Eating our 10-a-day thread

[Breathmiller]

I would like to try to start a project of getting my 10-a-day of fruit and veg in every day.

Anyone fancy joining me? I find groups on here of support so useful.

I know lentils and beans and chickpeas are part of it too so I will up them. I'm vegan so I'm hoping that should make things easier as I eat lentils as part of my diet anyway.

This thread is for everyone who would like to focus on 'eating the rainbow' as part of a healthy lifestyle.

Or anyone who does this already who has any hints and tips?

Well done RhonaRed once it gets in your head it does become easier just to add little bits in here and there.

I have been writing a daily list on my phone then copying and pasting it here every day. I've set up a weekly one too so that I can add any new veg I have. See how many different varieties I can get

Yesterday

Mango and blueberries - 2 portions

Onion, carrot, celery, broccoli, green beans, orange lentils and borlotti beans all in soup - probably 3 portions

Then a fail for dinner as we went to the chippy! Does mushy peas count as a portion?

So 5 or 6 in total. Not too bad I suppose overall but need to get back on track today.

@PyjamaFan I can't easily find a straight answer on the mushy peas question. The nhs website says that tinned fruit and veg are fine but to avoid/be mindful with ones that have added salt or sugar. I'm sure I've read somewhere that tinned fruit 'counts' but only if it's in juice, not in syrup. I loathe them but DH eats them regularly. The batchelors tin claims they do count...

First half of my list for yesterday were full portions. With 6 full, I'd say comfortably 8 overall

Nectarine
Kiwi
Lettuce
Cherry tomatoes
Beetroot
Dates

Tinned Sweetcorn
Courgette
Red pepper
Spinach
Onion
Carrot
Chickpeas

I have a big pan of multi-veg soup ready for me and dh tonight - after we’ve driven 3 hours there and back to pick up Gdcs who are staying a couple of nights.

Base of chicken stock, home made this time though more often a cube, plus a veg stock cube and black pepper. Chopped onions sweated in a little oil.

A good handful each of red lentils and pearl barley then added with the stock, simmer 30 mins.
Then sundry veg added, in small cubes - carrot, potato, celery, swede, celeriac. Plus some chopped parsley out of the freezer.
Simmer 15 mins.

Before serving will reheat and add a lot of cauliflower and broccoli, in small florets, plus some cabbage, sliced and chopped small. A leek would have been good, too but didn’t have any. Ditto Brussels sprouts, quartered.

We have it with grated cheese on top, v tasty, too.

That’s a total 11different plant items in one go.

Does mushy peas count as a portion?

It's only 3 tablespoons of peas that count so I would have said mushy peas should count if tinned veg and fruit count?

Mushy peas count as a portion. They are made from dried peas so they count in the same way as lentils, humus and beans.

Thanks everyone, I thought they probably did count as I know that tinned fruit does, but it's good to have it confirmed.

Yesterday 5 portions
B: spinach, fruit juice - 2
L: squash, onion, carrot (in homemade soup), apple - 2
D: lettuce, radish and raw carrot - 1

Today 4.75 portions
B: plum, raspberries - 1
L: lettuce, apple 1.25
D: Carrot, peas, broccoli - 2.5

I agree that mushy peas should count too.

Today I lost concentration.😄 It wasn't salad weather and I had too many "other" things to eat. Soup season is here I think.
So just reached 4.

Peach, strawberries, raisin with breakfast: 1
Snack of dried blueberries: half portion only
Dinner: carrot, pak choi, mushroom: 2
Strawberries: another half.

(I've enjoyed potatoes today which I do think are a useful veg too!)

Yes, salad season is definitely on the way out here. And the veg needs more cooking.

This weekend hasn't been great but i think that will be how it goes.

1. Cherries
2. Strawberries
3. Raspberries
4. Mushrooms
5. Asparagus
6. Tomatoes
7. Aubergine, sweet potato, sweetcorn & cauliflower.

I'm still eating salad because it comes in my veg box. I'm sure I wouldn't be otherwise (at least not as much as I am)

First list is whole portions, second isn’t with a total that I think would be 9-10 all together

Kiwi
Mango
Dates
Beetroot
Cherry tomatoes
Tenderstem
Courgette

Mushrooms
Lettuce
Sweetcorn
Runner beans
Leek/onion
Mushrooms
Spinach

Raspberries
Apple
Hummus
Avocado
Carrots
Red pepper
cucumber
3 bean salad
M and s bang bang noodle slaw which was delicious and had some raw veg in

7.5 is my best estimate on quantities

Tomorrow I'm going all in for 10!

I'm doing well so far today - had salad for lunch which included lettuce, rocket, spinach, beetroot, avocado, mangetout and tomatoes. Not all full portions, but would have been at least 3-4 I think. Then I had a small bowl of fruit and yoghurt which had melon, mango, grapes and pineapple - probably equivalent to 2 portions.

Dinner this eve is chicken fajitas but I'm going to have a veggie version which will include carrots, pak choi, celery, mushroom, peppers, green beans and possibly some kale.

Recently I've been trying to have 30 varieties of veg and fruit each week, but I'm off work this week and have a little more time so I've set myself a challenge of getting 50! However, I've accepted they don't all have to be full portions to count, so I think that is achievable.

1. Plums
2. Dates
3. Avocado
4. Cucumber
5. Carrot
6. Tomatoes
7. Beetroot
8. Lettuce
9. Passion fruit

10. Raspberries

Having a chinese and mibe is a veggie meal so it will have a couple of more portions so feeling quite good about it today.

