Blog article
The formula for preparing a healthy meal

If you’ve ever struggled to plate a truly nutritious meal, we’ve got good news for you – there’s a trick to it.
Kate Bennison, Dietitian and Health Coach at HBF, has shared with us her simple hack to building a nutritious meal. "When I set out to make a meal, I think about it like a formula," she says.
Kate’s formula
- Vegetables (two parts)
Any vegetables are great, and a variety of vegetables is even better. Aim for mostly low starch vegetables; this is pretty much any vegetables other than potato, sweet potato or corn. - Wholegrains/starchy vegetables (one part)
Aim for wholegrains such as brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat, barley and cracked wheat. - Protein (one part)
Try to vary your protein sources, including meat (i.e. chicken or fish) and/or plant-based proteins (i.e. beans, lentils, nuts). - Flavours & healthy fats (as appropriate)
Fresh herbs, dried spices, mustard, different kinds of vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, can all help to add depth and flavour to your dish.
Kate’s formula in action
If you need a little help getting started, here is Kate’s go-to salad recipe that follows the above formula.