A balanced diet comes down to a few habits repeated every day: fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit, eat protein and fibre at every meal, choose whole grains and unsaturated fats, drink water, and keep added sugar, salt and highly processed foods to a minimum. Those habits are shared by the World Health Organization (WHO), the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and most other national guidelines, even where they disagree on details (WHO; DGA 2025–2030).
This article turns that guidance into 100 practical nutrition tips, grouped by topic. You do not have to adopt them all. Pick two or three that fit your life, make them automatic, then come back for more.
About these tips. Each tip is based on public health guidance or research, which is linked where a claim needs support. Where guidelines disagree, we say so. This is general information, not personal medical advice; if you have a health condition, are pregnant or take regular medication, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before making big changes.
Build a balanced plate
1. Use the half-quarter-quarter plate
Fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit, a quarter with protein and a quarter with whole grains or starchy vegetables, as in Harvard's Healthy Eating Plate (Harvard Nutrition Source). It works for any cuisine without counting anything.
2. Include protein at every meal
The 2025–2030 US guidelines recommend protein at every meal. Spreading it out helps keep you full and supports muscle better than eating most of it at dinner. Our high-protein foods guide shows how much each food provides.
3. Aim for fibre at every meal too
Vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, whole grains, nuts and seeds all provide fibre. Intakes of 25 to 29 g a day are linked with lower rates of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer, and more appears to be better still (Reynolds et al., 2019).
4. Eat a variety of colours
Different colours in fruit and vegetables signal different nutrients and plant compounds. Try to get three colours on your plate at most meals.
5. Start meals with vegetables
Eating a salad, vegetable soup or a plate of raw vegetables first is an easy way to reach your vegetable target before you fill up on other foods.
6. Make water your default drink
Water has no sugar and no calories. The 2025–2030 US guidelines recommend water or unsweetened drinks with meals and snacks.
7. Plan for most of your food to be minimally processed
Base meals on foods that look like they did when they came out of the ground, the sea or the farm. The 2025–2030 US guidelines are the first to advise limiting highly processed foods by name.
8. Keep portions in proportion
Use smaller plates and bowls if you tend to overeat, and serve food in the kitchen rather than putting serving dishes on the table.
9. Do not skip meals and then overeat
Skipping meals often leads to grazing on snacks or eating a very large dinner. Regular meals make hunger easier to manage.
10. Plan snacks as mini-meals
A good snack combines protein or fat with fibre, such as an apple with peanut butter, yogurt with fruit, or hummus with carrots.
Vegetables and fruit
11. Aim for at least five portions a day
The WHO recommends at least 400 g of fruit and vegetables a day for adults, about five 80 g portions (WHO). The 2025–2030 US guidelines suggest about 3 servings of vegetables and 2 of fruit.
12. Add a vegetable to breakfast
Spinach in eggs, tomatoes on toast, or greens in a smoothie gets you a portion before lunch.
13. Keep frozen vegetables in stock
Frozen vegetables are picked and frozen at their peak, are as nutritious as fresh, and are ready in minutes. They cut waste too.
14. Use canned vegetables and beans
Canned tomatoes, beans, sweetcorn and beetroot are cheap and count towards your total. Choose no-salt-added versions, or drain and rinse them.
15. Eat whole fruit rather than juice
Whole fruit keeps its fibre and is more filling. The WHO counts the sugars in fruit juice as "free sugars", the kind it recommends limiting.
16. Keep fruit where you can see it
A bowl of fruit on the counter makes it the easy snack. Store less healthy snacks out of sight.
17. Eat leafy greens several times a week
Spinach, kale, collards and other greens are among the richest sources of folate and vitamin K. See our vitamins and minerals guide for amounts.
18. Cook vegetables gently
Steaming, microwaving and stir-frying keep more vitamin C and B vitamins than boiling vegetables for a long time in lots of water.
19. Pair vegetables with a little fat
Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble. A drizzle of olive oil, some nuts or avocado helps you absorb them.