I just treated myself to a nutri bullet so any suggestions of snoothies send them my way. I also have a decent juicer and I like making juices first them adding stuff to be whizzed. I've had a cheapy whizzer for years but hoping my nutribullet can do things better.

Doing well on my 30 target for the week too and only on day 2.

I had passion fruit in my soya yoghurt after lunch. It was so good. And I probably wouldn't have thought of it if I wasn't trying to get different things into my diet. I'll definitely buy it again.

I've also noticed that I can get much more in if I have a plate of easy things out the fridge for lunch. So that's got to be my go to. Easily grabbed for lunch that doesn't need cooking.

Today...

Grapes and a pear for breakfast - 2 portions.

Lunch was soup made with roasted tomatoes, peppers, onions and garlic. My DH and I polished off the whole lot making it 3 portions each.

Dinner later is burgers with salad. We're having lettuce, rocket, green beans, spring onions, cucumber, fresh chillies, avocado. I guess at least 3 portions as we're not having any rolls or chips or anything else.

So 8 portions. I'm quite pleased with that.

PS I love reading what you are all eating!

I'd like to join in too please, love this thread!
I've had
Grapes
Banana
Passata & cherry tomatoes
Red pepper
Courgette
Carrot
Spinach
Will try for 10 tomorrow!

Welcome maygirl
Well done everyone. 🍇🍈🍉🥑🥕🌽🥦🍎🍐

I have been very good over the last 11 days and have hit my allotted 10 fruits and vegetables per day but I completely forgot to put it in this thread. D'oh.

It's only 2pm but this morning I had an egg with 1/2 an avocado and made guacamole which also consists of chopped tomatoes, onion, jalapeño on a bed of baby kale & spinach leaves with corn, peppers, cucumbers and a homemade orange vinaigrette and topped it with roasted pumpkin seeds. I also had an orange, lime, lemon carrots and ginger juice that I made myself with my Breville juicer. I know that 150ml of the juice counts as a serving but that's okay.

My daughter treated the family to a Thai takeaway so I had a tofu fried rice with pineapple and cashews. It was delicious.

For dinner, I'll be making a Jamie Oliver recipe called, "Bombay Chicken with Cauli, Poppadoms, Rice & Spinach". I just had rice with my lunch so I'll make cauliflower rice instead and I'll add roasted onions and aubergine to the dish. I'm looking forward to the minty, lemon dressing that is drizzled over the chicken. I made a cherry calafoutis yesterday so I'll have that for dessert.

So that's:
Avocado
Tomato
Onion
Jalapeño & red/orange pepper
Baby kale & spinach
Corn
Cucumber
Citrus juice
Refried pinto beans
Cauliflower
Aubergine

There's also mint, nuts/seeds, pineapple and cherries but not an actual serving.

Thought I had done well but not many are full portions - in fact weight wise it’s not even 5, but the variety is getting there.
Lunch:
Romaine lettuce
Sweetcorn
Radish
Apple

Dinner:
Tomatoes
(More radish and lettuce)
Asparagus

I’ve already prepped my lunch tomorrow as it’s a rare “in the office” day and now I’m going to prep my breakfast too.

Evening everyone.

Raspberries, strawberries and grapes for breakfast with some yogurt and seeds (2)
Lunch was a veg chilli with black beans, tomatoes, onions and peppers. (3)
Dinner: tofu with steamed carrots, broccoli, cauli, corn and peas.(3)
Had an apple and a satsuma for snacks. (2)

Think I made it to 10!

I’m struggling to reach 10 portions a day as I only eat 2 meals and I’m not a great fruit lover (or my digestion isn’t…)

However, I’ve found this J Oliver recipe that I think he conjured up during lockdown. I treated it as a complete traybake recipe in that I chucked the garlic and Passata over the veg once it was roasted and didn’t do it separately as JO advises.
Once out of the oven, I tipped the coconut milk over the lot and mixed it in.
I used BNS, cauliflower, red onions, peas and some carrots. I bet spinach at the last minute would be good too.

www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/curry-recipes/roasted-veggie-curry/

8 for yesterday

Banana/dates (smoothie)
Kiwi
Mango
Beetroot
Cherry tomatoes
Green soup (broccoli/peas/spinach) - 2 portions
Avocado/black beans/Sweetcorn - 1 portion

Great little thread.

I'm trying to up my fruit and veg so am going to join :) I tend to have good days and terrible days.

Yesterday was a good day for me.

I had:

Breakfast: courgette omelet, 1 portion
Lunch: red pepper, tomatoes, onion, and leeks in a soup with smashed peas on toast. 3 portions
Snack: olives (but only 5 and I read a portion was 30)
Dinner: pumpkin (1) , avocado (1), lettuce leaves, sun-dried tomatoes, pickled onions, and beetroot hummus (1) n a salad.

7 portions overall.

I could have got more in for breakfast, and I need to get some more snacky things in like dried fruit or radishes.

@Tiredandbored the 50 types sounds like a fun challenge!

Yes, I'm up to 30 already and only started on Sunday. I do have to emphasise they are not all full portions, but it definitely has helped me to be a bit more adventurous and eat a wider range than my usual 10-15 favourites.

I am off work at the minute so have also had time to plan and shop for a suitable range of meals, which obviously makes it much easier.