You may have already seen it: on the 9th of April 2026, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre has launched a new Wheel of Five. While the familiar five colored sections remain, the specific dietary recommendations have been significantly adjusted. Overall, the message is clear: there is a greater focus on a sustainable diet. Not only because it’s better for our own health, but also for the planet’s.
The main changes
The core of the food guide remains the same: plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains, and limited amounts of salt, saturated fat, and sugar are recommended. However, several adjustments have been made to the recommended amounts for various food groups*:
- Legumes, tofu, and tempeh: from 120–180 to 250 grams per week. Falafel and hummus are now included as well.
- Meat: from a maximum of 500 to a maximum of 300 grams per week, of which no more than 100 grams should be red meat. Minimize processed meat, such as deli meats.
- Nuts: from 25 to 30 grams per day.
- Cheese: from 40 to 20 grams per day.
- Dairy (alternatives): Alternate between dairy and dairy alternatives, for example, 200 milliliters of low-fat milk per day and 200 milliliters of fortified soy drink or yogurt.
*Recommendation for adults aged 18–50 who eat meat and fish
A personalized plan
Everyone receives personalized recommendations based on their gender, age, and dietary preferences. The “Wheel of Five for you tool” [in Dutch] helps tailor these recommendations to each person’s individual situation.
Application in everyday life
Less cheese, less meat, more legumes… Change can be difficult, so the question is to what extent Dutch society will follow these new recommendations. Fortunately, the Netherlands Nutrition Centre isn’t pushing for a complete turnaround overnight. The focus is on “food swaps”: replace white bread with whole-grain bread, or swap ground beef for lentils in pasta sauce. It’s precisely these small, achievable steps that make it easier to stick to new habits.
Do it together, not alone
Finally, here’s a tip you may have read about before on RAD-blog: Do it together, not alone! RAD-blogger Nina van den Broek will be conducting research in the coming years specifically on this role of the social environment in choosing to consume fewer animal products, so keep an eye on RAD-blog for new insights in this area.
This news article was written by Nina van den Broek (Radboud University) for RAD-blog, the blog about smoking, alcohol, drugs, and diet.
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