20. Bulk up dishes with extra vegetables
Add grated carrot or courgette to sauces, extra onions and peppers to chilli, and spinach to soups. You get more vegetables without changing the recipe much.
Grains and carbohydrates
21. Make most of your grains whole grains
Whole grains keep their bran and germ and have more fibre and minerals. The 2025–2030 US guidelines recommend 2 to 4 servings of whole grains a day and limiting refined grains.
22. Check that "whole" comes first
On bread, cereal and crackers, look for "whole wheat", "whole grain" or "wholemeal" as the first ingredient. "Multigrain" or "wheat bread" can be mostly refined flour.
23. Swap white rice for brown rice, barley or quinoa some days
Mixing half white and half brown rice is a gentle way to start if your family prefers white rice.
24. Choose plain oats over sweetened cereals
Plain oats contain beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that helps lower LDL cholesterol. Many breakfast cereals contain lots of added sugar, so compare labels.
25. Do not fear carbohydrates
Carbohydrate quality matters more than quantity for most people. Whole grains, beans, fruit and vegetables are carbohydrate foods with strong evidence of benefit.
26. Keep starchy vegetables to a quarter of the plate
Potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn and parsnips are nutritious but count as the starch on your plate rather than the vegetable half.
27. Cook rice in plenty of water
Rice can contain inorganic arsenic. Research cited by the FDA found that cooking it in excess water and draining it lowers the amount, at the cost of some added vitamins (FDA). Varying your grains also helps.
28. Cool and store cooked grains quickly
Cooked rice and other grains should go into the fridge within two hours and be eaten within three to four days (FoodSafety.gov).
Protein
29. Know your rough protein target
The minimum for healthy adults is 0.8 g per kg of body weight a day. The 2025–2030 US guidelines suggest 1.2 to 1.6 g per kg, a higher target that some researchers consider more than most people need (Harvard Nutrition Source). People who lift weights or are losing weight benefit most from the higher end.
30. Eat fish twice a week
The FDA advises adults to eat at least 8 ounces of seafood a week, choosing lower-mercury options such as salmon, sardines, trout, cod, shrimp and canned light tuna (FDA).
31. Eat beans or lentils several times a week
Legumes provide protein, fibre, folate, iron and potassium, and they are among the cheapest foods you can buy.
32. Choose lean, unprocessed meat
If you eat meat, choose lean cuts and limit processed meats such as bacon, ham, hot dogs and salami. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies processed meat as a cause of colorectal cancer (IARC).
33. Have some meat-free days
Plant proteins and fish are linked with better long-term health than red and processed meat. Swapping some meat meals for beans, tofu or fish is an easy change.
34. Use eggs for quick protein
Eggs are cheap, fast and nutritious. One large egg provides about 6 g of protein and 27% of the Daily Value for choline (NIH ODS: Choline).
35. Use plain yogurt and cottage cheese as protein snacks
Plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese have far more protein than most snack foods. Add fruit rather than buying sweetened versions.
36. Add nuts and seeds daily
A small handful (about 30 g) of nuts or seeds a day adds protein, healthy fats, fibre and minerals.
37. Get protein from food before powders
Protein powders are dietary supplements, which the FDA does not approve before sale (FDA). If you use one, choose a product certified by an independent tester.
38. Older adults should prioritise protein
Muscle mass naturally declines with age. Regular protein at meals, together with strength exercise, helps preserve it.
Fats
39. Swap saturated fats for unsaturated fats
Replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats lowers LDL cholesterol and heart disease risk. The WHO and the 2025–2030 US guidelines both keep saturated fat under 10% of daily calories.
40. Cook with olive, canola or other vegetable oils
Extra virgin olive oil was one of the foods that cut cardiovascular events in the PREDIMED trial (Estruch et al., 2018). Canola and soybean oils provide the plant omega-3 ALA.
