Dietetics - Eating Better, Feeling Better

Having odd days when you have no interest in food?

Missing the occasional meal?

Starting to lose weight?

There may be times when appetite and food intake are temporarily reduced which could result in unintentional weight loss.

If experiencing any of the above here are some useful tips to help:

• Eat little and often. Aim for 3 small meals and 2-3 snacks a day
• Choose foods from all food groups to benefit from a range of nutrients
• Include foods high in protein such as meat, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, beans, or lentils at each meal
• Include one serving of bread, potatoes, rice, pasta, noodles, cereal, chapattis, or naan bread with each meal
• Aim for 5 portions of fruit and vegetables (combined) per day
• Aim for 6 - 8 cups of fluid per day (1.5-2 litres). Take drinks between meals rather than with meals, to avoid feeling full
• Have nourishing drinks such as smoothies, milkshakes, hot chocolate, coffee, malted drinks, and soup made with milk
• Try to have a pint of milk per day
• Avoid diet or low-calorie varieties
• If possible, go outside for fresh air will help to improve your appetite
• Monitor weight

If you have a reduced appetite or a reduction in nutritional intake for longer than a month, you continue to lose weight or feel you are underweight, please contact your GP or healthcare professional for further advice.

Please note: This advice may not be suitable for people with Diabetes, coronary heart disease and kidney disease. If you are unsure, please ask your healthcare professional. For additional information contact your local Dietetic Service.

Sample Meal Plan

Breakfast

Drink with either:

• Cereal or porridge with milk and/or
• Toast/croissant/crumpets with; full fat butter/margarine/jam/ cheese/egg or nut butter or
• Pancakes with fruit and yogurt

Lunch

• Soup and buttered roll or
• Sandwich with; a protein filling such as meat/fish, cheese, egg, hummus, nut butter or
• Curry or stir fry with rice/noodles/chapatti/naan or
• Beans/eggs/cheese/hummus/avocado on toast and
• Custard/yoghurt/milk pudding/mousse/cake/biscuit/ice cream

Evening Meal

• Chicken/meat pie, potatoes, and vegetables or
• Fish with potatoes/rice and vegetables or
• Sausage (meat or vegetarian), mash and beans or
• Creamy pasta with salad/vegetables or
• Meat or vegetable curry with rice/chapatti/naan or
• Stir fry with noodles or
• Ready meal with extra vegetables and
• Trifle/ice cream/cake

Snacks, mid-morning, mid-afternoon and supper

• Warm milky drink such as milky coffee/hot chocolate/malted drink with
• Crackers and cheese or
• Bread sticks/cheese straws/nachos and dips, samosa, pakora, slice of pizza or
• Crumpet/cheese scone/muffin/bagel/toast/bread/scone/current teacake/fruit loaf/malt loaf/with; jam, marmalade or lemon curd, chocolate spread, full fat butter/ margarine, syrup/honey, nut butter, fish/meat/vegetarian pate, tinned fish, baked beans, cheese, eggs, cold meat or
• Nuts/seeds/Bombay mix or
• Biscuits - chocolate coated/cream filled or
• Milk puddings such as rice pudding/custard/ras malai/kheer rice pudding, crème caramel/mousse, instant whip made with whole milk or
• Fresh, tinned, or dried fruit