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Original poster

Do you eat five portions of fruit/veg a day?

216 replies

Darkling1 · 23/06/2025 10:56

I plan my meals around what fruit/veg we have at home, so I consume my five fruit and veg most days!

I remember that target feeling impossible as a child, but I find it much easier as an adult.

OP posts:
Ponoka7 · 23/06/2025 12:03

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 23/06/2025 11:58

No.

I don't like fruit, and eating veg is a chore. I don't see any sense in turning something as vital as eating into something to be tholed rather than enjoyed.

Do you not find that adding onions, peppers, mushrooms etc adds to the enjoyment via the increase in flavour? Even putting lettuce and tomato on bacon/burgers.

ImFineItsAllFine · 23/06/2025 12:02

I think I probably do 4-5 most days. I've never really been that enthusiastic about salad which I think makes it harder!

I'm much better with fruit at this time of year as the choices are nicer than what'saround in winter.

XDownwiththissortofthingX · 23/06/2025 11:58

No.

I don't like fruit, and eating veg is a chore. I don't see any sense in turning something as vital as eating into something to be tholed rather than enjoyed.

GreenEggsIAm · 23/06/2025 11:55

I easily do about 9 a day without any thought. My food shop is getting more and more expensive though so maybe that will drop soon.

Ponoka7 · 23/06/2025 11:55

I don't normally eat fruit, but bananas and strawberries go nicely with chocolate ice cream. I freeze fruits to use as icecubes in my summer cocktails and eat them. Veg, I have in every meal. I've always cooked with chickpeas/lentils and different beans. They pad out dishes, cheaply. So hit the higher recommended amount. People often call buying chopped veg lazy, bit if it means you've got it to hand to throw in an omelette, then that's what matters.
Picking up from a pp, although some cultures cook from scratch etc, a lot of foods can be deep fried in palm oil and depending on income, mainly rice/wheat etc. Yams and alternative to potatoes are higher in carbs, a plus point is fresh fish.

BigDahliaFan · 23/06/2025 11:53

Fairly easily to be honest. We eat a lot of salads on the side of meals, I have home made soup in the winter most days, eat a lot of lentils etc. Have mushrooms or tomatoes with a poached egg in the morning.

I find it harder if we are eating out a lot.

MiddleAgedDread · 23/06/2025 11:52

It would be rare that I don't, I eat 8-10 most days.

5128gap · 23/06/2025 11:50

PhantomOTheParadise · 23/06/2025 11:27

Yes, I went vegan before there were many of the processed fake meat options, so I never got into the habit of eating them, which in hindsight, was a good thing because I had to learn how to cook with whole foods and make them taste good!

I do have a sneaky fake bacon sandwich once in a while, but 99 percent of my diet is natural whole foods out of necessity.

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Same. I must admit I do like the odd weekend breakfast of fake bacon and tofu scrambled 'egg'. But when I've added the mushrooms, tomato and beans, I'm still piling the veg on.

BrownieBlondie01 · 23/06/2025 11:49

No, not easily without consciously trying.

A day could easily be:

Breakfast: Peanut butter on toast (100% peanut butter and wholemeal seeded bread - have recently introduced a banana/strawberries/cherries alongside this)

Lunch - Scrambled egg on toast

Dinner - Pasta (which would have tomato, onion and pepper in the sauce) OR something like a wrap, which would have some cucumber, tomato and pepper chopped up in it, but likely not enough to constitute a portion.

proximalhumerous · 23/06/2025 11:45

Ablondiebutagoody · 23/06/2025 11:00

Easily in just fruit alone. Currently doing a punnet of grapes, several plums and a couple of apples per day. I'm wondering if I'm overdoing the grapes.....

A punnet of grapes?! You may as well just eat a bag of sugar. Etc...

Bluevelvetsofa · 23/06/2025 11:42

At this time of year, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, grapes, apples, blueberries are all in my Greek yoghurt with honey and flaked almonds.

I don’t like the texture and taste of bananas. Ditto sweet potato.

Peas, sugar snap, mange tout, cauli, green beans, swede, broccoli, carrots, sometimes courgettes and asparagus, all feature.

