Much of our daily food is included in the Schijf van Vijf (Dutch Food Guide), but not everything. How should we handle the foods that fall just outside it?
Snacks such as cookies, soft drinks, and chips are not part of the Schijf van Vijf. Nor are products like white bread, sauces, processed meats, sweet spreads, or custard. If you generally eat according to the Schijf van Vijf, you can still include these occasionally — but not too much and not too often.
What does “not too much and not too often” mean?
The Netherlands Nutrition Centre (Voedingscentrum) provides a simple guideline to make this clearer:
Choose no more than 3 to 5 small items per day outside of the Schijf van Vijf, and no more than 3 larger items per week.
Here are some examples of what those choices might look like:
Daily choice (small item)
A daily choice is something small: a small cookie, a popsicle, a piece of chocolate, honey in your yogurt, or a tablespoon of ketchup. Big eaters, such as growing teenagers, can add up to 5 portions. Smaller eaters should stick to a maximum of 3 to 4 portions on top of what they eat from the Schijf van Vijf.
Children under 4 years old have little room for daily choices. If you do give them one, it’s better as a topping on bread rather than as a snack.
Weekly choice (larger item)
A weekly choice is something larger: a croissant, a piece of cake, a bag of chips, a glass of soda, a frozen pizza, or a bowl of sweetened breakfast cereal. These can fit into your diet, but limit to a maximum of 3 portions per week. Keep portions small and vary your choices.
Children under 4 years old should not have weekly choices.
Every step counts
If you follow this guideline and eat healthily according to the Schijf van Vijf, you’ll avoid consuming too many calories, saturated fats, and salt.
Maybe you currently eat a lot more outside the Schijf van Vijf, and this feels a bit confronting. Just remember: every step in the right direction is good for your health. It doesn’t have to be perfect all at once.