41. Be cautious with butter and beef tallow
The 2025–2030 US guidelines list butter and beef tallow as cooking fat options, but both are high in saturated fat, which makes the 10% limit harder to keep (Harvard Nutrition Source). Use them sparingly.
42. Avoid industrial trans fats
The WHO recommends keeping trans fat below 1% of energy. Partially hydrogenated oils are banned in the US but may still appear in some imported or older products elsewhere; check ingredient lists.
43. Eat oily fish for omega-3s
Salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring and trout are the main sources of the long-chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA (NIH ODS: Omega-3).
44. Use avocado, nuts and seeds as fats
They come with fibre, vitamins and minerals, unlike pure fats.
45. Measure oil when cooking
Oils are healthy but calorie-dense: a tablespoon has roughly 120 kcal. Measure rather than pour if you are managing your weight.
46. Limit fried and pastry foods
Deep-fried foods, pastries and many baked goods are high in fat, often saturated, and in calories. Bake, roast or air-fry instead.
Sugar
47. Cut sugar-sweetened drinks first
Soft drinks, energy drinks, sweetened teas and coffees are among the largest sources of added sugar and provide little else. The 2025–2030 US guidelines advise avoiding them.
48. Know the limits
The WHO recommends keeping free sugars under 10% of daily energy, about 50 g or 12 teaspoons for a 2,000-calorie diet, and ideally under 5% (WHO). The 2025–2030 US guidelines go further, advising against added sugars and suggesting no more than 10 g per meal if you have them.
49. Read "added sugars" on the label
US Nutrition Facts labels list added sugars separately from natural sugars, with a % Daily Value (FDA).
50. Learn sugar's other names
Sucrose, glucose, fructose, corn syrup, honey, maple syrup, agave, molasses, fruit juice concentrate and dextrose are all added sugars.
51. Buy plain and sweeten yourself
Plain yogurt, plain oats and unsweetened milk alternatives let you control the sugar. Fresh or frozen fruit, cinnamon and vanilla add sweetness.
52. Reduce sugar gradually
Taste preferences adapt. Halving the sugar in your tea or coffee for a few weeks, then halving it again, is easier than stopping all at once.
53. Keep sweets as occasional treats
Enjoy dessert, but make it a planned treat rather than a daily habit. Small portions of good-quality chocolate or cake are more satisfying than large portions of cheap ones.
54. Avoid added sugar for young children
The 2025–2030 US guidelines advise children to avoid added sugars. Early habits shape lifelong tastes.
Salt
55. Aim for less than 5 g of salt a day
That is about one teaspoon of salt, or 2,000 mg of sodium, the WHO's limit for adults (WHO). The US limit is less than 2,300 mg of sodium a day, while the average American eats about 3,400 mg (FDA).
56. Watch packaged and restaurant foods
Most sodium comes from packaged, processed and restaurant foods rather than the salt shaker. Bread, cured meats, cheese, pizza, soups, sauces and snacks are big contributors.
57. Use the 5% and 20% rule
On a Nutrition Facts label, 5% DV or less of sodium per serving is low, and 20% DV or more is high (FDA).
58. Flavour with herbs, spices, citrus and vinegar
Garlic, ginger, chilli, black pepper, herbs, lemon and vinegar add flavour without sodium.
59. Taste before you salt
Many people salt food out of habit. Taste first, then add a little if it needs it.
60. Rinse canned beans and vegetables
Draining and rinsing canned beans removes some of the sodium.
61. Use iodised salt if you salt at home
Iodised salt is an important source of iodine in many countries. The salt in processed foods is usually not iodised (NIH ODS: Iodine).
62. Eat potassium-rich foods
Potassium helps balance the effect of sodium on blood pressure. Beans, lentils, potatoes, squash, leafy greens, bananas and dried fruit are good sources. The WHO suggests at least 3,510 mg of potassium a day for adults. People with kidney disease or on certain blood-pressure medicines should ask their doctor first.
Drinks and alcohol
63. Carry a water bottle
Having water to hand makes it the easy choice. Total water needs vary with body size, activity and climate, and food provides some of it.
