2.2 Identify foods belonging to each of the 5 food groups

This guide will help you answer 2.2 Identify foods belonging to each of the 5 food groups.

Understanding the five main food groups helps to ensure a balanced diet. Each group plays a specific role in supporting the body’s needs. Eating a combination of foods from each group provides energy, nutrients, and benefits health at every stage of life. In the UK, the Eatwell Guide, created by Public Health England, sets out these groups. The guide divides foods into the following:

• Fruit and Vegetables
• Starchy Carbohydrates
• Proteins (beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat, and other proteins)
• Dairy and Alternatives
• Oils and Spreads

Each group contains different food items which contribute key nutrients. In this guide, we will look at each category, and examples of foods within them.

Fruit and Vegetables

Fruit and vegetables supply vitamins, minerals, fibre, and a range of natural plant substances called phytochemicals. These nutrients support many bodily functions — growth, repair, the immune system, and digestion. The recommendation is to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables daily.

Fruit includes:

• Apples
• Bananas
• Oranges
• Grapes
• Pears
• Strawberries
• Blueberries

Vegetables include:

• Broccoli
• Carrots
• Spinach
• Kale
• Tomatoes
• Peas
• Sweetcorn
• Courgettes
• Aubergines
• Cauliflower

A serving of fruit or vegetables can be:

• A whole piece of fruit, such as an apple
• Three heaped tablespoons of cooked vegetables
• A dessert bowl of salad
• A small glass (150ml) of unsweetened fruit juice (only counts as one serving per day)

Fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and juiced forms all count, but whole foods are preferred for most portions. Dried fruit is best eaten with meals, to protect teeth.

Phytochemicals are chemicals found in plants. They give fruit and vegetables their colour and sometimes their smell or taste. Some phytochemicals may help protect cells in the body.

Starchy Carbohydrates

This group includes foods that provide energy for daily activities. Starchy carbohydrates are the main source of carbohydrate in the diet and supply fibre, calcium, iron, and B vitamins. Choosing wholegrain options adds more fibre, keeping digestion regular and supporting long-term gut health.

Starchy carbohydrate foods include:

• Bread (wholemeal, brown, white, seeded, pitta, rolls)
• Breakfast cereals (bran flakes, Weetabix, muesli, porridge oats)
• Rice (wholegrain brown and white)
• Pasta (whole-wheat and white)
• Potatoes (including new potatoes and sweet potatoes)
• Noodles
• Couscous
• Crackers
• Bulgar wheat

Potatoes do not count towards the five-a-day target as they are a starchy food, not a vegetable in nutrition guidelines. Other root vegetables, such as parsnips, carrots, and swede, do count for five-a-day.

Wholegrain versions are richer in fibre and help to feel fuller for longer. Fibre is the indigestible part of plant food and aids healthy digestion.

Proteins: Beans, Pulses, Fish, Eggs, Meat, and Other Proteins

Protein foods repair body tissues and make new ones. They are a source of iron, zinc, B vitamins, and other nutrients. Iron is needed for healthy red blood cells, while zinc supports growth and immunity.

This food group includes animal and plant sources:

Plant proteins include:

• Beans (kidney beans, cannellini beans, black beans)
• Lentils (red, green, brown)
• Chickpeas
• Peas and split peas
• Tofu (soya bean product)
• Quorn (mycoprotein)
• Nuts
• Seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame)

Animal proteins include:

• Fish (white fish such as cod, oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring and pilchards, shellfish)
• Eggs
• Poultry (chicken, turkey)
• Red meats (beef, lamb, pork)
• Processed meats (sausages, ham, salami) – these should be eaten in small amounts due to fat and salt content

The Eatwell Guide encourages two portions of fish each week, with one being oily fish. Oily fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which support heart and brain health.

Pulses are the dried seeds of leguminous plants. Examples include lentils or chickpeas. They are naturally low in fat and high in fibre, vitamins and minerals.

Eating more plant-based proteins can provide benefits to health and the environment.

Dairy and Alternatives

This group includes milk and products made from milk. They are important sources of calcium, protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, potassium and magnesium. These nutrients are especially valuable for healthy bones and teeth.

Dairy foods and alternatives include:

• Cow’s milk (whole, semi-skimmed, skimmed)
• Cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, cottage cheese, Edam, feta)
• Yoghurt (natural, Greek, flavoured, low-fat versions)
• Fromage frais
• Cream (best in small amounts due to high fat content)
• Non-dairy alternatives (soya, oat, almond, coconut milk) – choose versions with added calcium and vitamins

Calcium supports bone development, especially in growing children, teenagers, and older adults who have higher needs.

