Introduction:

Food insecurity, overnutrition, unhealthy and unsustainable dietary patterns and disproportionate increase in the cost of nutritious foods are the factors that play an important role in the complex nutritional food landscape of the Argentine population and represent contemporary challenges that require changes in the way food is produced, distributed, marketed, and consumed.

Objective:

Design a model of dietary transition changes that is nutritionally adequate and adapted to the specificities of local scenario.

Materials and methods:

Regarding the main excesses in the dietary pattern of the Argentinean population, a matrix of dietary changes was designed, considering three dimensions: quantities, occasions and diversification, transitioning towards the reference model (EAT-Lancet). The economic implications of the change process were determined.

Results:

20 dietary adaptation strategies were identified to partially reduce the gaps in meat (maximum 25%), starchy foods (maximum around ⅕) and their derivatives products; prioritizing those that are fresh, seasonal and locally sourced products. The combination of dietary changes would imply a net savings of 11% compared to a healthy food basket.

Conclusion:

The dietary transition towards healthier and more sustainable models must consider flexible, progressive and feasible changes; the sociocultural factors characteristic of the population. Its implementation and maintenance requires effective public policies and the willingness of the various actors involved, including consumers themselves.