64. Flavour water naturally
Add slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, berries or mint, or drink plain sparkling water.
65. Watch coffee-shop drinks
Large sweetened coffees, milkshakes and smoothies can contain as much sugar as a dessert. Ask for smaller sizes and less syrup.
66. Keep caffeine moderate
For most healthy adults, up to 400 mg of caffeine a day, about two to three 12-ounce (350 ml) cups of coffee, is not associated with harmful effects. Pregnant people and children should have less (FDA).
67. Drink less alcohol, or none
The WHO's European office has stated that no level of alcohol consumption is safe for health, because alcohol causes several cancers even at low intakes (WHO Europe). The 2025–2030 US guidelines simply advise drinking less. If you drink, have alcohol-free days.
68. Alternate alcoholic drinks with water
On social occasions, alternating each drink with a glass of water slows you down and reduces the total.
69. Choose milk or fortified soy milk over sugary drinks
Milk and fortified soy milk provide protein, calcium and vitamin D. Sweetened flavoured milks contain added sugar.
70. Limit fruit juice to a small glass
If you drink juice, keep it to one small glass a day and have it with a meal.
Shopping and labels
71. Shop with a list
Planning meals for the week and shopping with a list reduces impulse buys and food waste.
72. Do not shop hungry
Shopping on an empty stomach makes high-calorie snacks more tempting.
73. Read the serving size first
All the numbers on a Nutrition Facts label refer to one serving, which may be smaller than the amount you eat (FDA).
74. Use % Daily Value to compare
Look for more fibre, vitamin D, calcium, iron and potassium, and less saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. 5% DV or less is low; 20% DV or more is high.
75. Read the ingredients list
Ingredients are listed by weight, from most to least. If sugar or refined flour comes first, the product is mostly sugar or refined flour.
76. Be sceptical of front-of-pack claims
"Natural", "multigrain", "made with real fruit" and "low fat" do not mean a product is healthy. Check the label on the back.
77. Compare similar products
Bread, cereal, yogurt, pasta sauce and soup vary hugely in sugar, salt and fibre between brands. Pick the best one in each category once, and keep buying it.
78. Buy seasonal and frozen produce to save money
Seasonal produce is usually cheaper and tastier, and frozen fruit and vegetables are good value all year.
79. Stock a healthy pantry
Keep canned beans and fish, whole grains, oats, nuts, seeds, canned tomatoes, spices and frozen vegetables so you can make a balanced meal at short notice.
80. Choose plain versions of foods
Plain yogurt, plain nuts, plain oats and plain frozen vegetables have no hidden sugar, salt or sauces.
Cooking and eating at home
81. Cook at home more often
Home cooking gives you control over ingredients, portions, salt and sugar. Even simple meals, such as eggs with vegetables and toast, count.
82. Batch-cook once or twice a week
Cook a big pot of soup, stew, chilli or grains and freeze portions. See our healthy meal ideas for options.
83. Use healthier cooking methods
Roast, bake, steam, grill, stir-fry and air-fry instead of deep-frying.
84. Follow safe food handling
Clean hands and surfaces, separate raw meat from ready-to-eat foods, cook to safe temperatures, and chill leftovers quickly (CDC).
85. Cook food to safe temperatures
Use a food thermometer: 74 °C (165 °F) for poultry, 71 °C (160 °F) for ground meat, and 63 °C (145 °F) for whole cuts and fish (FoodSafety.gov).
86. Make your own dressings and sauces
Olive oil, vinegar or lemon, mustard and herbs make a dressing with far less sugar and salt than many bottled versions.
87. Cook extra for tomorrow's lunch
Making an extra portion at dinner is the easiest form of meal prep.
88. Involve children in cooking
Children who help choose and prepare food are more willing to try it.
Eating habits
89. Eat slowly
It takes time to feel full. Putting your fork down between bites and chewing well can help you notice when you have had enough.
