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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Do you have 30 fruit & veg in your fridge/ freezer/ cupboard right now?

244 replies

GRex · 10/05/2025 19:44

I read "do you eat 30 different fruit / veg in a week", and I started out curious if we even HAD 30 to pick from. We don't all eat all items, and certainly not all within a week; of the 36+ core items it's unlikely any individual one of us would go over 20 on a given week. How many do you have and actually use?

This is what we have; occasional other bits like figs I don't buy enough to count, I think this is the main set:
13? Fridge: olives, cherry tomatoes, potatoes, iceberg lettuce, artichokes, romaine lettuce, rocket, baby courgette, mixed peppers, fresh chillies, ginger, garlic, baby leek, red onion, spring onion, coleslaw, kimchi, some M&S mixed salad packs (assume we won't count garlic and random pack mixes)
3 Fruit: apples, clementines, raisins
3 Freezer fruit (only for pancakes): blueberries, raspberries, strawberries
3 Freezer veg: cauliflower rice, sprouts, mushrooms garlic, ginger, chillies, mixed greens thing, packs of chopped leek/ courgette / onion / aubergine (from when we were going away)
5 Fruit juices: apple, raspberry, pineapple, rhubarb, grapefruit.
10? Cupboard (used a lot but removing lots of duplicates): peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, almonds, cashews, seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, chia, sesame, black sesame, mixed), beans (baked, black, pinto, butter, kidney), water chestnut, bamboo, grated coconut, tinned tomato, tomato paste, mixed grains, artichokes
0 Cupboard (so rarely used): pistachio butter, pearl barley, hearts of palm, poppy seeds, lentils of various types (not counted as not eaten often), walnuts.

OP posts:
noworklifebalance · 10/05/2025 22:05

Tomatoes
(Bell) peppers
lettuce
cucumber
celery
lettuce
broccoli
cauliflower
apples
bananas
grapes
watermelon
carrots
coconut pieces
frozen blueberries
frozen strawberries
frozen raspberries
frozen cherries
frozen mixed veg (peas, carrots)
frozen roast veg (aubergine, cucumber)
peanuts
cashews
pine nuts
mixed sunflower and sesame seeds
white onions
red onions
spring onions
olives
chickpeas
sweetcorn

Will eat all these over the course of a week.

MiddleOfHere · 10/05/2025 22:07

ouch321 · 10/05/2025 19:52

Translation:

I want you all to know that I have an abolutely enormous fridge freezer. By knowing this you willl therefore know I have a huge kitchen in a huge house.

We do not have an enormous fridge freezer. And it's an anonymous forum so what would be gained by random strangers knowing that anyone on this thread has a big fridge freezer/kitchen/house.

HundredPercentUnsure · 10/05/2025 22:08

Pleasantly surprised myself, we have well over 30 👌won't bother to list them all, there's nothing outstanding within the list although we do have capers in our fridge, not sure I have seen them mentioned elsewhere up thread (unless I missed it).

We started introducing a 'guest fruit' and 'guest veg' each week to encourage my fussy 4yo to try new things mostly, but it's helped our numbers! This week we had pomegranate and asparagus as our 'guests'.

DogsOnFilm · 10/05/2025 22:10

HundredPercentUnsure · 10/05/2025 22:08

Pleasantly surprised myself, we have well over 30 👌won't bother to list them all, there's nothing outstanding within the list although we do have capers in our fridge, not sure I have seen them mentioned elsewhere up thread (unless I missed it).

We started introducing a 'guest fruit' and 'guest veg' each week to encourage my fussy 4yo to try new things mostly, but it's helped our numbers! This week we had pomegranate and asparagus as our 'guests'.

Ha, I love your guest fruit and guest veg idea. I hope your little one makes them ‘welcome’. 😂

MiddleOfHere · 10/05/2025 22:11

godmum56 · 10/05/2025 22:01

amazon

Thank you.
Also, I realise that @GRex did say where they got theirs from Bulk but I had missed that.

daffodilandtulip · 10/05/2025 22:15

Watermelon
Grapes
Kiwis
Blueberries
Apples
Pears
Satsumas
Plums
Strawberries
Bananas
Raspberries
Pineapple
Avocado
Peppers
Cucumber
Cherry tomatoes
Onions
Spring onions
Mange tout
Courgette
Peas
Sweetcorn
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Green beans

26 of the normal fruit and veg. I don't understand how things like garlic and peanut butter fit in.

