This booklet has been prepared for those who have recently been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. Type 2 Diabetes is a very common medical condition. While it is a condition that is on the increase, a lot is now known about Type 2 Diabetes and it can be successfully treated and managed so that the person with Diabetes can live a long and healthy life.

We all know that too much salt is bad for our hearts. But what can you do to cut down? Between 65% and 70% of the salt we eat comes from processed food, fast food, and canteen and restaurant food – so as well as reducing the amount of salt that you add to food, it’s especially important to cut down on the amount of salt you get from processed food. Getting to know your way around nutrition labels will go a long way to help you do this.

As a teenage athlete, your active lifestyle and growing body means you have special nutritional needs. You need to start with the basics of a healthy and varied diet. There are no quick fixes – supplements, in particular, are not recommended for teenagers.

Rather, this Guide was developed through extensive consultation with schools, community groups, health professionals and suppliers who are currently involved in providing food in school. Research was also conducted on approaches in Northern Ireland and in other countries. Finally, we consulted with Government and social partner stakeholders at national level to get their views as to the main issues to be addressed.

Food and nutrition are key determinants of health. What people eat, and how much they eat, influences how healthy they are, and even how long they live. Food poverty arises when people lack the money or other resources needed to eat a healthy diet. The overarching objective of Healthy Food for All is to end food poverty on the island of Ireland.

Duck eggs have become popular in the past few years and are now readily available to consumers. And while duck eggs are a natural, nutritious food, they do need to be handled and cooked with greater care than quality assured hens’ eggs.

Milk produced on farms on the island of Ireland is generally acknowledged to be of very high standard. The microbiological standards demanded of milk at EU level have been consistently improving over recent years. What you may not know, however, is that these routine tests do not specifically check for E. coli, Salmonella and other potentially harmful bacteria which may be present in unpasteurised milk.

If you are buying a fresh turkey, buy it as close to Christmas as possible, bring it home quickly and store it in the fridge. If you are buying a frozen turkey, get it into the freezer without delay and keep it there until you are ready to defrost it.

Remember to store any raw meat and poultry on the bottom shelf of the fridge to prevent meat juices from dripping on to other foods and spreading germs around the fridge.