Eating our 10-a-day thread (2)

[Breathmiller]

Hi all

This is our second thread about upping our veg and fruit intake on a daily basis.

We tend to list what we've had to keep us accoubtable and generally chat about how to increase the rainbow on our plate.

We don't always make 10 but anything more than you would normally is great. I like to at least get 5. 10 or even sometimes more is a great day.

All welcome whatever reasons.

Can I join please?

In all honesty at the moment I have a terrible diet. It’s really bad. I’m not overweight but I am overwhelmed by having to think so hard to be able to devise meals etc… I have coeliac so cannot eat gluten. My husband is pescatarian so no meat (at least not for main meals, I sometimes have some chicken or ham for sandwiches). And now I am breastfeeding a baby with CMPA so I can’t eat any dairy other than the odd splash of milk in my tea. So I’m basically gluten free and vegan although I can have eggs and fish.

Everything I can think of to eat involves effort (preparing salads or stews etc) and I am chronically sleep-derived, baby has bad eczema from her allergies so wakes every hour from the scratching. I also have a toddler with additional needs. So basically I am knackered and have zero energy to even think about food. So a typical day for me will involve not even eating until around lunchtime, then having some in on toast, then maybe later some crisps, and then a beige freezer tea. Followed by a load of sugary crap in the evenings to keep me awake. It’s not uncommon for me to go several days without any fruit or veg 🙈

So I definitely need to do this! If I set my target to 10 a day then I might make 5 or 6 which would be brilliant. Grateful for any moral support along the way!

So far today, I missed breakfast again (whoops) but then I made a fish finger sandwich with rocket for lunch and I had some OJ with it. Not amazing but better than nothing I guess!

Oh and I’m about to go back to work full time! I’m screwed aren’t I 😂

newnews that is a lot you have on your plate.

I'm vegan and gluten free (with a meat eating but lactose intolerant dh) so I understand how overwhelming that can feel.

I like to think of it as I have more opportunities for veg as my meals are based round them. But I don't have a baby to look after which i think makes eating healthily harder.

I'm trying to think of things you can grab easily...

Dates (with a coffee for breakfast)
Raisins
Shop bought houmous

I've started halving an avocado, squeezing some lemon juice and pepper and eating it straight out the skin for a quick breakfast.

How about these prepared packets of fruit? I know it's not great for the environment but need must sometimes when you have a baby.

I often just chop the ends off a carrot and munch on it. Dipped in houmous or not.

Celery sticks ditto.

Packets of beetroot are easy to .
Packets of ready made lentils are nice on a bowl of spinach.
M&S do a lovely pea and mint salad that can be eaten straight out the tub and others.

Bought soups? I tend to make soup but the BOL ones looked good so I got a few.
Bought smoothies.

Cherry tomatoes.
Mini cucumbers

I (sorry I know time for this might not be so easy) make a big pot of soup and have it for lunch 2 days but also put a couple of lidded plastic cups in the freezer that can just be taken out and taken with me to work.

When I'm working I find prep is key. Again easier said than done with a baby.

I'll try to think of more.

1. Apple = 1
2. Chestnut and root veg stew (chestnuts, turnip, carrot, mushrooms, red onion, Broad beans) = 4
3. Satsumas = 1

I'm trying to focus on lots of different types even if not a full portion, and selecting different fruit and veg each week. Will likely eat more when back to work Tuesday.

Good luck NewNews, that does sound quite difficult. I don’t know if this would work, but I always try to squeeze at least one of my fruit or veg in at breakfast as psychologically it doesn’t feel so hard for the rest of the day (for me).

1. Cooked cherry tomatoes
2. Homemade roast garlic and parsnip soup
3. Apple
4. Sweet potato
5. Edamame beans
6. Bistro salad
7. Avocado

(Last 4 were in a tuna salad below which was lovely, but my DH said there was too much veg 😂)!

1. Broccoli
2. Roasted peppers
3. Mushrooms
4. Veg rice - onions, green beans, peppers, mushrooms

Just realised I haven’t had any fruit today! Unless you count mulled wine still in holiday mode!

Newnews that sounds really difficult.

If I remember from reading about the science behind the benefits of fruit and vegetables, moving from zero to two portions had the the biggest effect in health. So it really is worth it!
Could you have some quick cooking frozen veg in like peas or green beans? They may be the easiest to add on to anything you are currently eating.
My other easiest add on is a bag of easy peelers in with my shopping: then it's a tangerine or satsuma with breakfast or as a snack every day.
Good luck.

Argh I just typed out a whole reply with my plan for the week then MN crashed and it’s disappeared 😭 but thank you for your support and for the great ideas. I’m going to try my hardest!

Joining in again 😊

I currently have covid so any good interntions have gone out the window as my appetite has disappeared and I'm basically living off cheese and crackers with the odd grape thrown in for good measure.

But hopefully once children go back to school etc I'll be back on it, feel so much better when I eat better.

@Newnews I also have quite a busy life and not much headspace.

An easy thing I find is getting fruit sorted ar breakfast eg I'll have tinned pear or.a.handful of frozen berries on my porridge.

Mushroom omlette is quick for lunches

Once a week we get a veggie or vegan recipe.box from our veg box company, not sure on allergy information but it's a good way for us to ear less.meat and more veg.

