Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

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
Wildernesstips · 09/08/2021 20:44

Great to see it’s rubbing off on the family, Breathmiller.

Griddled plums (not recommended - taste good but v messy) (1)
Lentil & chickpea falafel thing with raw spinach (1)
Vietnamese curry : spring onion, red pepper, mushrooms, squash, sugar snap peas, spinach (3 or 4 portions?)

I’m in the office tomorrow so I’m going to plan a bit better,

Postdatedpandemic · 09/08/2021 21:25

Cola = caramelised turnip Shock but probably not enough to count as a portion.

Breakfast in this house currently equals frittata, as many veg as will cram into the pan and then two or three eggs added. Three portions of veg Grin

PartTimeDomesticGoddess · 09/08/2021 21:53

Saturday was really hard due to being at a cricket match from 4-10pm. Although there were vegan options available from the food stalls there wasn't much veg! So I snacked while there and had veg soup from the freezer when I got in. After blueberries and nectarine for breakfast, and a big tomato sandwich that just about scraped me to 5...

Sunday was better
Tinned grapefruit
Mango
Dates
Salad (lettuce/radishes, cucumber, tomato, beetroot)
Tenderstem broccoli
Avocado
Black beans/red onion

Today
Dates/banana (smoothie)
Tinned grapefruit
Mango
Cherry tomatoes
Beetroot
Carrots
Peas
Broccoli/green beans
2 mixed veg from a Thai curry Soulful Onepot

Interesting to hear how different everyone is. I made carrot tarte tartin for dinner. DH had a handful of salad saying there's already veg in the tart...

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Persille · 09/08/2021 23:36

That spinach, lentil and lemon soup sounds good, Breathmiller. I love lemon in savoury dishes. We do a soup with lentils, brown rice, carrots, onions, cumin, coriander seed and loads of lemon juice- it's tasty but not a wide range of veg.

RhonaRed peppers are particularly full of vitamins and other goodness, so I reckon it's no bad thing if your variety is lower one day because you've eaten so many peppers! And having them both cooked and raw, if there are things which we more easily absorb in one or the other form, you'll get them all Smile

Today I had:

  1. nectarine
  2. chickpeas
  3. tomatoes
  1. blueberries

5.cucumber

  1. carrots
  2. banana

And now eating biscuits on the train home from work!
Should try and get more veg into tomorrow's breakfast. (I accidentally typed "more biscuits." No, I don't think I need to try to squeeze in more biscuits, thank you brain!)

AirEngland · 10/08/2021 07:52

Can I join you?
I’m feeling so unhealthy and sluggish. I love eating vegetables and how much better they hemp me feel -but I am awful for getting myself in an unhealthy rut and this is where I am right now.
I eat too much too but if I can change some of my unnecessary snacking on crap to snacking on veg that sounds like a win win to me.
Breakfast will be some kind of spinach/tomato/avocado meal.
lunch is going to be a homemade soup that I have in the freezer. Can’t remember exactly what is in it but lots of veg and lentils so I’d estimate at least 2 portions?
Carrots and HM hummus for a snack
Maybe an apple too?
Dinner will have at least 2 side portions of veg.
Think that takes me to 10 (although I need to check portion sizes)

PyjamaFan · 10/08/2021 08:30

I love this!!

Yesterday I had...

Pear and kiwi with yogurt for breakfast, 2 portions.

Lettuce, fresh basil, cucumber, grated carrot, radished and roasted chickpeas for lunch, 3 portions.

Rice cooked with onion, cherry tomatoes, grated carrot, green beans, pepper and kidney beans, 3 portions.

Satsuma for mid morning snack, tinned pineapple for afternoon snack.

So I think I achieved 10 portions!!

We will see what happens today. I'm planning strawberries, plum and apricot for breakfast which is a good start.

Breathmiller · 10/08/2021 08:35

Welcome airEngland

That sounds a great start.

I was aware last week how good I felt. I didn't eat quite so well over the weekend, or at least, i did still eat more veg and fruit than I would have done but I added in some rubbish too, bag of chips and sweets, cake. Again, not as much as I would have normally had but enough to make me feel rubbish in the morning. I quite liked the focus on how the sugar and salt and fatty chips made me feel physically rather than focusing on how I felt emotionally or worried about how it would make me look.

