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Original poster

Eating our 10-a-day thread

981 replies

Breathmiller · 30/07/2021 10:37

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?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
21
StayingVigilant · 31/07/2021 21:56

That NHS list is very interesting- 4 heaped tablespoons of French beans or runner beans is only one portion. Wow. I thought two tablespoons. I’m just thinking of my tablespoon and imagining putting 4 heaps of anything on a plate. I wouldn’t get much else on. Maybe that’s the idea. And 8 spring onions! I could eat 8 radishes but not 8 spring onions. No mention of olives or celeriac. I’m quite surprised at some of the portions. 4 heaped tablespoons of green beans equating to 5cm piece of cucumber?

StayingVigilant · 31/07/2021 21:58

What’s ‘Good King Henry?’ @Postdatedpandemic

GrrRightBackAtYou · 31/07/2021 22:03

Weirdly, when I was referred to a colorectal surgeon, I told him I ate 7 a day (thinking he would say I needed to eat a couple more) and was gobsmacked when he told me that was too much!
He then went on to say that it would make stools too soft and difficult for muscles to squeeze stool out.
I must get back to eating more, I haven’t reduced because of him I’m just eating more rubbish.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Weight management
Postdatedpandemic · 31/07/2021 22:07

Also known as Lincolnshire spinach StayingVigilant www.slowfood.org.uk/ff-products/good-king-henry-2

I like to have herbs and some greens growing in the garden, it is a way to add variety to meals.

picklemewalnuts · 31/07/2021 22:17

Ooh, nice idea! Today I have had

Brunch:
tinned toms
Baked beans

Snacks
Apple, 2 plums, blueberries

Dinner:
Coleslaw (mainly carrot, celeriac, cabbage)
Sweet potato

I'd count that as 8, as it was a generous portion of coleslaw.

Shelddd · 31/07/2021 22:25

@StayingVigilant

That NHS list is very interesting- 4 heaped tablespoons of French beans or runner beans is only one portion. Wow. I thought two tablespoons. I’m just thinking of my tablespoon and imagining putting 4 heaps of anything on a plate. I wouldn’t get much else on. Maybe that’s the idea. And 8 spring onions! I could eat 8 radishes but not 8 spring onions. No mention of olives or celeriac. I’m quite surprised at some of the portions. 4 heaped tablespoons of green beans equating to 5cm piece of cucumber?
It's better to just weigh your food. 80 Grams is one portion regardless of what the veg/fruit is.

It's tricky to try to measure things by volume... I hate how they try to communicate portions that way. You can buy a food scale for under 10... it's a good investment. You don't have to weigh things forever.. but just do it for a few weeks to get an idea how much 80 grams really is.

Shelddd · 31/07/2021 22:28

@GrrRightBackAtYou

Weirdly, when I was referred to a colorectal surgeon, I told him I ate 7 a day (thinking he would say I needed to eat a couple more) and was gobsmacked when he told me that was too much! He then went on to say that it would make stools too soft and difficult for muscles to squeeze stool out. I must get back to eating more, I haven’t reduced because of him I’m just eating more rubbish.
He's too much of a specialist he's going to be heavily biased to seeing one small segment of the population all with similar issues.

Of course if that is your issue considering you went to see him.. then maybe you should listen? I don't know.

Original poster
Breathmiller · 01/08/2021 08:25

I don't even know how you get green beans into a spoon?

I will weigh things I'm not sure about, more out of interest rather than being too pedantic. I'm on holiday (last day today 😭) so I have had a bit of time but when I'm back to work it will all be a little more slapdash I imagine.

As long as I am upping my VEG and fruit intake it all has to be good I think.

I did read elsewhere that olives do count but they generally don't add them to lists as the salt content is so high. And 30 is a portion!

OP posts:
Postdatedpandemic · 01/08/2021 08:41

I could do 30 olives in a day Grin

Original poster
Breathmiller · 01/08/2021 08:52

Haha. Me too. Especially the tesco green olives stuffed with garlic.
Not quite sure of the healthiness of my choices though. Grin

OP posts:
StayingVigilant · 01/08/2021 09:24

30 olives? Easy peasy!
Enjoy your last day holidaying breathmiller
I’m also on hols and no scales here but on return will start looking at what 80g means sheldd. I’m still surprised a 5cm piece of cucumber equates to 4 tablespoons of green beans or weighs 80g. I thought a half would be a portion. Interesting isn’t it?

RhonaRed · 01/08/2021 10:21

Getting an idea of 80g is a good idea.

Original poster
Breathmiller · 01/08/2021 10:32

I feel the need to see how many green beans I can balance on a measuring spoon. Then weigh them.
It may become the new tiktok challenge.
🥄

OP posts:
RhonaRed · 01/08/2021 10:40

Yes! I have a tablespoon 😂.