What a great thread! And such inspiration.
I'll try to keep up with all of you.

Lunch - Tomatoes
Soup - Leek, carrot, parsnip, peas, sweetcorn, turnip
Snack - Kiwi
Dinner - Cauliflower
Dessert - Blackcurrents, blackberries, cherries

@MaybeHeIsMyCat I've seen various Americans on SM rave about the 'Everything but the bagel' seasoning and would really like to try it. Is it available to buy in the UK?

@Newnews I was you last year. It's SO hard with a young baby, and I ate whatever I could to get through the day. If you can manage a healthy meal, great, but don't put too much pressure on yourself yet. Easy dinners are the way to go even if they are boring and beige! Try taking a banana/apple/satsuma upstairs to bed with you to snack on during nighttime feeds and when awake with baby. For me the nights were so long and neverending. Dried fruit is also good and belvita biscuits etc for energy if BFing. I found bone broth amazing for energy levels and my post- baby aches and pains.

Today's list -

1. banana
2. roasted plum tomatoes/peppers
3. broccoli/carrot
4. Brussel sprouts
5. chickpeas
6. cucumber/onion
7. mixed nuts mainly pistachios

Middle child is very into baking at the moment. I desperately need to find some healthier recipes we can make as cakes are not ideal!

@TwentinQuarantino yes! I get it from here
Also recommend their ranch seasoning (you can use it as dry seasoning or mix it with mayo etc)
To be honest I have nearly all of their seasonings now

https://condimaniac.com

Just t show I'm not a bot

Great to see everyone's lists. I love the fact that going from 0-2 is a great benefit. It's all about jist being aware, even on the days I make very little, I'm aware of that and i just accept it and move on to a better day the next or when it's easier.

I'm off work still and not got a lot on so its easy at the moment.

1. Mango & grapefruit salsa
2. Avocado
3. Houmous/leek
4. Celery
5. Carrot (raw & steamed)
6. Tomatoes
7. Dates
8. Kale (chips & steamed)
9. Mushrooms

10. Brocolli 11. Mixed frozen berries/sweetcorn

@TwentinQuarantino thanks for the ideas 😊 I definitely get the midnight munchies but rarely end up eating anything. I think part of the issue for me is that I get hungry but don’t eat because I’m busy feeding or doing nappies or whatever and then I wait for so long that I’m eventually starving and I get such bad cravings for sugar then, I think because I’m wanting an instant hit of energy. I’m going to try to eat more regularly and have healthy snacks to keep my energy up and hopefully give me the push to make some healthier dinners too.

Ended up with a quick dinner again last night sans veg - fried eggs on toast - but then I did have two tangerines in the evening instead of my usual chocolate/sweets etc.

So far today managed a banana (1) for breakfast and then I had some tinned mackerel on toast for lunch with rocket (2) and some deli peppers but not sure if I had enough to count as a portion?! Now strawberries for pudding (3).

@Breathmiller

Great to see everyone's lists. I love the fact that going from 0-2 is a great benefit. It's all about jist being aware, even on the days I make very little, I'm aware of that and i just accept it and move on to a better day the next or when it's easier.

I'm off work still and not got a lot on so its easy at the moment.

1. Mango & grapefruit salsa
2. Avocado
3. Houmous/leek
4. Celery
5. Carrot (raw & steamed)
6. Tomatoes
7. Dates
8. Kale (chips & steamed)
9. Mushrooms

10. Brocolli 11. Mixed frozen berries/sweetcorn

This list is extensive and inspiring. @Breathmiller and others, are you listing the different kinds of vegetables and fruit you’re eating or the servings? It seems like some folks are doing the former and others are doing the latter. I think I may lean toward listing servings 🤔

Also do fruit on the bottom yoghurts count?

Well, I finally got some vegetables into me yesterday after a very long hiatus!

1. Minestrone soup for breakfast (kale, carrots, tomatoes, white beans, onions, etc)
2. Banana for breakfast dessert
3. Strawberry fruit on the bottom yoghurt
4. Minestrone soup for super late dinner
5. Banana again to accompany it.

So, 5 servings for the day. Lunch and early dinner were completely devoid of veg and fruit so skipped listing those.

I’m about to have breakfast so I’ll see what I can stuff into my eggs and bacon.

Yesterday tally:
1 Prunes
2 satsumas
3 apple
4 &5 black bean soup with onion and other veg.
6 carrot
It's still 12 days of Christmas (cheese and chocolates!) here.

Back to normal starts Wednesday.

I'm listing servings
I'd say I've got my eye in on weights now.

Oh! I just remembered that I shared a big navel orange with my husband. That’s another serving there, woohoo, I got 6 in yesterday!

I think the fruit on the bottom is more akin to jam due to quantity and added sugar.
Having said that if I want jam I choose a high fruit content blackcurrant for the antioxidants.😂

That's one of my personal aims to eat blue /.purple / green stuff as it's potentially good for my health conditions. Who knows really.🤷 It helps me to think I can exert some sort control.

I do like minestrone soup Jings.
The black bean stew I do is really just that with my old favourite white beans swapped for the black beans.

I'm having the same avocado/feta/tomato toast for lunch

Using up stuff out the fridge for tea as I have a food shop today so making some for of veg heavy pasta!