Healthy Eating Guidelines
The Healthy Food for Life resources are for the entire population over the age of five and they define the Irish Government recommendations on healthy eating and a balanced diet. They provide a consistent and evidence-based approach for healthy eating advice.
The guidelines and resources provide practical support for individuals and families to make healthier food choices and to ultimately improve their health and wellbeing. They include a leaflet, infographic of the food pyramid, sample daily meal plans, guidelines on portion sizes and fact sheets.
The key messages from Healthy Food for Life are:
- Eat more vegetables, salad and fruit - Up to seven servings a day
- Limit intake of high fat, sugar, salt (HFSS) food and drinks
- Size matters: Use the food pyramid as a guide for serving sizes
- Increase your physical activity levels
- Small changes can make a big difference. Start TODAY!
The Healthy Food for Life resources can also be ordered from healthpromotion.ie
The Nutrition standards for food and beverage provision for staff and visitors in health care settings have been developed by HSE and safefood to provide practical support and guidance for food and beverage providers employed or contracted to the health services to provide ensure that their services are in line with the Department of Health Healthy Food for Life guidelines. Along with the HSE Calorie Posting Policy and HSE Vending Policy, these standards will support staff and visitors to make healthier food choices when purchasing food and beverages in health service facilities.
In the context of mobilising the public sector to improve diet and ultimately health and wellbeing across the population as a whole, the HSE have worked with other government departments to develop standards and resources to support healthy food provision in early years services and schools see:
gov.ie - Nutrition Standards for School Meals (www.gov.ie)
gov.ie - Menu Plan for Early Learning and Care Services (www.gov.ie)
Food Pyramid
Simple Version
The basic version of the Food Pyramid A3 poster published by the Department of Health in December 2016.
Food Pyramid Simple Version English (PDF)
Food Pyramid Simple Version Irish (PDF)
Consumer Version
The consumer version of the Food Pyramid A3 poster published by the Department of Health in December 2016.
Food Pyramid Consumer Version - English (PDF)
Food Pyramid Consumer Version - Irish (PDF)
Professional Version
The professional version of the Food Pyramid A3 poster published by the Department of Health in December 2016.
Food Pyramid Professional Version - English (PDF)
Food Pyramid Professional Version - Irish (PDF)
Older Adults (aged over 65)
The Older Adults (aged over 65) version of the Food Pyramid A3 poster published by the Department of Health in June 2023.
Food Pyramid for Over 65’s Poster - English (PDF)
Food Pyramid for Over 65’s Poster - Irish (PDF, size 2.7 MB, 1 page)
Food Pyramid Information Leaflet
A 7-page information leaflet providing advice on how to improve eating habits to help towards leading a healthier lifestyle. The leaflet supports the information provided in the Food Pyramid.
Food Pyramid Information Leaflet - English (PDF)
Food Pyramid Information Leaflet - Irish (PDF)
Food Pyramid Questions and Answers
A 4-page Questions and Answers document providing information as to why the Department of Health has published a new Food Pyramid.
Food Pyramid Q and A - English (PDF)
Food Pyramid Q and A - Irish (PDF)
Food Pyramid Rationale Paper
An 8-page rationale paper to help inform Dietitians, Health Professionals, Teachers and Health Correspondents about changes to revised Healthy Eating Guidelines and Food Pyramid.
Food Pyramid Rationale Paper - English (PDF)
Food Pyramid Rationale Paper - Irish (PDF)
Older Adults (aged over 65)
A 22 page information booklet for adults aged over 65 who are in good health, mobile and living at home. Provides advice to help older adults stay well, by nourishing their bodies with healthy food and stay active every day.
