A VARIED DIET: YOUR MEAL CHECKLIST

Ghana can now boast of our first ever food based dietary guidelines. One of the core recommendations of the Ghana food based dietary guidelines (GFBDGs) is to eat a diverse and varied diet from the six (6) food groups every day. The six food groups are listed below;

1. Fruits (oranges, pawpaw, banana)
2. Vegetables (tomatoes, carrots, green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kontomire)
3. Legumes and nuts (groundnuts, cashew and beans of all types)
4. Animal source foods (milk, eggs, meat and chicken)
5. Whole unpolished grains, cereals and tubers (brown rice, maize/corn, yam and potatoes)
6. Healthy fats, oils, oily seeds (soybean oil, coconut oil, shea butter, olive oil, palm oil)

Each of these food groups contain vital nutrients that are beneficial to health. The greater the number of food groups included in the diet daily, the more beneficial it is to our health. 

Thus, the guideline recommends that we eat at least 4 of these food groups in every meal. In this article we will look at practical ways of achieving this.

Let’s take 2 typical breakfast meals and analyse how many food groups are present in each;

MEAL 1	FOOD GROUP	YES/NO
*Millet porridge with milk and *bread rolls –	Fruits	NO
	Vegetables	NO
	Legumes and nuts	YES
	Animal source foods [milk]	YES
	Whole unpolished grains, cereals and tubers [millet porridge and bread]	YES
	Healthy fats oils and oily seeds	NO

MEAL 2	FOOD GROUP	YES/NO
Chocolate beverage with milk plus *bread and boiled egg plus an orange	Fruits	YES
	Vegetables	NO
	Legumes and nuts	NO
	Animal source foods [milk, egg]	YES
	Whole unpolished grains, cereals and tubers [bread]	YES
	Healthy fats oils and oily seeds	NO

* For the purpose of this article we are assuming that the millet used for preparing the porridge was whole and unpolished (not strained). We are also assuming that the bread is made from whole wheat. Whole grains and cereals that have not been highly processed maintain their rich nutrients, unlike highly polished grains.

The first meal contains 3 food groups whilst the second meal also contains three. 

We can adjust each of these breakfast meals to include more food groups and make them healthier. 

For instance, for meal 1, we could include a small handful of groundnuts and a fruit such as an apple or tangerine. That would increase the number of food groups from 3 to 5.

For meal 2, the boiled egg could be sliced and tossed with a generous portion of sliced onions and tomatoes to make a mini-salad. This would increase the number of food groups from 3 to 4. Every small effort counts towards eating a healthier diet.

Now think about the last meal you last ate. How many food groups did it contain? How can you plan to increase the number of food groups you have at every meal? 

If you need some help with planning your meals to include more food groups regularly, you can click here to connect with one of our dietitians.

This article was written by Michelle Doku (BSc, RD) with contributions from Laurene Boateng (PhD, RD).