Lots of veg and fruit make me FEEL so good. Like you say, not as sluggish. Lighter, healthier, my digestion is working better. I have IBS and its barely been there. One day, but I think the smoothie with so much oat milk did that.

Even just after a week or so I feel myself much more drawn to eating fruit and vegetables. I normally get a fleeting dopamine hit from eating crap food. But something has changed in my brain. I am actively looking forward to my avocado and tomato, my soup, my celery and homemade houmous. My yoghurt and fruit. I am interested in how I can add veg to meals. Pasta? As well as the sauce being veg heavy, I griddle aubergine slices or courgette slices and put them on top. Delicious. And I can't wait to go to the veg shop today.

A lot of my 'healthy' diets have been about what I can't eat, what I'm limiting. And i wake up feeling a sense of dread at "will i make it through the day without eating this or that or too much"

Whereas now I wake up and am excited about all the delicious possibilities of food ahead.

For anyone who is doing this to turn around disordered eating, i will also say that I spent a good few months at the beginning of the year doing the Hypnotherapy with Paul McKenna to turn around my thinking. It made a massive difference to my thought process. As is this.

OP posts:
RhonaRed · 10/08/2021 10:44

Fresh made food with herbs, spices, citrus flavours tastes far better to me than any bought stuff can. (Though I can munch on junk easily as it's designed that way!Shock)
However it's the effort involved that can stymie me.

I'm in a habit of cooking main meals and using veg there. But I have always somehow resented preparing "salad" stuff. ( I know this makes zero sense..) and lunch was always a sandwich.
My new habit is washing and chopping a load of stuff for cold / quick meals. I notice it seems more worthwhile to prepare a larger quantity iyswim.

Breathmiller · 10/08/2021 15:50

Totally with you.

I just went and bought a box of veg from the shop and had big plans but now fancy something easy.

OP posts:
PyjamaFan · 10/08/2021 17:43

So today...

Strawberries, plum and apricot for breakfast, plus a big cup of coffee. 3 portions.

Lunch was noodles with stir fry veg and egg, so onion, garlic and chilli plus half a pepper, half a courgette and a handful of green beans. 3-4 portions.

Dinner later on is stuffed marrow. Tge stuffing is a bolognaise sauce and grated cheese on top. We'll have it with salad, so probably 2 or 3 portions.

Another good day!

I try to base all our meals on mainly fruit and vegetables. It's delicious, healthy and cheap too. I enjoy cooking so don't mind the (small amount of) extra chopping and prepping.

RhonaRed · 10/08/2021 18:48

It's a mental thing about raw food/salad with me. I spend winter weekends merrily chopping and making soups and casseroles.🤷😂

Breathmiller · 10/08/2021 18:49

Very fruit heavy today but i still made it.

  1. Peach
  2. Dates
  3. Avocado
  4. Tomato
  5. Corn on the cob
  6. Nectarine
  7. Raspberries
  8. Beans
  9. Carrot smoothie
10. Strawberries 11. Blueberries

I'm exhausted today.

OP posts:
RhonaRed · 10/08/2021 19:04

Anyway, today:
Apple 1

Leftovers including courgette, salad leaves, red pepper, tomato 1 serving.

Carrot sticks while cooking! 1

Onion, mushroom, broccoli, spinach 2
Grated raw beetroot with a bit of carrot and salad leaves 1

A steady 7.

RhonaRed · 10/08/2021 19:06

Well done Breathmiller.

(I never think to buy corn on the cob. Family like it too.)

Breathmiller · 10/08/2021 19:42

@RhonaRed

Well done Breathmiller.

(I never think to buy corn on the cob. Family like it too.)

I've had 3 in the last 10 days. Gorgeous ones from the veg shop still in their husks. So fresh. 7 minutes in boiling water, lots of vegan butter, salt and pepper. Dh makes the most delicious 'Dirty Sweetcorn'. Might talk him into it soon.

I love that I'm also reducing plastic. The veg shop has paper bags and a lot of things I just put in my basket without a bag.