Healthy Eating for Older Adults booklet - English (PDF)
Healthy Eating for Older Adults booklet - Irish (PDF, size 4.6 MB, 24 pages)
Food Shelf Fact Sheets
Facts about items contained on the top shelf of the Food Pyramid
Foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt (English, PDF)
Foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt (Irish PDF)
Older Adults (aged over 65) Foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt (PDF)
Facts about items contained on the second shelf of the Food Pyramid
Fats, spreads and oils (English, PDF)
Fats, spreads and oils (Irish, PDF)
Older Adults (aged over 65) Fats, spreads and oils (PDF)
Older Adults (aged over 65) Fats, spreads and oils - Irish (PDF, size 713 KB, 1 page)
Facts about items contained on the third shelf of the Food Pyramid
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts (English, PDF)
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts (Irish, PDF)
Older Adults (aged over 65) Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts (PDF)
Facts about items contained on the fourth shelf of the Food Pyramid
Milk, yogurt and cheese (English, PDF)
Milk, yogurt and cheese (Irish, PDF)
Older Adults (aged over 65) Milk, yogurt and cheese (PDF)
Older Adults (aged over 65) Milk, yogurt and cheese - Irish (PDF, size 853 KB, 2 pages)
Facts about items contained on the fifth shelf of the Food Pyramid
Wholemeal cereals and bread, potatoes, pasta and rice (English, PDF)
Wholemeal cereals and bread, potatoes, pasta and rice (Irish, PDF)
Older Adults (aged over 65) Wholemeal cereals and bread, potatoes, pasta and rice (PDF)
Facts about items contained on the sixth shelf of the Food Pyramid
Vegetables, salad and fruit (English, PDF)
Vegetables, salad and fruit (Irish, PDF)
Older Adults (aged over 65) Vegetables, salad and fruit (PDF)
Older Adults (aged over 65) Vegetables, salad and fruit - Irish (PDF, size 1.7 MB, 2 pages)
Daily Meal Plans
Jakub, age 5
Jakub, an active boy aged 5, loves being outdoors playing with his friends. Jakub needs 3 servings from the Wholemeal cereals and breads, potatoes, pasta and rice shelf
Niamh, age 10
Niamh is a very active 10 year old, plays GAA and loves to dance. Niamh needs 4 servings from the Wholemeal cereals, and breads, potatoes, pasta and rice shelf. As a child between 9 and 18 years, she needs 5 servings from the Milk, yogurt and cheese shelf
Matthew, Aged 21
Matthew, a 21 year old student living away from home. Matthew needs 7 servings from the Wholemeal cereals and breads, potatoes, pasta and rice shelf
Matthew, Aged 21 (English, PDF)
Siobhán, Aged 30
Siobhán, aged 30, is a stay at home mum who is breastfeeding her 6 month old baby. Since it's possible she could become pregnant, she is taking a folic acid supplement. Siobhán needs 5 servings from the Wholemeal cereals and breads, potatoes, pasta and rice shelf.
Siobhán, Aged 30 (English, PDF)
Michael, Aged 52
Michael is a 52 year old office worker who is overweight. He needs 4 servings from the Wholemeal cereals and breads, potatoes, pasta and rice shelf. When he starts losing weight he could have 5 servings and should aim to lose 1-2 lbs per week.
Michael, Aged 52 (English, PDF)
Tom, Aged 67
Tom is 67 years and has recently retired. He has started his retirement plan of walking 30 minutes, 5 days a week and he needs to lose the weight he has put on over the last 10 years. He needs 4 servings from the Wholemeal cereals and breads, potatoes, pasta and rice shelf
Mary, Aged 70
Mary, aged 70, enjoys looking after her 2 young grandchildren, so she is kept active. Mary needs 5 servings from the Wholemeal Cereals and breads, potatoes, past and rice shelf.
William, Aged 76
William is an active 76 year-old who enjoys walks and spends a lot of time with his grandchildren. He needs to eat enough high quality protein at two meals a day and have 5 servings from the wholemeal cereals and breads, potatoes, pasta and rice shelf.
William, Aged 76 (English, PDF)
William, Aged 76 - Irish (PDF, size 1.56 MB, 1 page)
Teresa, Aged 83
Teresa is an 83 year-old who can move around the house and go to the local shop. She needs to make sure to have enough high-quality protein at two meals every day from the meat, poultry, fish, eggs,beans and nuts shelf and the milk, yogurt and cheese shelf. She needs to have 3 servings from the wholemeal cereals and breads, potatoes, pasta and rice shelf at meals and snacks throughout the day.
Teresa, aged 83 (PDF, size 973 KB, 1 page)
Teresa, aged 83 - Irish (PDF, size 932 KB, 1 page)
Supporting Infographics
How many servings do I need a day?
Milk, Yogurt, Cheese - How many servings do I need a day? (English, PDF)
Milk, Yogurt, Cheese - How many servings do I need a day? (Irish, PDF)
Serving Size Guide (English, PDF)
Serving Size Guide (Irish, PDF)
Getting Active - How much activity do I need a day? (English, PDF)
Getting Active - How much activity do I need a day? (Irish, PDF)
What are the recommended alcohol limits? (English, PDF)
What are the recommended alcohol limits? (Irish, PDF)
How to stay active and flexible - Advice for older adults (PDF)
How to stay active and flexible - Advice for older adults - Irish (PDF, size 5.2 MB, 6 pages)
Top Tips and Myth Busters
A 2-page document aimed at providing tips to assist with healthy eating and active living.
Top Tips and Myth Busters - Irish (PDF)
Top Tips and Myth Busters - English (PDF)
101+ Square Meals
101+ Square Meals uses the Irish Food Pyramid and Healthy Eating Guidelines to help you plan healthier meals and get the best value for your money.
3 Week Meal Plan
The 3 week menu plan is a resource for pre-school to facilitate the implementation of healthy eating in this setting.
3 Week Meal Plan - Irish (PDF)
Nutritional Standards for School Meals
Nutritional Standards for School Meals (PDF)
These Nutrition Standards will be a valuable resource to support the ongoing work to enable and promote healthy eating and healthy lifestyles in schools and will help more children to derive the maximum benefit from their education so that they can achieve their full potential.