This programme is concerned with the importance of a balanced, healthy diet. By drawing on the ideas of a group of young people and the knowledge of a variety of nutrition experts, it seeks to deal with a number dietary issues in a straightforward and easily digested form!

00.00 Why we need a balanced diet
A group of trainee footballers are used to introduce the importance of understanding diet. A nutritionist explains how a poor diet during the teenage years can lead to problems in later life. A group of ‘ordinary’ students are asked their opinions about what they eat and what makes for a healthy diet.

02.52 Diet for a purpose
A coach at the Liverpool Football Club Academy explains why his trainee footballers need a healthy, balanced diet. The cook at the Academy shows how the trainee's diet is managed, and finally, the doctor at the Academy explains the need for all teenagers to know which foods contain which nutrients.

05.20 Carbohydrates
A mixture of student comments and suggestions from the nutritionist are used to explain firstly, how we use carbohydrates for energy and secondly, how sugary food can be bad for teeth and are often low in other nutrients.

06.52 Fats and proteins
Teenagers’ comments and expert information are used to consider the role of fats and the importance of moderation as a key to good health. A similar approach is taken to proteins and reference is made to the need for vegetarians to use alternative sources such as pulses and nuts. The section concludes with a light-hearted quiz allowing viewers the chance to check their knowledge of carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

13.31 Water, vitamins, minerals and fibre
Student comments and expert advice combine again to explain the role of these final nutrients in the diet. The role of fibre in helping to reduce the intake of more harmful sugars and fats is considered.

15.27 How much of each food?
How do we know we are getting a balanced diet? This section looks at the use of food labelling to provide nutritional information. Even when we know what nutrients are in each food, how do we know what the right balance is? The programme presents a simple graphical alternative to the traditional food pyramid, using different sized delivery trucks to represent the different food types. The programme concludes with a sketch showing how two unbalanced meals can be combined to make healthy, balanced meals.