Discover Balanced Diet: Tasty and Healthy in Harmony
Everyone knows how to be healthy, but putting them into practice is often harder than expected!
With busy lifestyles, few people can strictly control their diet all the time. Nestlé truly understands and encourages you to explore a simple, sustainable way to stay healthy without giving up delicious food—the Balanced Diet
At its core, a Balanced Diet means choosing a variety of foods in the right amounts to ensure the body gets all the essential nutrients to promotes long-term health and reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Most importantly, this flexible approach fits the modern Thai lifestyle—making it practical, easy, and enjoyable every day. With the Balanced Diet, you can stay healthy, enjoy meals, and keep everything in balance.
Eat Well with the "Food Pairing, Portion Control, Meal Planning"
A Balanced Diet can be achieved with three simple techniques: Food Pairing, Portion Control, Meal Planning. These can be applied to every meal and snack throughout the day.
Food Pairing
“Pair” your favorite meals with something extra that boosts nutrition. This helps your body receive a complete range of nutrients and allows some nutrients to work together for better health effects.
For example, if more than 50% of your meal is carbs and protein, pair it with vegetables, fruits, or a whole-grain drink to balance it out. Or if today’s snack is ice cream or a dessert high in sugar and fat, pair it with fiber-rich toppings such as grains or fruits. These can help slow down or reduce sugar and fat absorption in the body.
Portion Control
“Control” your intake of sweets, fried foods, or other high-calorie dishes by eating them in moderation. We understand that snacks, sweets, and fried foods are favorites for many, and they always bring comfort and happiness. But if your physical activity is low, eating large amounts or too often can give your body more energy than it actually needs.
Use the “Control” technique to eat smaller amounts, enjoy them less often, or share them with friends. For guidance, check nutrition labels such as the GDA (Guideline Daily Amount) or the “sweet-salty-fat” icon, which shows how many portions the pack should be divided into for proper energy and nutrient intake.
Meal Planning
Eating perfectly balanced meals every time isn’t always possible. Instead, use the “Plan” technique to create flexibility, allow yourself indulgence in some meals while keeping overall balance throughout the day.
Alternate heavy and light meals. For example, if you’ve planned a big buffet dinner, plan for balance by choosing lighter, lower-calorie options for breakfast and lunch.
Balanced Eating for Every Lifestyle
No matter what lifestyle you live, no need to force yourself. You can enjoy delicious food and stay balanced in a way that fits you.
Office Worker with Demanding Schedule
Most office workers don’t have much time to choose meals carefully. They focus on speed and convenience, often eating the same menus repeatedly. Many also like to indulge in comfort food after a long workday. Here’s how to balance eating even with a heavy workload
Work hard, eat smart, and stay balanced:
Pair fiber with quick meals to make them healthier. For breakfast, pair whole-grain crackers or a tuna sandwich with black coffee. For lunch, if you choose your favorite hamburger or other fast food high in carbs and protein, don’t forget to pair it with fruits or a whole-grain beverage.
Plan light snacks at the office so you have convenient, energy-boosting options during the day. Try roasted almonds, sunflower seeds, bananas, or sandwiches. These keep your body and mind fueled and prevent overeating at the next meal.
Take a break to recharge and enjoy your favorite foods in the right portions.
On tough days, giving yourself a little comfort helps you bounce back even stronger. Choose relaxing foods and Control the portion in moderation—for example, 2 small chocolate sticks, 1 box of milk with honey, 1 orange, 1 glass of avocado smoothie, or 1 cup of green tea.
The Health Conscious: Disciplined and Dedicated
Many health-conscious people focus on clean eating, calorie control, and strict meal plans. But sometimes, being too strict can take away the joy of eating. Try rebalancing your diet to keep both body and mind healthy and happy!
Train hard, eat balanced, stay happy:
- Pair lean protein with vegetables to make meals more complete. While eating mostly vegetables helps with weight control, building muscle mass also improves metabolism. Add 1–2 palm-sized portions of lean meat or calculate protein intake at 1.6–2.0 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. This boosts muscle, strength, and energy while making meals more enjoyable.
Control favorite treats instead of eliminating them, such as 2 pieces of chocolate or a serving of frozen yogurt. Allowing yourself these pleasures helps sustain both physical and mental wellness over the long run.
Plan a light breakfast before workouts, for example, black coffee with whole-grain crackers. This fuels your body, increases endurance, and enhances workout performance, perfect for those with intense exercise routines and busy schedules.
Chill Eaters: Food is Joy
After long and busy days, many people just want to relax, chill out, and enjoy food without overthinking. But giving in too much can easily lead to overeating. Here’s how to indulge while staying balanced.
Relax, enjoy, and stay balanced:
- If you love salty, crunchy snacks, pair them with water to help flush out excess sodium. For sweet treats, pair them with fruits or grains, like adding berries to ice cream. This not only increases fiber and slows sugar absorption but also adds vitamins like Vitamin A, which helps protect your eyes during late-night movie sessions.
Control your portions such as following the “sweet-salty-fat” (GDA) label on packages. Buy smaller packs, or divide into smaller containers to easily control the portions.
If you’re going out for a big dinner with friends, plan a lighter lunch such as grilled chicken salad, papaya salad, spicy glass noodle salad, or clear soup to balance your daily calorie intake.
No matter what lifestyle you live or what health limitations you may have, you can start making small changes by following the Balanced Diet approach. Use the Pair – Control – Plan method to add goodness and balance to every bite of your favorite foods, helping you achieve lasting wellness for both body and mind.
