Stock a pulse you will cook, a whole grain you already use, and an easy way to add vegetables or fruit. Whole grains, pulses, vegetables and fruit all supply dietary fibre. A few foods you use repeatedly can be easier to plan around than a large list bought for one week. WHO guidance on carbohydrate quality
Give each item a meal or snack
| Buy | Put it to work |
|---|---|
| Whole moong or chana | Add to a cooked meal with vegetables |
| Masoor dal | Use in a meal you can make on a busy evening |
| Whole-wheat atta or oats | Use where you already make roti or porridge |
| Plain roasted chana | Keep as an option for a snack away from home |
| A fruit and a vegetable you enjoy | Choose when and where you will eat them |
If you buy packaged atta or a ready mix, use the ingredient list to see which grains it contains. When comparing declared fibre, put both packs on the same basis, such as per 100 g. If you want to know what a portion supplies, use the serving amount that matches how you prepare it.
Make one change you can observe
If your usual evening meal has rice and a small vegetable portion, consider where a dal or another pulse would fit. If your snack is whatever you find at the station, pack a suitable option the night before. Some people find a large change in fibre uncomfortable. The journal’s digestion guide covers gradual changes and situations that deserve individual advice.
Use the vegetarian tiffin guide when your shopping list needs to turn into a lunch you can carry.