If your Friday plans include a cheese platter, you’re already doing something good for your health.

Cheese is a core dairy food and part of the Five Food Groups in the Australian Dietary Guidelines. It provides high-quality protein and calcium – nutrients essential for bone health, muscle strength and healthy ageing.

And yet, cheese is often misunderstood.

This New Year, ADPF is encouraging Australians to rethink the way we talk about food. Instead of focusing on what to cut, our #AddDairy campaign is about adding foods that do more.

Dairy is one of Australia’s most nutrient-dense food groups, delivering 10 essential nutrients, including calcium, protein and key vitamins, in everyday foods like milk, yoghurt and cheese. These nutrients play a critical role in supporting lifelong health.

Despite this, dairy remains one of the most under-consumed food groups in Australia and that shortfall has real consequences. Low dairy intake is linked to higher risks of osteoporosis, fractures and poor nutrition, outcomes that affect quality of life and place growing pressure on Australia’s healthcare and aged care systems.

The Health Star Rating problem

While dairy is clearly recognised in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, our food labelling system doesn’t always tell the same story.

Under the current Health Star Rating system, some nutrient-dense Five Food Group cheeses score below three stars, despite their proven role in delivering essential nutrients. This creates confusion for consumers and can unintentionally discourage people from choosing core dairy foods that support good health.

When nutrition labelling undervalues foods like cheese, it undermines confidence in evidence-based dietary guidance and sends mixed messages about what healthy eating really looks like.

Why this matters for policy

Dairy plays a critical role in public health, particularly for children, adolescents and older Australians. Yet its benefits are often under-communicated, misunderstood or misrepresented in policy settings.

That’s why ADPF is calling on government to ensure the Australian Dietary Guidelines (ADG) and Health Star Rating (HSR) systems reflect the science that recognises dairy’s essential role and correct misrepresentations that discourage consumption.

More: Add dairy

More: ADPF Strategic Focus Area – Champion supportive and progressive policy reforms