Healthy eating in Australia

In Australia, you may not have access to the same types of food and produce you had at home, so you may need to adjust your habits to ensure you eat healthy.

Thankfully, Australia’s diverse, multicultural society means you can find a variety of food from different cultures around the world, making it easy to discover new healthy recipes. 

To help you adapt to your new lifestyle, we’ve put together some healthy eating guidelines to help you stay fit and well during your stay.

Eating healthy is all about getting the nutrients that your body needs for energy, improving and maintaining your health and – most of all – feeling good.

It doesn’t have to be complicated or mean that you deprive yourself. Instead, it’s about knowing what your body needs and consuming everything in moderation.

The food pyramid below is a helpful healthy eating guideline and shows what a good diet can look like. The bottom of the pyramid, at the widest part, you’ll see foods that can be eaten with most meals. The foods at the narrow top are ones that should be eaten sparingly, if at all.

A good tip for those looking to eat healthy is to try to include as much variety in your meals as possible. The Australian healthy eating guidelines recommend eating a wide variety of fresh, nutritious foods.

Often, we get as much joy from how beautiful food looks as we do from how it tastes! Try adding a variety of colours and textures to your plate and see how it boosts your food’s visual appeal. 

Fruit and vegetables naturally have an enormous range of colours and textures that entice our tastebuds. Be sure to cook healthy recipes that include a variety of different fresh vegetables and fruit at every meal, choosing from what’s in season at your local supermarket or fresh produce outlet.

However, it’s also important to include a variety of foods from across the five food groups to get all the essential nutrients you need for good health. While fruit and vegetables should form the main part of our diet, try to also include grains, lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy in our diet every day, or as often as you can. 

Why not experiment by changing up your healthy recipes with different types of pasta, rice, and other grains like polenta and quinoa? You can even vary the types of bread you use for sandwiches, mixing it up with rolls, wraps, rye bread, or sourdough.

Following the healthy eating guidelines below will assist in balancing your diet, as well as getting your portions right for each meal.

Eating a nutritious breakfast each day will help you to feel better, perform optimally in the classroom or workplace, and cope better with stress.  A healthy breakfast could be: 

• Porridge or wholegrain cereal with low-fat dairy (milk or yoghurt) and a portion of fruit
• Wholegrain/wholemeal toast with avocado or low-fat margarine and a spread, such as jam, honey, or vegemite
• A hot breakfast – poached/boiled egg, grilled tomato/mushrooms, or baked beans

Just because it’s the first meal of the day, doesn’t mean you can’t go all out! Why not try some fun and healthy recipes for breakfast, like a delicious and balanced banana and blueberry smoothie, some creamy, nutritious mango lassi overnight oats or a rich, warming shakshuka.

Eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables is one of the easiest ways to maintain good health.

Fruit and vegetables contain lots of the vitamins and minerals that help protect us from illnesses, from colds and flu to more serious conditions like heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Plus, the nutrients and antioxidants in fruit and vegetables are also great for glowing skin, strong teeth, and nails, and they’re full of fibre, which is great for digestion.

Along with fresh fruit and vegetables, we also need to eat healthy food that contains grains, lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, legumes, and dairy.

In Australia, there are plenty of places to purchase fresh produce, including supermarkets and fresh food markets – you can even purchase online for delivery if you prefer. 

No matter where you are in Australia, you’ll find plenty of restaurants offering a variety of cuisines – from Chinese, Indian and Thai to Greek, Italian, Middle Eastern and many more. 

While you have a lot of choice, keep in mind that dining out for every meal can be expensive and can make it hard to follow healthy eating guidelines.

When you do eat out, try to avoid deep-fried options, limit high fat, high salt sauces or toppings and include extra vegetables. You can also opt to choose smaller portions or share a meal with someone else.

Who doesn’t love a sweet treat with your mid-morning cup of tea or coffee, a bit of dessert after dinner or having a fun Friday night out with your colleagues at the local pub or wine bar to end a long week?

Alcohol, soft drinks, and foods that contain a lot of sugar, salt, and saturated fats are generally low in essential nutrients and fibre. While we might love the taste sensation, these types of foods generally bring us little or no benefit nutritionally, and when consumed in large quantities can contribute to unwanted weight gain and are associated with increased risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and even some forms of cancer.

It’s very easy to have too many of these types of foods and drinks too often – because they taste so good! Luckily, you can still eat healthy and enjoy the occasional treat, such as for special occasions. Only indulge in these foods and drinks sometimes, keeping the serving size small. 

Sometimes, we can find it easier to eat healthy when we have access to foods we know and love. In Australia, many local grocery stores have aisles dedicated to international foods and stock Kosher or Halal options, too.

You can also find specialty supermarkets almost anywhere in Australia. These often have a more extensive selection of imported foods from different parts of the world.

Cooking for yourself at home doesn’t just make it easy to eat healthy! It can also help you manage your diet, save money, and develop a valuable life-long skill. 

You could plan your meals in advance, or even meal prep to make it easier to eat healthy during busy times. If you’re living in a share house, you could consider sharing cooking responsibilities with your housemates.

Try to:

• Always use fresh produce where possible.
• Read food labels so you know whether you’re staying within the healthy eating guidelines.
• Reduce your use of processed and packaged food.
• Buy frozen fruit or vegetables so you always have these on hand.
• Start or build your collection of cheap, healthy recipes.

Looking for somewhere to start? Check out these easy, healthy recipes perfect for students.

• Peanut butter tofu stir-fry
• Teriyaki salmon with brown rice and bok choy
• Pasta e fagioli
• Vegan biryani

Healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are a few tips to help save money on your food spend:

• Plan ahead each week for your meals and snacks.
• Consider what you already have in your pantry when planning meals.
• Make a grocery list and stick to it when shopping.
• Eat fruits and vegetables that are in season and look out for specials, which you can often find advertised online.
• Purchase cheaper brands as much as possible. In Australia, many supermarkets have their own brands which are often cheaper than other options.
• Avoid shopping for food when you are hungry, as you may end up purchasing expensive or unnecessary items.
• Think about what items you could buy in bulk to save over the long term. Dried and canned goods are great things to buy in bulk as they last a long time.
• Look for healthy recipes that are ‘fridge clearers’. Soups and stews are good ways to use up leftover produce and reduce food waste.
• Consider joining your local grocery store’s loyalty program, which can give you access to extra discounts or added perks.
• Limit alcohol and treats to once a week or special occasions.
• Drink water instead of sweetened drinks.
• Eat less meat - meat is expensive, so cooking a few vegetarian meals or substituting half of the meat in a recipe with legumes or extra vegetables is a great way to save.
• Use leftovers for lunch the next day or freeze to eat later.

Following healthy eating guidelines has lots of benefits! For example, it can help:

• Give you the energy you need to exercise, socialise, work, and study.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Improve your ability to concentrate and cope with stress.
• Reduce the risk of common health issues, including excess weight, heart disease, high blood pressure, and constipation.
• Build your immune system to fight common colds and the flu.

For more information about diet and nutrition in Australia, visit the Eat for Health website.