If your New Year's resolution involves eating better, the National Health Service has some straightforward advice that starts with your morning meal. Official guidance suggests that making a few simple changes at breakfast can significantly impact your long-term health by helping you cut down on sugar, salt, and saturated fat.
The Five Foods to Swap Out
According to the NHS's Better Health campaign, there are five common breakfast items that you should consider replacing. The list targets foods that are typically high in unhealthy ingredients. The items earmarked for replacement are chocolate cereals, sugar-coated or glazed cereals, croissants, cereal bars, and honey-flavoured cereals.
Many of these are classified as ultra-processed foods, which often contain elevated levels of calories, saturated fat, salt, or sugar. The British Heart Foundation specifically highlights sugar-coated flakes and chocolate granola as some of the least healthy cereal options available.
Healthier Alternatives to Try
Instead of the sugary and fatty options, the NHS promotes a selection of more nutritious alternatives. The recommended swaps include opting for wheat biscuit cereals, shredded wholegrain cereal, no-added-sugar muesli, porridge, and wholemeal toast. Another excellent choice is plain natural yoghurt topped with freshly chopped fruit.
Experts explain the problem with choices like sugar-frosted cornflakes, noting they are "high in sugar and low in fibre, as well as usually coming with added salt." They are nutritionally similar to other sweetened cereals like chocolate rice or honey-nut varieties. A healthier tactic is to choose an unsweetened cereal like plain cornflakes or puffed rice and add fruit for natural sweetness, which also contributes to your five-a-day.
Understanding the Health Impact
While an occasional croissant or chocolate cereal is fine, the NHS suggests that most people would benefit from consistently eating fewer processed, high-fat, and high-sugar products. Diets rich in such unhealthy processed foods are linked to an increased risk of serious conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.
It is important to note that not all processed foods are equal. Some, like wholemeal bread, may be technically ultra-processed but are still a considerably healthier choice. The NHS advises consumers to become label-savvy. "Looking at food labels can help you choose between processed foods and check the calorie, saturated fat, salt and sugar content," the guidance states. Most pre-packed foods display this nutrition information, often using a colour-coded traffic light system to indicate high or low levels of key nutrients.
Making these mindful swaps at the start of your day is a practical step towards a healthier 2026, as advocated by the nation's health authority.
