A meal plan is a guideline for healthy eating. It is a balanced diet and is based on daily allowances for different foods selected from the five basic food groups. The five basic food groups are:

Energy obtained during the day needs to be distributed evenly and in the correct proportion within these food groups to ensure a balanced diet. This will ensure sufficient intake of all macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). It is important to try to eat a variety of foods from each food group on a daily basis.

Foods from the same group have similar characteristics and therefore a specific quantity of a food within a single group will provide a similar amount of macronutrients. Different foods within a specific food group are therefore interchangeable, meaning that you can substitute one for another.

Food items such as salt and pepper, herbs and spices, artificial sweeteners and diet cold drinks, and Worcester, soya or tomato sauce contribute only slightly to the total energy of a diet. They may be added in moderation.

Added sugar and sugar from sweets and cold drinks have not been calculated as part of daily energy. Note that added sugar will contribute to extra energy.

You can use the meal plan as a guide to plan a balanced menu. Alter foods within each food group for day-to-day variation. For convenience, a calcium calculating column has been added to show how easy it is to meet the Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) when you follow a balanced diet.