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Everyday nutrition courses built on the Australian Dietary Guidelines

Practical courses that turn Australia's five food groups and recommended serves into plates, shopping lists and quick label checks you can use this week.

  • 5 courses
  • Tools in every course
  • Certificate included

The Australian Dietary Guidelines, published by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) in 2013, are still the national advice on healthy eating, and NHMRC is reviewing them at the moment. Their picture, the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, sorts food into five groups: vegetables and legumes or beans; fruit; grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain; lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, seeds and legumes; and milk, yoghurt, cheese and alternatives, mostly reduced fat. Water is the drink to choose, and discretionary choices such as biscuits, hot chips and soft drink sit outside the five groups.

Most of us know the picture but find it hard to live by. In the ABS National Health Survey 2022, only 4.2% of Australian adults met both the fruit and the vegetable recommendations. These courses work on that gap: counting serves without weighing everything, comparing products on the Nutrition Information Panel, feeding a household for less and adding fibre without discomfort.

Every course is written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition, using figures from official sources such as Eat for Health, Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and the NHMRC. If you live with a medical condition, take regular medicines or follow a special diet for health reasons, talk to your GP before changing what you eat.

All nutrition courses

Focused

Nutrition

Healthy Meal Planning

A repeatable weekly routine for balanced meals, using the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, with planners for batch cooking and leftovers.

  • 2 hours
  • 6 tools
  • 6 modules
A$32.99Buy
Focused

Nutrition

Reading Food Labels

Compare products in seconds using the per 100g column, Health Star Rating and ingredient list, with a pocket cheat card.

  • 1 hour 50 min
  • 4 tools
  • 6 modules
A$27.99Buy
Focused

Nutrition

Healthy Eating on a Budget

Cut the grocery bill, not the nutrition: budget meal planner, cheap protein list, freezer plan and a cost-per-meal calculator.

  • 2 hours
  • 6 tools
  • 6 modules
A$27.99Buy
Focused

Nutrition

Gut Health and Digestive Wellness

Build gut-friendly habits step by step, with a plant variety tracker, food and symptom diary and clear signs for when to see your GP.

  • 2 hours 15 min
  • 5 tools
  • 6 modules
A$32.99Buy

Related topics

Which nutrition course to start with

  • New to healthy eating? Understanding the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating is our shortest course. It explains the five food groups, what one serve of each looks like and how many serves most adults aim for in a day.
  • Lost in the supermarket aisle? Reading Food Labels covers the Nutrition Information Panel, Health Star Ratings, use-by and best-before dates, and the way allergens are now shown in bold with a separate "Contains" statement.
  • Short on time on weeknights? Healthy Meal Planning builds a 7-day plan, a shopping list sorted by aisle and a plan for using up leftovers.
  • Watching the grocery bill? Healthy Eating on a Budget compares cost per meal in dollars, leans on low-cost proteins such as eggs, canned fish and legumes, and plans the freezer.
  • Curious about gut health? Gut Health and Digestive Wellness looks at fibre, plant variety and fermented foods without the hype, and lists the symptoms to take to your GP.

What the nutrition tools do

Each lesson ends with something to fill in, not just something to read.

  • Plate builders and meal balance checkers: sketch a meal and see which of the five food groups is missing from it.
  • Serve guides: what one serve looks like, from half a cup of cooked vegetables to a 40 g slice of bread or a 200 g tub of yoghurt.
  • Label comparison worksheets: weigh up two similar products using the per 100 g column, with energy in kilojoules (kJ) and calories shown side by side.
  • Budget planners and a cost-per-meal calculator: turn a week of meals into a shopping list with a running total.
  • Trackers: food group and plant variety trackers save to your account, so you can look back over several weeks.

When to see your GP

Changing what you eat is not the answer if something feels wrong. See your GP if you notice:

  • weight loss you cannot explain, or a poor appetite that does not pass
  • a lasting change in your bowel habit, or blood in your poo
  • trouble swallowing, or heartburn on most days
  • tummy pain or bloating that keeps coming back

Call 000 if someone has signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as swelling of the tongue or throat, or difficulty breathing. Registered nurses on the healthdirect line, 1800 022 222, can advise you whatever the hour.

Nutrition courses: your questions

Do I need any nutrition knowledge before I start?

No. The courses start from the basics and explain terms such as serves, discretionary choices and kilojoules in plain English the first time they appear.

How many serves of fruit and vegetables should adults have?

Eat for Health recommends 2 serves of fruit and 5 to 6 serves of vegetables and legumes a day for most adults, depending on age and sex. A serve of vegetables is about 75 g, such as half a cup of cooked vegetables or a cup of salad, and a serve of fruit is about 150 g, such as a medium apple or banana.

Is the Health Star Rating compulsory?

No. It is still a voluntary scheme. In February 2026, food ministers asked FSANZ to prepare a proposal to make it mandatory, and that work is expected to take 12 to 18 months. Stars only help when you compare similar products, such as one breakfast cereal with another.

Will a course give me a personal diet plan?

No. The courses are general education. You get planners and checklists to fill in yourself, so the choices stay yours, but nobody sets you a personal plan or target.

Are the courses suitable for vegetarians and vegans?

Yes. The lean meats and alternatives group includes tofu, legumes, nuts and seeds, and soy or other plant drinks count as a dairy alternative when they have at least 100 mg of added calcium per 100 mL. The lessons point out the nutrients that need more planning without meat or dairy.

How much fibre should I aim for?

The suggested dietary target is 38 g a day for men and 28 g a day for women. Most people get closer by adding wholegrains, legumes, vegetables and fruit a little at a time, with plenty of water.

Official sources

More topics

Count your serves for one day

Open the healthy eating guide course, read the first lesson and try the plate builder with tonight's dinner.

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