I love vegetables, fruit and legumes so I probably get 30ish different portions per week (although I’ve never actually counted and I’m definitely not strict about it).
It probably won’t be cheap because fresh fruit and vegetables can be expensive and so buying a wide range of them will add up (frozen and tinned are often better value but make sure that they don’t have added salt/sugar).
If you like cooking and are happy to try new things then fruit and vegetable boxes can be good (although I usually plan my meals after they arrive so I can make sure that everything gets used)
You also don’t want loads of food waste so try to plan a menu that will use the vegetables in different ways throughout the week (or accept that you might have fewer than 30 different plant based foods in one week but you’ll have different ones the following week).
It’s also difficult to do if you don’t have much time for planning/cooking or have fussy eaters in your house.
I tend to roast pans of different vegetables to keep in the fridge and use in different dishes (pasta sauce, on salads, as a side, added to things like omelette etc):
- Sweet potato, tomatoes, red onion.
- Courgette, peppers, tomatoes, red onions, aubergine.
- Carrot, parsnip, beetroot.
I’ll also griddle things like:
- Fennel, courgette and asparagus.
Soups are great for adding lots of vegetables. My favourites are:
- Cauliflower, broccoli, leek, potato and cheddar.
- Roasted tomato, pepper and red onion with red lentil, mint and chilli (topped with some feta and seeds)
- Minestrone (celery, onions, carrots, borlotti beans, tomato purée, kale).
- Borscht
Smoothies would also be good for getting extra fruit and vegetables.
I tend to bulk up meals with extra veg/lentils/beans (it makes it go further and adds some extra vitamins/protein).
I’ll make mixed fruit compote to add to yoghurt or porridge for breakfast.
- Apple, pear, frozen berries.
I tend to have prepared fruit and veg in the fridge as a snack.
- Cut up pineapple/mango
- Apple/pear with peanut butter
- Celery/carrot/pepper/cucumber with hummus or cream cheese.
For most meals I’ll add at least 2-3 vegetables as a side.
- Cauliflower mash
- Wilted spinach/kale/cabbage
- Steamed peas, carrots and broccoli.
For example this week we’re having:
Monday:
Breakfast- Rye toast, poached egg, mushroom spinach and tomatoes.
Lunch- Minestrone soup and a spinach salad with roasted veg, cheese and walnuts.
Dinner- Cottage pie (with potato, swede and carrot mash on top), served with kale.
Yoghurt and fruit compote.
Tuesday-
Breakfast: Porridge with banana, peanut butter and dark chocolate chips.
Lunch: Minestrone soup and salad (same as Monday).
Dinner: Wholemeal couscous with mint, feta, peas, griddled asparagus, courgette and fennel (seasoned with lemon juice, olive oil and chilli).
Yoghurt with fruit compote and almonds.
Wednesday:
Breakfast: Porridge with fruit compote and nuts.
Lunch: Leftover vegetable and feta couscous. Banana and a couple of satsumas.
Dinner: Veggie chilli (made with 3 kinds of beans, chopped tomatoes, roasted peppers, onions and sweetcorn) with baked sweet potato and guacamole.
Pineapple for dessert.
Thursday-
Breakfast: Omelette with roasted veg, spinach and feta
Lunch: Leftover chilli
Dinner: Salmon with new potatoes and roasted tomatoes, fennel, red onion and asparagus.
Friday-
Breakfast: Porridge with banana, peanut butter and dark chocolate chips.
Lunch: Omelette with roasted veg, spinach salad (spinach, tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, walnuts, cheese and balsamic dressing).
Dinner: Aubergine, mushroom, broccoli, spring onion and tofu stir fry, with brown rice.
Pineapple for dessert.
Saturday-
Breakfast: Rye toast with poached eggs, tomatoes, red onion, mushrooms and spinach.
Lunch: Jacket potato with cheese, coleslaw and spinach salad (spinach, roasted veg, walnuts, balsamic dressing).
Dinner: Seabass with roasted tomatoes, red onions, fennel and black olives.
Yoghurt with fruit compote.
Sunday-
Breakfast: Pancakes with fruit compote, bananas and whipped cream.
Lunch: Roast chicken, cauliflower cheese, roasted carrots/beetroot/parsnips/red onions, roast potatoes, wilted kale.
Apple and pear crumble with cream for dessert.
Dinner: Probably a salad with whatever roasted veg is left in the fridge, nuts, cheese and balsamic dressing.