National Heart Institute Dietetics and Food Services senior manager MARY EASAW-JOHN and senior dietician FOONG PUI HING analyse the meals of four families to see if they are getting enough nutrition

MOST of the families analysed this week have a limited variety in their meal preparation and types of food eaten.

For the Kasab family, fish is taken once a week and eggs are taken almost daily. They should try adding other varieties of food such as chicken, tofu or tempe to meals as quality sources of protein.

Their diet lacks in fibre and essential vitamins such as Vitamin A, B and C, as fruits are hardly part of their daily meals. The family should try buying affordable local fruits to ensure that they have balanced, nutritious meals.

They should cut their high salt intake from instant noodles and salted fish by substituting them with fresh food such as mee hoon soup cooked with eggs, chicken and vegetables or fresh fish.

For the Loh family, there is a lack of variety in their breakfast. They could consider sandwiches and porridge and alternating these with biscuits.

There is inadequate fibre intake as there is limited servings of fruit and vegetables. It would be healthier for the family to have at least two servings of fruits per day, for example during lunch and dinner.

The family should consider having salads, as vegetables and fruits provide essential vitamins and minerals for overall health.

The family also has a high fat intake, as most dishes consumed were fried. They can better control their diet by trying low-fat cooking at home, such as steamed or stewed foods.

As for the Khamsan family, they should try to replace prawns in their daily menu since prawns are a bit more expensive than chicken or fish.

Prawn side dishes can be reduced to once a week without compromising on protein intake. The family could also try other cooking methods and variety in their meals to reduce fat intake.

The Francisco family also consumes a lot of fat, especially on Mondays and Tuesdays when they have laksa, fried noodles, meat, curry puffs and goreng pisang. These foods have high levels of fat and can be unhealthy if consumed on a regular basis.

The family should try to replace these dishes with healthier alternatives such as clear soup noodles, lean roast pork, apam kukus or boiled sweet potatoes.