90. Eat without screens when you can
Eating while watching a screen makes it easier to overeat without noticing.
91. Eat with others
Shared meals tend to be more varied and are a chance to slow down.
92. Listen to hunger and fullness
Eat when you are hungry and stop when you are comfortably full, not stuffed. Hunger can be confused with thirst, tiredness or boredom.
93. Focus on patterns, not perfection
One meal or one day does not define your diet. What matters is what you eat most of the time.
94. Avoid extreme diets
Diets that cut out whole food groups or promise fast weight loss are hard to sustain and can miss important nutrients. The best diet is a healthy pattern you can keep up.
Special needs and life stages
95. Take folic acid if you could become pregnant
The CDC advises anyone who could become pregnant to take 400 mcg of folic acid daily, in addition to eating folate-rich foods, to help prevent neural tube defects (CDC).
96. Plan for vitamin B12 on a vegan diet
Vitamin B12 occurs naturally only in animal foods, so vegans need fortified foods or a supplement (NIH ODS: Vitamin B12). Adults over 50 should also get some B12 from fortified foods or supplements.
97. Think about vitamin D
Few foods contain much vitamin D. People with little sun exposure, darker skin or limited diets may need fortified foods or a supplement; ask your doctor whether to test your levels (NIH ODS: Vitamin D).
98. Use supplements to fill gaps, not replace food
Supplements can help with specific needs, such as folic acid, B12, vitamin D or iron, but they do not replace the fibre and other compounds in whole foods. Some interact with medicines, so tell your doctor or pharmacist what you take.
99. Follow fish advice in pregnancy and childhood
Pregnant and breastfeeding people should eat 8 to 12 ounces of a variety of lower-mercury seafood a week and avoid high-mercury fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and bigeye tuna (FDA).
100. Get personal advice when you need it
If you have diabetes, kidney disease, heart disease, food allergies, an eating disorder or another condition, a registered dietitian can create a plan that fits your health, culture and budget.
Where to go next
- Find the foods behind these tips in 100 healthy foods to eat every day.
- Put the tips on your plate with 101 healthy meal ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Compare protein sources in 101 high-protein foods for weight management and muscle growth.
- Look up nutrients by food in 100 foods rich in vitamins and minerals.
- Browse more articles and blogs in the food and nutrition category.
References
- "Healthy diet" fact sheet, World Health Organization (updated 26 January 2026). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Health and Human Services (January 2026). https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf
- "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030: Progress on added sugar, protein hype, saturated fat contradictions", The Nutrition Source, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (9 January 2026). https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/2026/01/09/dietary-guidelines-for-americans-2025-2030/
- "Healthy Eating Plate", The Nutrition Source, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-eating-plate/
- Reynolds A, Mann J, Cummings J and others, "Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses", The Lancet 393(10170):434–445 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31809-9
- Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvadó J and others, "Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet Supplemented with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Nuts", New England Journal of Medicine 378:e34 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1800389
- "How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label", US Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label
- "Added Sugars on the Nutrition Facts Label", US FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/added-sugars-nutrition-facts-label
- "Sodium in Your Diet", US FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium-your-diet
- "Advice about Eating Fish", US FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish
- "Arsenic in Food", US FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/arsenic-food
- "Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much?", US FDA. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much
- "Questions and Answers on Dietary Supplements", US FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/information-consumers-using-dietary-supplements/questions-and-answers-dietary-supplements
- "No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health", WHO Regional Office for Europe (4 January 2023). https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/04-01-2023-no-level-of-alcohol-consumption-is-safe-for-our-health
- "IARC Monographs evaluate consumption of red meat and processed meat", International Agency for Research on Cancer (2015). https://www.iarc.who.int/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/pr240_E.pdf
- "About Folic Acid", US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/folic-acid/about/index.html
- "Preventing Food Poisoning", US CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/prevention/index.html
- "Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart" and "Cold Food Storage Chart", FoodSafety.gov. https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/safe-minimum-internal-temperatures
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheets: Choline, Iodine, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all/