Making smart food swaps

We all want what is best for our children and family, especially when it involves the food we consume. 

Our busy lives can make convenience foods and snacks tempting to grab. These foods are often high in sugar, salt, and fat, but finding healthier alternatives doesn’t have to be hard.

Here are a few ways we can make our day a little healthier

• It is important to minimise the added salt we all eat, including children.
• Making one or two everyday swaps can reduce the amount of sugar children are eating.
• Make your own meals so you can control the amount of salt. Pick products such as reduced sugar and salt baked beans.
• Remember to give them their ‘five a day’ fruit and veg. Fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and juiced all count.
• Young children need the energy provided by fat, which is why whole milk and full fat yoghurts are important. Once your child is two, you can gradually choose lower fat dairy options as long as your child is growing well.
• Swapping to leaner cuts of meat and using lentils and beans as a source of protein help make meat go further
• Unsaturated fats have health benefits and should form part of a healthy diet. These include oily fish, unsalted nuts, and avocado.

There are handy apps available to encourage us with smart food choices:

• NHS Food Scanner App 
• Healthier Families: Recipes 
• Healthier Families: Food Facts

Involving children in food choices using the scanner can be helpful and fun.

Where to find extra information

• Better Health: Healthier Families
• Starting Solid Foods
• Workshop: Family Food and Fun
• Living a healthy lifestyle for all the family
• Obesity in children