FigsOfFury · 10/05/2025 22:18

DogsOnFilm · 10/05/2025 22:10

Ha, I love your guest fruit and guest veg idea. I hope your little one makes them ‘welcome’. 😂

Same! Might employ this idea with my youngest who is a very picky eater! Great idea :)

MummyInTheNecropolis · 10/05/2025 22:21

I would never have that many, it’s only me and teen DD and she barely touches fruit or veg. We currently have:

rocket
lettuce
cucumber
tomatoes
peppers
courgette
broccoli
asparagus
avocados
onions
potatoes
mushrooms
basil
garlic

That’s the fresh stuff. In the cupboard and freezer we have peas, sweetcorn, chickpeas, frozen mixed veg and lentils.

C8H10N4O2 · 10/05/2025 22:22

The 30 per week was 30 different plants per week not just fruit and veg. It includes herbs, spices, grains, pulses, seeds, nuts etc so its not at all difficult to hit the numbers (without buying the stack of cookery books which rapidly appeared to cash in on the advice). I would imagine most people hit 30 different plants per week without batting an eyelid.

ButteredRadishes · 10/05/2025 22:22

Fresh vegetables
Green beans, carrots, cabbage, kale, onions, potato, sweet potato, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, radishes

Fresh fruit
Oranges, apples, banana, blueberries, pomegranate seeds, melon

Frozen fruit and veg
Peas sweet corn, butternut squash, berries mix, mango

Canned veg
Corn, peas, beans

Pickled veg
Onions, beetroot, gherkins, piccalilli, saurkraut

Iloveanicegarden · 10/05/2025 22:32

Oh! So you mean 30 DIFFERENT varieties. I was just going to,tip out a bag of frozen blueberries and count them !

rightoguvnor · 10/05/2025 22:39

I have
fresh rosemary, mint, thyme
parsnips, carrots, broccoli, potatoes, iceberg lettuce,romaine lettuce, cress, rocket, lollo Rossi, peppers, celery, radish, tomatoes, avocados, cucumber,red onions, white onions, spring onions, garlic
apples, oranges, tangerines, blueberries, raspberries, bananas
frozen peas, corn, cabbage, cauliflower, mixed soft fruits.

but I still fancy a minim Magnum

soupyspoon · 10/05/2025 22:40

GRex · 10/05/2025 21:42

I have realised I missed guacamole, lemons and limes in the fridge door. I left the chickpeas because the tin went out of date 5 years ago, but we did have houmous with lunch. There really are a lot more than I thought. I still don't think all 3 of us are getting 30 every single week, but way over 30 types every month...

Edited

How did a tin of chickpeas go out of date 5 years ago? We're they tinned in 1920 or something?

soupyspoon · 10/05/2025 22:42

BeeCucumber · 10/05/2025 21:29

I have two bananas, 10 Silk Cut and half a bottle of orange gin.

Tobacco is so underrated these days

JudithOnHolidayAgain · 10/05/2025 22:45

In my fridge and fruit bowl
Strawberries
Apples
Easy peelers
Lemons
Red pepper
Bananas
Onions
Sweet potato
Baby gem lettuce
Tomatoes
Mango
Chillies
Spinach
Swede
Carrots
Mushrooms
Fresh basil
Raddish

In the freezer
Parsley
Garlic
Coriander
Ginger
Peas
Sweetcorn
Sprouts
Peppers
Cherries
Raspberries
Beansprouts

In the larder
Pickled beetroot
Cornichons
Tinned pears
Tinned peaches
Bamboo spoots
Water chestnuts
Cashew nuts
Almonds
Chia seeds
Pumpkin seeds
sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Rains
Dried apricots
Dried and tinned Lentils
Tinned Chickpeas
Tinned Red kidney beans
Tinned Butter beans

godmum56 · 10/05/2025 22:46

quite surprised really. I have easily got 30 fruit veg,seeds and nuts in the house, more if you count tea, coffee and chocolate. Most of it is preserved in some way as I cant do 5 a day(ibs) but they are all things I eat on a regular basis.

HerbertVonDoodlebug · 10/05/2025 22:46

right now:
fresh:
Apples
satsumas
bananas
raspberries
mango
Iceberg lettuce
Rocket
mushrooms
Cucumber
broccoli
baby corn
green beans
mange tout
carrots
peppers
fresh chillies
cherry tomatoes
vine tomatoes
basil
onions
red onions
new potatoes
spring onions

tinned:
chopped tomatoes
sweetcorn

frozen:
cauliflower
peas
Lemons
limes

so 29! If baked beans count, then 30 🤣

Edited to add: olives, beetroot and pickled onions! So officially over 30 !

