How do you get your 5 a day?

[newbluecurtains]

I read recently that the majority of the '5 a day' is supposed to be vegetables rather than fruit and I've realised that I don't eat that many veg!

Breakfast - not going to have veg at breakfast? Sometimes I have a green smoothie (spinach, fruit, water) could I sneak a veg in there?

Snacks - What veg is good to snack on? Cucumber sticks - fruit. Carrot sticks - carrots are apparently too startchy to count as 5 a day. Pepper sticks - peppers are fruit?

Lunch - I'll often have salad but most of my salad is either leaves or fruit - tomato, avocado, cucumber etc. What veg is good for salads? What veg is good on jacket potatoes? Does a portion of spinach count as one of your 5 a day?

Dinner is ok but unless I shove 4/5 portions of veg into dinner every day I've got to get them in elsewhere, bit ashamed to say I can't think of many ways to eat vegetables during the day aside from making soup for lunch? Best tips? Am I being stupid here?? (Yes probably)

I definitely don’t get 5 a day every day. No chance.

I try to have overnight oats with seeds + one type of fruit for breakfast during the week, weekend scrambled egg with spinach mushroom and tomato. Soup or Salad for lunch, or a sandwich plus cucumber and carrot sticks. Then something for dinner with 2-3 veg. Might snack on fruit.

That's my aim, I don't manage every day. Some days are shockingly bad but I'm trying!

Must admit I don’t. Haven’t really got any intention of trying either. Don’t mind veg and eat it with dinner, but generally not at other times. Haven’t died yet..

Meant to say, do have fruit for breakfast, but still nowhere near 5 portions fruit/veg every day

I just eat left over dinner with veg for breakfast!!

An omelette for breakfast - add in mushrooms, onions, peppers, spinach, baked means on the side?
Or just beans and mushrooms on toast?
Avocado?

Lunch - soup, leftovers from dinner the day before?

These are just suggestions based on your questions, I never actually get my 5 a day 🤦🏻‍♀️
And I will always count carrots as one of them, this is the first I’ve heard of them not counting 😧

I only eat vegetables so I get a lot.
Curries all kinds
Daal
Stirfries
Fajitas
Fried rice or biryanis

I don't like salad though!

What do u eat if u do t get your five a day?

I usually have fried tomatoes and mushrooms on a weekend breakfast but I can't do that in the week.

Usually have a good 3 portions of veg at dinner, maybe one at lunch. Then a fruit at lunch and fruit for an afternoon snack.

There are BOL soups that have 3 of your 5 a day in so when I have one of those for lunch I'm winning!

Oh duh mushrooms, I eat loads of them. Omlette is a good idea too. I'm 36 weeks pregnant maybe my mind is just blanking on all the veg I eat!! I don't think 5 a day every single day is realistic but I figure if I make that a goal them most days I'll end up eating a good amount, if not all 5 portions.

@Littlemissprosecco smoothie/toast/fruit and yoghurt for breakfast, toast/salad with tomato avocado cucumber/jacket potato w beans for lunch. I have veg with dinner but not 5 portions in one meal. My concern was more that lots of things are technically fruit so not sure if they count if you're supposed to mainly eat veg - tomato, cucumber, avocado, peppers, all fruit, spinach is a leaf etc. So what really counts as a veg

Today I had: smoothie for breakfast (fruit the kids had rejected the day before, (strawberries, half a pear, half a satsuma) spinach and kale); soup for lunch (broccoli), but sometimes a salad; and a pasta dish with onions, mushrooms and tomatoes to make a sauce. Stews are good for lots of veg. Soups, stews, smoothies, salads. I count fruit, but aim for 9 different things in a day. Peppers are definitely veg from the 5-a-day POV.

I don't get 5 a day, only eat vegetables at dinnertime and not every day.

What vegetables do you put in your daal? I love daal but mine is not veg heavy!

Today I picked blackberries in my garden and ate them for breakfast on my porridge, along with (shop bought) fresh blueberries and strawberries.
Mid morning snack time, I raided my plum tree and ate six of them. (Well, they are very moreish!) Lunch was a double helping of thick home made spiced courgette soup, wholemeal bread, goat cheese and figs.
Dinner was left over roast chicken with a large helping of fresh greens, and some new potatoes.
It is fairly easy to get to five portions, as one “portion” of veg is actually quite small.

