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  • Page | Last updated: 11 Apr 2025

Food-Based Dietary Guidelines recommendations for sweets and desserts

Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway

Summary of FBDG recommendations for sweets and desserts for the EU, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom

Due care was taken to ensure factually correct information. Food groupings and food group names differ across individual FBDGs; the ones used here are a compromise to present the information in a structured way. Differences such as those in number of portions and portion sizes were kept unaltered. The original country FBDGs and the responsible national public health authorities remain the only qualified points of reference.

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Belgium ---
Bulgaria-

- Limit your intake of sugar, sweets and confectionery.

- Limit the consumption of products containing hard margarine - biscuits, waffles, dry pastes, etc.

-
Czechia--Reduce your sugar intake, especially in the form of sweetened drinks, sweets, jams, sweetened dairy products and ice cream.-

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DenmarkLimit the amount of snacks and sweet, salty and fatty foods you eat to a maximum of 5 handfuls a week (size of own hand).The 5 handfuls per week include for example sweets, cake, chocolate, ice cream, biscuits and chips.-
Notes: You have less room in the diet for snacks and sweets as a child compared to an adult, and as a woman compared to a man. For more details, see https://altomkost.dk/                                           
Germany-Avoid sweet, salty and fatty foods.-
Note: Sugar, salt and fat are often "invisibly" present in processed foods like sausage, pastries, sweets, fast food and convenience products. High intake of these increases the risk of overweight, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes. 
Estonia≤4 portions of sweets, sweet and savoury snacksChocolate products: prefer those with more cocoaSugar, honey, jam, chocolate, sweets: 10 g sugar, honey, 20 g jam, 10 g candies, 10 g muesli cereal bar. Soft drinks and juices: 1 dl nectar, soft drinks, juice drinks, energy drinks, iced tea, flavoured water, vitamin-enriched water, 0.6 dl fruit/ berry juice.

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IrelandMax. 1-2 per week

- Not every day.

- Not needed for good health.

- Small or fun-size servings of chocolate, biscuits, cake, sweets, crisps and other savoury snacks, ice cream and sugary drinks - not every day, maximum once or twice a week.

Small or fun-size servings
Note: The revised Food Pyramid separates the top shelf from the rest of the pyramid, emphasising these foods are not needed for good health
Greece-Consume sweets occasionally and in moderation-
SpainReduce and even avoid consumingWhenever possible, consume homemade food preparations-

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France-

- Limit the consumption of sugar-sweetened foods and beverages.

- Breakfast cereals are usually sweet, or even sweet and fat.

- Limit the consumption of both sweet and fatty foods (pastries, chocolate, dairy desserts and ice cream).

-
Croatia-

- Limit sweets, salt and fat.

- Replace sweets with nuts and dried fruit.

-
ItalyOccasional consumption

- Moderate consumption, selecting products that include complex carbohydrates other than sugars.

- Limit use of low-calorie sweeteners.

- Moderate consumption of sweet foods and limited consumption of soft drinks in the day, to avoid exceeding the amount of sugar allowed.

-

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Cyprus-Reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks, choose foodstuffs with reduced sugar content-
Latvia-

- Limit sugar and sugar-containing products.

- If you usually end the meal with dessert, choose fresh fruit, which you can supplement with a tablespoon of yogurt.

-
Lithuania---

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Luxembourg-Only eat treats occasionally and in small quantities-
HungarySweets and desserts: not more than 2x a week

- When shopping choose the food with less salt, fat, and sugar.

- Sweets and desserts: not more than 2x a week.

- Fatty foods such as cakes, biscuits, ice cream, fatty cheeses, sausages, mayonnaise: not every day and in small amounts.

-
Malta-Foods and drinks rich in sugar and unhealthy fats: Small quantities, consumed occasionally (if desired). If consumed, have them with your meals.-

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Netherlands-

- Limit consumption of foods high in saturated fat, sugar, and salt or low in fibre.

- Keep it small and do not eat the same things too often.

- Monitor your body weight.

-
Notes: The recommendation 3-5 small portions per day and 3 big portions per week is not specifically for sweets and desserts, but applies for the total of foods that: 
- are not nutrient dense 
- contain too much saturated and trans fatty acids, salt, and sugar 
- contain not enough dietary fibre 
These also include snacks, crisps, white bread, processed meat, etc.
AustriaMax. 1 serving/day of foods high in fat, sugar, or salt and energy-rich beverages (e.g. marinated foods, nibbles, salted nuts, ready-made foods)Consume sparingly, but then with pleasure and without a guilty conscience-
Poland-

- Eat less processed products (such as fast food, salty snacks, biscuits, bars, wafers) with a high salt, sugar and fat content. 

- Eat fruit or nuts and seeds instead of sweets. 

-

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Portugal-

- Limit consumption of products with high sugar content to special occasions.

- Consumption of fats in moderation.

- The consumption of sweets should be done preferably at the end of meals for dessert, on ceremonial occasions.

-
Romania-

- Small amount of sweets, consume occasionally.

- Eat highly processed foods high in sugar sparingly.

- Use fruit for dessert more often.

-
Slovenia-Limit your intake of sugar and foods with added sugar (eg sugary snacks, sweets, sweet baked goods, sugary drinks)-

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Slovakia-

- Healthier alternatives to satisfy cravings such as fresh fruit, dried fruit or nuts.

- Avoid excessive consumption of soft drinks, sweets.

-
Finland-

- Avoid products made of refined flour with plenty of hard fat and sugar.

- Reduce your sugar intake to moderate amounts.

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Sweden-

- Hold back on the sweets, pastries, ice creams and other products containing lots of sugar.

- Cut back on sweet drinks in particular.

-
Note: Recommendations are made for sugar instead

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United Kingdom-

- Foods high in fat, salt and sugars. Eat less often and in small amounts.

- Foods and drinks high in fat, salt or sugar are not needed in the diet and so, if included, should only be eaten infrequently and in small amounts.

-
SwitzerlandOnly consume soft drinks, sweet and salty snacks in small quantities (0 to 1 portion per day)- 1 portion corresponds to 20 grams of sweets such as chocolate, chocolate spread and sweet biscuits
Iceland-

- Less added sugar.

- Drink little or no soda or soft drinks and eat sweets, cakes, biscuits, and ice cream in moderation.

- Rather choose nuts, seeds, and fruits.

-
Norway-- Limit candy, snacks and sweet baked goods. There is room for these foods occasionally, and in small amounts as part of healthy and varied diets. -