The meal recommended by Olivia Molyneux, a gastro dietitian in London, is known as a comfort classic – but it actually contains five of your daily fruit and vegetables
Abigail Nicholson Content Editor
10:30, 10 Apr 2026
The ‘perfectly balanced’ meal is comforting and cheesy
A dietitian has shared a “perfectly balanced” meal that she recommends to her patients – and it’s not what you would expect. Everyone has a different opinion on what healthy eating is, with some people classing it as making food from scratch with organic ingredients.
Others think healthy eating is having enough fruit and vegetables each day, while others will keep and eye on their calorie intake an portion sizes.
However, Olivia Molyneux, a gastro dietitian based in London, has shared one ‘perfectly balanced’ meal she recommends her patients cook.
She shared a video on her TikTok account, @olivia_the_dietitian, to tell people about the meal, which contains five portions of vegetables.
She said: “If I said healthy balanced meal, I very much doubt you’d think of a lasagne, but I’m a dietician and I recommend meals just like this to my clients all the time.
“It’s time to reframe things, because this isn’t just comfort food. This lasagne contains five vegetables, that’s five of your five a day. We’re talking carrots, onions, tomatoes, courgettes, all layered up into one.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
“This lasagne is packed full of protein, tastes amazing, and leaves you feeling genuinely satisfied. Healthy eating doesn’t have to look a certain way, it can look like this.
“Warm, cheesy, comforting, and satisfying. When your plate includes carbs, proteins, fats, and fibre, that’s a balanced meal. This is a reminder that you can eat meals like this, and still be eating in a way that supports your health.”
According to the NHS, having a healthy and balanced diet means eating a wide variety of foods in the right proportions, and consuming the right amount of food and drink to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
The NHS recommends:
Eating at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every dayBasing meals on higher fibre starchy foods like potatoes, bread, rice or pastaHaving some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soya drinks)Eating some beans, pulses, fish, eggs, meat and other proteinChoosing unsaturated oils and spreads, and eat them in small amountsDrinking at least 6 to 8 glasses of water a day