For those who cannot eat dairy, fortified plant-based milks and yoghurts provide similar nutrition. Always choose unsweetened and calcium-fortified versions.

Cheese, especially hard cheese, can be high in saturated fat and salt, so it’s a good idea to use in moderate amounts.

Oils and Spreads

Foods in this group supply fat, which is a source of energy and helps the body absorb some vitamins. The focus is on using unsaturated fats, which may help lower cholesterol, rather than saturated fats, which do the opposite.

Oils and spreads include:

• Vegetable oils (rapeseed, sunflower, olive, corn oil)
• Olive oil and spreads based on olive oil
• Rapeseed oil and spreads
• Lower-fat spreads
• Nut oils (walnut, almond, peanut — often used in cooking)

Butter and lard are types of saturated fat. The Eatwell Guide suggests keeping these to small amounts. Spreads made from vegetable oils usually contain more unsaturated fats.

Fats are calorie-rich, so only small amounts are needed. For example, a teaspoon of oil or a thin spread on bread.

Oils and spreads do not have vitamins and minerals in large quantities but supply vitamin E and essential fatty acids.

Foods Not Belonging to the Five Groups

Some foods do not fit into these groups. These include high fat, sugar and salt foods such as:

• Crisps
• Sweets
• Chocolate
• Biscuits
• Cakes
• Sugary drinks

These foods can add extra calories and contribute little in nutrition. Public Health England advises keeping these foods to occasional treats and eating them in small amounts.

Combining the Food Groups

To eat a balanced diet, build most meals from foods belonging to the five groups. Here’s how this might look in practice:

• Breakfast: Porridge (starchy carbohydrate) with milk (dairy and alternative) and banana (fruit/vegetables)
• Lunch: Grilled chicken (protein), brown rice (starchy carbohydrate) and mixed salad (fruit/vegetables), with a yoghurt for dessert (dairy and alternative)
• Dinner: Baked salmon (protein), new potatoes (starchy carbohydrate), steamed broccoli and carrots (fruit/vegetables), with a glass of calcium-fortified soya milk (dairy and alternative)
• Snacks: Handful of nuts (protein), apple (fruit/vegetables)

Small amounts of oil or spread can be used during cooking or at the table, for example, in salad dressings or on bread.

Multi-Component Foods

Some foods combine more than one group. For example:

• Pizza: The base is a starchy carbohydrate (bread), toppings can provide protein (cheese/meat), vegetables (tomato, peppers), and oil (in cheese or added oil)
• Sandwich: Bread (starchy carbohydrate), filling (protein such as chicken or egg, and sometimes dairy from cheese), salad (vegetables), spread (oil)
• Cereal and milk: Cereal (starchy carbohydrate), milk (dairy and alternative), fruit

When analysing meals or recipes, break them down into ingredients to see which groups they cover.

Cultural and Dietary Choices

The five groups can be adapted to suit different cultures and dietary patterns. For example, in a vegetarian or vegan diet, all protein comes from plant sources such as beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, and seeds. Dairy alternatives such as fortified soya milk or almond milk replace cow’s milk.

Different countries may have staple foods not common in the UK, but they fit into these groups. Yam, plantain, or cassava are starchy carbohydrates, while pulses and lentils are everyday proteins in South Asian or African diets.

Final Thoughts

A balanced diet means including foods from each of the five groups every day. Each group brings something different. Fruit and vegetables provide vitamins and fibre. Starchy carbohydrates give you energy and help you feel full. Proteins support growth, repair, and the immune system. Dairy and alternatives strengthen bones and teeth. Oils and spreads, used sparingly, help with vitamin absorption.

Most people benefit from checking how much they eat from each group. The Eatwell Guide shows that fruit and vegetables and starchy carbohydrates should make up the largest parts of the diet, with less from dairy and protein foods, and only small amounts from oils and spreads.

Remember, all foods can be part of a healthy diet when eaten in the right balance. There is no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ group — what matters is combining them to meet the body’s needs. Watch out for foods high in fat, salt, or sugar, as these do not belong to the five main groups.

Always check food labels and aim for variety within each group. For example, it is better to have lots of different types of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains rather than always sticking to the same ones.

By following these guidelines and making simple changes, anyone can put together balanced meals that support long-term health and wellbeing. Keeping the food groups in mind each day is a practical step towards a healthier diet.