Make eating healthy more than a resolution

09/01/2025

Many of us begin a new year with a common resolve: to start eating healthy. Maybe you will adopt these healthy habits for one week, one month or even several months, but what about after that? For those of us who are lucky enough to have a say in what we eat, why not make the new year goal a reality all year-round? Healthy diets play an important role in our overall health and immune systems. The food we put in our bodies directly affects the way that we feel and the way our bodies function.

Diets vary widely around the globe, influenced by access, incomes, habits and culture. Yet, there are some common truths about how to maintain a healthy diet regardless of where we live.

Here are six healthy eating habits and FAO resources to help you out:

1. Mix it up! Eat a variety of foods within each and across all the food groups to ensure adequate intake of important nutrients. National food-based dietary guidelines can help you. FAO assists Member Countries to develop and implement food-based dietary guidelines in line with current scientific evidence. More than 100 countries worldwide have developed food-based dietary guidelines that are adapted to their population’s health situations, food availability, culinary cultures and eating habits. Find your country’s advice here.

2. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables provide loads of vitamins and minerals as well as the fibre that we need for healthy diet. Minimally processed frozen or canned fruits and vegetables are a good choice for limiting your trips to the market or supermarket. However, be sure to pay attention to the ingredients. In the canning and processing of these products, sometimes sugar, salt or preservatives are added. Check out this story to expand your horizons about fruits and veggies you may never have heard of. You can also consult these FAO cookbooks to learn how to use them!

3. Take the pulse of the situation, be wholesome and go nuts! Pulses, whole grains, nuts and healthy fats such as in olive, sesame, peanut or other unsaturated oils can support your immune system and help to reduce inflammation. Pulses, in particular, are environmentally friendly and a generally inexpensive source of protein. Beans, peas, lupins and other pulses are full of vitamins and minerals that, when part of an overall healthy diet, can help reduce the risk of diseases like diabetes and coronary conditions. Read all about the enormous variety of pulses and recipes to go with them in FAO’s Pulses Cookbook.

4. Limit food high in fats, sugar and salt. In times of high stress, many people turn to snack food. Unfortunately, these are often high in fat, sugar, salt and calories, which if not consumed in moderation can over time affect your overall health. As a good habit, check the labels of all the foods you eat to learn about their ingredients and nutritional value. Food labels are there to help you limit the amount of certain ingredients or increase the levels of beneficial ones. Learn more about food labels and how to read them correctly in this story and this web page.

5. Practice good food hygiene. Hygiene in all forms is important, particularly when it comes to food. Remember these five tips that can help prevent you from getting sick: (1) keep your hands, cooking utensils and cooking surfaces clean; (2) separate raw and cooked; (3) cook thoroughly; (4) keep food at safe temperatures and (5) use safe water. More details on food safety can be found can be found at this web site.

6. Be physically active and drink plenty of water. Exercise is important for both our physical and mental health. Obesity and overweight have been significantly increasing in the last years. Nowadays when technology such as computers, televisions and tablets keep us seated and occupied indoors, it is important to make an effort to be physically active. You should aim for at least 30-60 minutes of daily exercise depending on your age and lifestyle. This children’s Nutrition activity book gives plenty of tips on how to help kids maintain a healthy lifestyle, from ideas on exercise to lessons on hygiene and food safety. FAO also has plenty of e-learning courses for adults if you want to learn more about the fascinating world of nutrition.

With these six simple points, adopting healthy eating habits in your daily life can be a reality. You have to start somewhere, so why not kickstart it this new year? 

Related links

Learn more

• Story: How much do you know about healthy eating?
• Story: No one likes labels… unless it comes to food
• Website: FAO & Nutrition
• Website: FAO & Food Labelling
  

This story is an update of one first published on 07/04/2021.