Nutrition
Understanding New Zealand’s Eating and Activity Guidelines
The four food groups, serving sizes and water-first advice explained simply, so you can check your own meals in seconds.
NZ$19.99Buy
Everyday nutrition courses built on New Zealand's guidelines
Learn the four food groups, read labels quickly in the supermarket, plan a week of meals and keep the food bill down, all in line with the Eating and Activity Guidelines for New Zealand Adults.
- 5 courses
- Tools in every course
- Certificate included
The Eating and Activity Guidelines for New Zealand Adults, published by the Ministry of Health, Manatū Hauora, ask us to enjoy a variety of nutritious foods every day: plenty of vegetables and fruit; grain foods, mostly whole grain and those naturally high in fibre; some milk and milk products, mostly low and reduced fat; and some legumes, nuts, seeds, fish and other seafood, eggs, poultry or red meat with the fat removed. Plain water is the first choice of drink.
The guidelines also suggest choosing foods made with unsaturated rather than saturated fats, with little or no added sugar and less salt, and, if you use salt, choosing iodised salt. They favour foods that are mostly whole and less processed, and they cover buying or gathering, preparing, cooking and storing kai so it stays safe to eat. New Zealand has no official plate picture, so our courses work with the four food groups and real serving sizes instead.
The courses turn those statements into meals that suit New Zealand kitchens, from kūmara and silverbeet to tinned fish and lentils, with planners, label cards and shopping lists you fill in as you go. They are written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition, and are general education rather than personal diet advice.
All nutrition courses
Nutrition
Healthy Meal Planning
A quick weekly routine for balanced meals, whether you cook for one or a full house, with batch cooking and leftovers built in.
NZ$34.99Buy
Nutrition
Reading Food Labels
Shop with confidence: compare products per 100 g, decode ingredient lists and know what the stars really tell you.
NZ$29.99Buy
Nutrition
Healthy Eating on a Budget
Make your food money go further with a cost-per-meal calculator, budget shopping list and freezer plan, plus where to find food support.
NZ$29.99Buy
Nutrition
Gut Health and Digestive Wellness
Practical gut health without expensive products: track plant variety, raise fibre slowly and know which symptoms need a GP visit.
NZ$34.99Buy
Which nutrition course to start with
- Starting from scratch? Understanding New Zealand's Eating and Activity Guidelines explains the four food groups, what one serving looks like and how to check a day's eating against the guidelines.
- Short on time in the week? Healthy Meal Planning gives you a 7-day planner, a batch-cooking plan, a shopping list sorted by aisle and a way to use up leftovers.
- Watching every dollar? Healthy Eating on a Budget compares cost per meal in NZ dollars, lists cheaper protein foods and shows where to look if you need help with food costs.
- Puzzled by packaging? Reading Food Labels covers the Nutrition Information Panel, comparing products per 100 g, kilojoules, the Health Star Rating and how allergens are shown.
- Interested in digestion? Gut Health and Digestive Wellness looks at fibre, plant variety and fermented foods without the hype, and lists the gut symptoms that need a GP.
What the nutrition tools do
- Food-group serves checker: tick off vegetables, fruit, grain foods, milk products and the protein group through a day, with water alongside.
- Meal and batch-cooking planners: plan seven days at a time and cook once for two or three meals.
- Cost-per-meal calculator: works out what each serve costs so you can compare home cooking with takeaways.
- Label cheat card: where to find kilojoules, saturated fat, sugars and sodium per 100 g, and what the stars mean.
- Plant variety tracker and food and symptom diary: a simple record to spot patterns and take to a GP appointment.
When to see your GP about food and digestion
Book an appointment with your GP if you notice:
- weight loss you cannot explain, or a poor appetite that does not improve
- blood in your poo, or black, tarry poo
- a change in your bowel habit that lasts more than a few weeks
- difficulty swallowing, ongoing heartburn or tummy pain, or being sick often
- worries about your eating, such as cutting out whole food groups, bingeing or making yourself sick
For health advice at any time, call Healthline free on 0800 611 116. In an emergency, call 111. If the cost of food is the problem, Work and Income may be able to help people on a low income.
Nutrition courses: common questions
How many servings of vegetables and fruit should adults aim for?
The adult guidelines ask for plenty of vegetables and fruit, and New Zealand healthy eating resources describe this as at least 5 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit a day. One serving is roughly a handful, such as one medium apple or half a cup of cooked vegetables.
Does New Zealand have an official healthy plate picture?
No. The Eating and Activity Guidelines are written as statements about food groups and drinks rather than a single plate image. The courses use a food-group serves checker so you can see your day at a glance.
Why do New Zealand food labels show kilojoules?
Energy on the Nutrition Information Panel is given in kilojoules (kJ), and some labels add calories too. One calorie (kcal) is about 4.2 kJ. The courses show both so you can use whichever you are used to.
What does the Health Star Rating show?
It is a front-of-pack rating from half a star to five stars that helps you compare similar packaged foods, such as two breakfast cereals. Not every product carries one, so the course also shows how to compare products using the per 100 g column.
Why do the guidelines mention iodised salt?
New Zealand soils are low in iodine, so iodine in the food supply matters. The guidelines suggest eating less salt overall and, if you do use salt, choosing iodised salt. Most commercially made bread is also made with iodised salt.
Will a course give me a personal eating plan?
No. The courses are general education for healthy adults. If you have a health condition, take regular medicines or need a special diet, ask your GP, who can refer you for individual advice.
Official sources
Check today's plate against the food groups
Open the serves checker after dinner tonight; seeing which food groups are missing makes the next small change obvious.