RhonaRed · 01/08/2021 10:40

It's a quiet weekend.

Original poster
Breathmiller · 01/08/2021 10:55

@RhonaRed

It's a quiet weekend.
🤣🤣 Not now! You have ALL the fun of balancing green beans to keep you amused.

I on the other hand have no green beans. My veg shop yesterday was clearly lacking in the really entertaining vegetables

OP posts:
Persille · 01/08/2021 12:13

Green beans would be such a pain to try and measure in a tablespoon! It's bad enough trying to scoop them out with a big serving spoon. I approve of this new green bean balancing tiktok challenge.
(I usually buy bags of chopped frozen green beans, which are a bit easier for clumsy me to manipulate, but I've only seen whole beans in the shops lately.)

I'm trying to aim for Dr Gregor's Daily Dozen but need to meal plan better, and keep easy to prepare veg around.

Today I'm at:
Chickpeas
Tomatoes
Blueberries

So will need to get plenty of veg in my dinner!

picklemewalnuts · 01/08/2021 12:36

Hmm, I have the scales out quite often, but haven't thought of measuring veg. I seem to remember a serving of spinach is mahoosive- far bigger than I'd ever want to eat raw in one go.

I've had an apple, some Cherry tomatoes and some lettuce so far. I haven't got a clue what's for dinner, so who knows what the other seven will be.

Original poster
Breathmiller · 01/08/2021 14:48

I read that spinach is a cereal bowls worth. Which of course is half a mouthful when its cooked.

So, today so far I have had...

Asparagus
Spinach
Onion (half portion)
Beans
Mushrooms
Tomatoes

So, I'm on 5 and a half. And all veg or beans so far so I'm happy enough.

Not sure what to have for dinner yet. I have a peach for later as a snack.

OP posts:
Wildernesstips · 01/08/2021 19:34

I always weigh my portions but that’s because I’m still early days into a diet. A respectable 7 today!

Cherries (porridge & almonds): 1
Avocado, cherry tomatoes with/in sandwich: 2
Roast with broccoli, carrots and braised red cabbage: 3
Rhubarb crumble: 1

I’ve also prepped my breakfast & lunch for tomorrow to make it easier - this probably won’t last 😄!

Original poster
Breathmiller · 01/08/2021 20:07

Ive made 9 and a half so far. I quite fancy a chunk of cucumber so I will have that soon to add on to my list...

1.Beans
2.Spinach
3.Mushrooms
Onion (half)
4.Asparagus
5.Tomato
6.Peach
7.Melon
8.Strawberries
9.Peas (straight from the freezer as a snack)

10..cucumber

OP posts:
Pixiesmoke · 01/08/2021 20:15

Has banana with breakfast, then very large serving of courgette, onion and runner beans as part of lunch. That's four. If I somehow have another 4 as part of dinner (travelling home at the moment so not sure it will be possible but hopefully) then I can have a kiwi fruit for pudding which would make 10. Just think dinner is more likely to be 2-3 portions than 4.

kowari · 01/08/2021 20:20

I do an egg on avocado toast with mushrooms, tomato and spinach for breakfast followed by half a grapefruit, so five done there.

RhonaRed · 01/08/2021 20:58

I'm still limbering up in the warm up zone compared with you lot Grin but have managed today:

Small satsuma (only 50g peeled!)

Salad of lettuce, tomato, beetroot, onions : 1 serving.

Dinner: Mushroom, redcurrants, garden herbs (all tokenistic quantities but there for variety) carrot, ruby chard, baby potatoes, salad leaves: 2 servings by volume.

Strawberries and redcurrants 1+ (which can make up for the underweight satsuma.)

Bringing me to a varied 5.

I have bought more fruit, veg and beans today.

StayingVigilant · 01/08/2021 23:11

Frozen peas as a snack? 🤔 I’m only jealous as I had 3 choc chip cookies and two mini Cornettos. At least I think they were mini as they weren’t very big at all. Could maybe have balanced in a tablespoon. Anyway 9 portions isn’t too bad…

  1. Lettuce
2 peppers 3 cucumber 4 tomatoes 5 olives (yes, I had 30) 6 strawberries 7 raspberries 8 blackberries 9 pear I had a mixed salad with dinner but it didn’t contain anything not listed above so doesn’t really count. It’ll no doubt be the same list again tomorrow. Having ten or so different options in the fridge is quite difficult. Although I eat a decent amount of veg my DH and kids certainly don’t especially DH and my youngest. There’s 5 of us so 50 portions per day in the fridge (200 tablespoons per DAY). I usually shop every 5th day so that would be 250 portions! No way do we go through that much. Sadly.