I have to admit that I haven't eaten so healthy today on top of the above. A couple of pb&J sandwiches, a vegan cheese toastie and some waffles. Maple syrup on my yoghurt. Hey ho. Good days and bad days.

OP posts:
AirEngland · 10/08/2021 20:56

So day 1 and I’ve had
Breakfast:
Tomatoes
Spinach
Avocado

Lunch:
Home made Vegetable soup (found at the back of the freezerWink) containing; lentils, onions, leeks, red pepper, carrot, tomato, spinach.
Obviously not a full portion of each one - put probably 2 portions of veg combined.

Dinner:
Broccoli
Green beans
Lambs lettuce
Strawberries

Snacks
Carrots
Chickpeas (in hummus)

So I’d say I’m around 10 portions. And definitely and increase on my usual intake.

I topped up my supply at the supermarket today. We are away on Friday for a long weekend, but when I’m back I’ll start to go to the greengrocer instead. Shop local and probably save money too. Too many extra unneeded items end up in my basket in the supermarket!

Breathmiller · 10/08/2021 21:00

Well done AirEngland that's a great day 1.

Yes, I also love the fact I'm shopping local. I know where a lot of the fruot comes from too and I know it's not far. Great for cutting down on air miles.

OP posts:
Wildernesstips · 10/08/2021 21:08

Everyone is doing so well. 7 portions but 9 variety.

B: watermelon, raspberries & grapes (2 portions)
L: Spinach, avocado & prawn salad, tomatoes, apple (3 portions)
D: Swedish meatballs, potatoes, peas and sugar snap peas (2 portions)

PartTimeDomesticGoddess · 10/08/2021 21:36

I've managed 4-5 today (intermittent fasting day) across a curry and a whole roasted aubergine with fennel/bean/tomato topping

Varieties were
Chickpeas/cannellini beans
Cauliflower
Courgette
Tomato
Fennel
Aubergine

Breathmiller · 11/08/2021 13:35

The roasted aubergine sounds delicious.

Dh made me a pasta bake last week and had half a roasted aubergine sliced on top with chilli flakes. It was so good. I would love to try it roasted whole with a topping.

Do you have a recipe?

OP posts:
Wildernesstips · 11/08/2021 18:29

I’m on the fence on aubergine- I really like something a local Mediterranean restaurant does to it but have never had great results at home.

B: plums, orange & carrot juice, toast (2 portions)
L: Mushrooms, chives, yellow tomatoes, poached egg on toast. Apple (3.5 portions)
D: Spinach, onion & mascarpone cannelloni with Passata, romaine lettuce, radish (2.5 portions)

RhonaRed · 11/08/2021 19:07

Super quick breakfast was leftovers from yesterday 1

(This was such a good tasting mix of cooked and salad veg with a bit of dressing on top. Just don't ask me to recreate it😂)

Apple 1
Avocado 1

Dinner had a lot of veg/ beans in it but was a pot of chili and I can't properly calculate.. over 1 (but probably not 2 because I didn't have masses) plus another 1 for salad leaves, plenty of cucumber and tomatoes.
Some cherries : a half portion. Plus a few blueberries.

So I'll estimate 6 all told.

I don't think 10 a day is for me!🤷😄

PyjamaFan · 11/08/2021 19:49

Today I've had...

Nectarine, apricot and strawberries and coffee.

Cucumber, pepper, radishes and onions with a sandwich.

Pasta with cherry tomatoes, spinach, onions and garlic with a piece of leftover stuffed marrow.

So probably 8-9 portions today.

Breathmiller · 11/08/2021 21:47
  1. Dates
  2. Plums
  3. Avocado
  4. Tomato
  5. lentils
  6. Mandarin, Carrot, apple ginger & flax seeds smoothie
  7. Blueberries
  8. Onion
  9. Red Pepper
10. Spinach 11. Peas
OP posts:
Tiredandbored · 11/08/2021 23:23
  1. Apple
  2. Lettuce
  3. Rocket
  4. Mangetout
  5. Yellow pepper
  6. Broccoli
  7. Courgette
  8. Green beans
  9. Potato (does that count as one?)
10. Strawberries 11. Blackberries/raspberries 12. Peach

Good day!