Developing consumer advice

We developed an online resource called Eat Well, Your Way to help consumers make healthier choices through small, manageable changes that took into account busy schedules, budgets and other life pressures. This information was based on a behaviour change methodology developed by NHS Education for Scotland called the MAP concept, which identifies individuals as either needing: MOTIVATION to make a change, at a stage to take ACTION, or at a stage where a PROMPT is required for successful behaviour change.

Before launching Eat Well, Your Way, we conducted research to explore how healthy eating advice could encompass wider social and cultural aspects of food choice or consumption. This research involved engagement with a wide range of stakeholders and consumers on the development of a dietary guidance resource for Scotland, to support the population to achieve a healthier diet. 

• Summary report: Health inequalities impact assessment scoping workshop for Food Standards Scotland’s Eat Well, Your Way resource
• Eat Well, Your Way: early feedback and evaluation of the resource
• Stakeholder and consumer engagement on development of a dietary guidance resource for Scotland, to support the population to achieve a healthier diet

Eatwell Everyday (previously called the eatwell week) demonstrates what a healthy diet looks like over the course of a week and provides two examples of a week’s meal plan. Eatwell Everyday brings together all recommendations for a healthy balanced diet and highlights the need to limit foods high in fats, salt and sugars in the diet, and base meals on starchy foods such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes.

• The eatwell week: the application of eatwell plate advice to weekly food intake
• ​Estimation of the greenhouse gas emissions of the eatwell week
• Estimating the cost of a healthy diet: testing an approach based on nutritionally analysed meal plans