Homemade smoothie, not too finely blended so still plenty of fibre counts as at least 2 portions.
I have carrot, cucumber, celery, splash of op, water, blueberries & then blitz before adding spirulina, tumeric & matcha.

if you pulse veg into match head size -couple of carrots, courgette & a pepper-and add to sauce dishes such as curry, chilli, lasagne/bol then you can top a baked potato at lunch time with curry/chilli for extra portions of veg. It also helps it make more portions. I’ve never heard of carrots not counting!

Beans on toast even counts as one a day.
www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day/portion-sizes/

sweet potato counts, I like a baked sweet potato. It doesn’t need any butter or anything as it’s so soft.
www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/5-a-day/5-a-day-what-counts/

I think the “focus on veg” thing is about ensuring you aren’t living on bananas and are eating things that aren’t so sweet and is not a botanical thing. Aim to get some green things in every day. Sounds like you are eating plenty.

Christ , I’d live on fast food if I could , unfortunately my gut doesn’t agree
i have no meat now , same recipes but add extra veg , lentils, beans etc
its actually ok when you start tweaking things

I rarely get 5 a day.

I’m always quite shocked at some of the ‘what have you eaten today’ threads when someone comes along and says..
Breakfast - blueberries, strawberries and peaches
Snack - 2 tangerines
Lunch - massive salad with chia seeds
Snack - chopped banana and a pear
Dinner - fish with grilled tomatoes, kale, cumin roasted cauliflower, steamed asparagus and broccoli.

I might have some fruit with breakfast, a handful of salad in my sandwich and two types of veg with dinner.
That’s it. Some days, not even that.

I honestly think you’re fine, sounds like about 2 fruit and three veg on average. If I’m worried about my kids, I just add a potion of peas!

I didn't know beans counted! I reckon I get 5 a day then.

Porridge with some kind of fruit for breakfast.

No sugar beans on toast for lunch.

Banana as a snack

Dinner always have loads of vegetables, today sweet potato, broccoli and spinach

I think I got myself in a tizz about what actually counts as a vegetable - if you think about it all veggies are either technically the fruit of the plant, or a leaf, or a root etc so what actually is a 'vegetable' - I guess like @ElbowsandArses said it's more about not relying on just super sugar heavy fruits.

I'm also veggie and eat lentils, beans, etc and take a multivitamin every day (even before getting pregnant) so sure it's probably fine. Good to get ideas for healthier lunches I can have though

I think you’re being hard on yourself, just add one potion of veg to your normal dinner. Peas, sweetcorn, sliced tomatoes on the side, it doesn’t have to be fancy or troublesome

5 a day is a government guideline for people with poor diets.

I eat a healthy well balanced diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables so don't go by numbers.

On a typical work day I’ll eat:
Berries or banana with breakfast
carrot, cucumber and celery for mid morning snack
salad or veg with lunch - stir fry, homemade soup, pasta and homemade sauce etc
an apple mid afternoon, sometimes some berries in my yogurt and a banana if I’m going to the gym after work
at least 2-3 portions of veg or salad with dinner
a portion is 80g, some “portions” will count as more than 1.

I could do alot better than I do tbh but a typical day would be...

Some sort of fruit with breakfast so either blueberries on shredded wheat/ Weetabix, or a sliced banana on shreddies, or sliced tinned pear or apple in porridge

Usually have a mid morning banana if not had one at breakfast

Lunch is usually leftovers from night before with veg in. Or if I have a sandwich I'll put raw baby spinach in. Fruit after lunch usually.

Dinner is where we get the most veg in. Generally spinach on the side, or brocolli, carrots etc. Eg last night we had tacos which had soffrito mix in, plus spinach and avocado. Today was homemade meatballs and spaghetti so there was a tin of tomatoes in the sauce, plus spinach and cucumber on the side

What would be a normal days meals for you and we can see where you can fit in more fruit and veg?