fruit and veg snacks are always the best choice for children, but if the kids are having packaged snacks, just remember to aim for a maximum of two a day.
Find out how to provide healthier, affordable snacks for kids.
Download the free NHS Food Scanner app from the App Store or Google Play to scan your family’s favourite products to reveal a range of healthier swaps for the next time you shop.
If you have special dietary needs or a medical condition you should ask your doctor or a registered dietitian for advice.
Water is a healthy and cheap choice to keep you hydrated and has many benefits such as:
- boosting your immune system
- helping you maintain healthy skin
- helping you to focus, concentrate, and stay fresh and alert.
Other drinks can also count towards your fluid intake, and we also get some fluids from the foods we eat.
Most people should aim to drink six to eight cups or glasses of fluid a day. Water, lower-fat milk and sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count. The best drinks to give children are water and milk. Fizzy drinks, squash and juice drinks can contain high levels of hidden sugars.