Hedgingmybetching · 10/05/2025 22:51

Onions, garlic, mushrooms, bell peppers, courgette, aubergine, sweet potato, potato, baby spinach, romaine lettuce, cucumber, baby toms, normal tomatoes, avocados, olives, carrots, brocolli, grapes, apples, strawberries, raspberries, plums, oranges, frozen peas, frozen sweetcorn, fresh orange juice, basil plant that's slowly dying on the window sill and rosemary and mint in the garden (don't think I've used the mint yet though)

Also raisins, baked beans, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree, chickpeas, does coconut milk count? Coleslaw? Pickles? Peanut butter? Mango chutney? 😅 more dried herbs than I can count, but I regularly use smoked paprika, pepper, ginger, turmeric, Italian mixed herbs, garam masala, curry powder, chinese 5 spice, etc. Also rice, olive oil, sesame oil if those are counted?

Actually a fair bit of stuff there. My 4 year old is a massive fruit bat and I started cooking loads of pasta sauces and other meals from scratch after we started weaning during lock down and had the time, before kids I used to just buy jarred sauce. I'm trying to eat lots of salad at the mo to lose weight (not working 🫠) so that's why there's so much salad stuff.

I totally get that this is unrealistic for a lot of people that are time poor, lack of space, or on a budget. I had alot of beige food growing up and managed to do okay. Xx

bigknitblanket · 10/05/2025 22:51

I’ve got the following in the fridge…
garlic
chillis
carrots
cucumber
tomatoes
onions
satsumas
grapes
apples
butternut
Freezer…
peas
cauliflower
mixed berries inc strawberries blueberries blackberries raspberries redcurrants
mixed tropical fruit - pineapple mango peach
Cupboard
chickpeas
cannelini beans
black beans
pearl barley
lentils red and black
sunflower seeds
pumpkin seeds
chia seeds
flax
walnuts
peanut butter
dried cranberries
raisins
sultanas
tinned tomatoes
baked beans

To be fair, I tend to buy fresh veg the day I plan to use it so don’t keep much fresh veg in

mathanxiety · 10/05/2025 22:52

Thirty different fruits and vegetables a week is ridiculous. My DM grew up on a farm in Ireland during WW2. They grew their own veg and fruits - onions, leeks, broad and french beans, spinach, cabbage, apples, strawberries, currants, and damsons were their fruits and veg, plus beets, turnips, parsnips, and potatoes. They often foraged for blackberries and mushrooms and fraochans (mountain blueberries). Fruit was eaten seasonally and also made into jam. Apples were stored along with onions and potatoes for the winter, and cabbage was pickled. They were all as healthy as trout.

Dr13Hadley · 10/05/2025 22:56

We’ve got
grapes, pineapple, apples, cucumber, sugar snap peas, carrot and swede mash, baby potatoes, avocados, cherry tomatoes, tinned tomatoes, frozen peas, tinned sweetcorn, dried dates, dried apricots, dried banana chips, little gem lettuce, shallots, mixed stir fry veg (chilled not frozen), frozen soffrito mix (carrot, onion and celery), mini mixed peppers, beetroot, orange juice, baked beans, kidney beans, mushy peas, lentils, chickpeas and fresh coriander. Also loads of dried herbs.

iwentjasonwaterfalls · 10/05/2025 22:59

Loads of different potato varieties. Smileys, waffles, hash browns, alphabets. Must be at least ten, so we're a third of the way there.

HundredPercentUnsure · 10/05/2025 23:01

@DogsOnFilm @FigsOfFury guest fruit/veg works great!

I stick it in the middle of the dinner table for a few days to pique interest and to handle it/familiarise with it first.

We like to have guesses about what it will look like/what colour it will be inside and what it might taste like. Then we cut it open/ prep it at the table together and try it. And next time it just exists on our plate like any other veg/fruit.

Asparagus was actually the choice of my 4yo inspired by Bluey and a game called asparagus wands 😂

Netcam · 10/05/2025 23:11

Onions, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, courgettes, cauliflower, leeks, peppers, aubergine, cabbage, grapefruits, oranges, apples, pears, avocados, potatoes, garlic, tinned kidney beans, tinned chick peas, tinned lentils, tinned tomatoes, pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, peanuts, brazil nuts, tahini, pumpkin seeds, fermented sauerkraut, olives, preserved artichokes, oats, brown rice.

That's 35 I can think of we have in the kitchen right now. I'm sure we eat at least 30 different plants each week as we eat most of the above regularly and also buy other different fruit and veg that we don't have any of right now. But we get 2 or 3 fruit and veg boxes delivered each week on different days, so we get through a lot of plants.

wingingit1987 · 10/05/2025 23:12

At the moment:

Fridge-
watermelon
grapes
strawberries
raspberries
blueberries
apples
satsumas
oranges
Broccoli
green beans
onion
pepper
mushrooms
carrots
mini cucumbers
lettuce

freezer-
corn on the cob
steam fresh veg mix

cupboards-
sweetcorn
peas
tinned pears
sweet potatoes
baby potatoes
Raisins
dried mango