Tdcp · 23/06/2025 11:42

I probably get about 8 portions at least these days. I have a fruit bowl for breakfast every morning which contains 5 fruits then the veg is with dinner. I do notice a difference if I don't eat the fruit.

TheAutumnCrow · 23/06/2025 11:42

Newmeagain · 23/06/2025 11:19

@Dramatic have you tried sticking to fruit and veg that is less likely to cause ibs symptoms- e.g. sweet potato, bananas, cucumber, etc?

God, cucumber would finish me off! I really miss it as well in the summer.

minipie · 23/06/2025 11:41

Hmmm I’d say on average donhit the 5 a day of fruit and veg. Much more in the summer, but probably not always 5 a day in the winter. I need to make more soup!
I do eat a lot of nuts, seeds, legumes, herbs and spices so hopefully that counts too.

Original poster
Darkling1 · 23/06/2025 11:41

BunnyLake · 23/06/2025 11:38

Not as much as I should. A lot of fruit gives me a sore mouth so I have to be careful. I eat about two veg a day, more if I make a stew. I try to have a banana a day.

Have you had an allergy test, at all? My partner used to have a sore mouth after eating pineapple and kiwi. Turns out she’s (mildly) allergic to them.

OP posts:
RosesAndHellebores · 23/06/2025 11:40

Yes - usually about 7

Breakfast: tablespoon of blueberries, half a dozen raspberries, few chunks of mango, 3/4 prunes, tbs of Greek Yoghurt.

Lunch: salad of lettuce, tomato, cu, pepper, bit of avocado and neetroot and some oily fish

Dinner: protein with salad or veg.

Fruit: 2 satsumas, an apple, bunch of grapes.

BunnyLake · 23/06/2025 11:38

Not as much as I should. A lot of fruit gives me a sore mouth so I have to be careful. I eat about two veg a day, more if I make a stew. I try to have a banana a day.

Dramatic · 23/06/2025 11:38

megatwat · 23/06/2025 11:20

cucumber, arrgh, one of the worst culprits for me, i would vomit if i ate it and also lettuce makes me up all night vomiting

IBS shouldn't cause vomiting, have you had other investigations?

BuckChuckets · 23/06/2025 11:38

Easily, but I'm vegan.

eqpi4t2hbsnktd · 23/06/2025 11:38

Apparently it should be 10 a day but the government thought we would all find that too daunting and not bother so they lowered it to 5.
And no, I don't.

Dramatic · 23/06/2025 11:37

Newmeagain · 23/06/2025 11:19

@Dramatic have you tried sticking to fruit and veg that is less likely to cause ibs symptoms- e.g. sweet potato, bananas, cucumber, etc?

I absolutely hate bananas unfortunately, I do eat cucumber, I've never really tried sweet potato but could give it a go

TheAutumnCrow · 23/06/2025 11:36

megatwat · 23/06/2025 11:05

never

I have IBS and most fruit and veg makes me ill, I can eat banana and have one a few times a week

It’s so difficult, isn’t it? I’m always deficient in something or other when I have blood tests.

I am currently trying to boil and pulp vegetables, trying out eg making root mash with a bit of potato and turnip. Then I freeze it and reheat it. Seems to break it down more. Tiny amounts.

Funnily enough I can manage frozen and boiled corn on the cob. And tinned tomatoes for some reason. Again, in small amounts.

Otherwise it’s vitamin and mineral supplements. <sad face>

IAmTheLogLady · 23/06/2025 11:35

Toilichte · 23/06/2025 11:28

Spices don’t count as one of your “a-day”’portions. The a-days should be a serving size of 80g.

Spices and things count towards the idea that alongside your 5 a day you should also be trying to hit variety so 30 different plants a week should be part of your diet. But this does include things like cereals, nuts and spices.

they are all good for you. But it’s also about not tricking yourself into thinking you are healthy if you hit the 5 a day, but they are the same 5 every day, week in week out.

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I agree that you need to have a varied intake of fruit and vegetables. I suppose this is where it gets tricky as I'll admit mine are fairly similar.

needrain · 23/06/2025 11:34

Cant remember the last time I had a vegetable.

SeriousTissues · 23/06/2025 11:34

I did once list the different plants I ate in a week though and it was way over 30.