Do you eat five portions of fruit/veg a day?

[Darkling1]

I plan my meals around what fruit/veg we have at home, so I consume my five fruit and veg most days!

I remember that target feeling impossible as a child, but I find it much easier as an adult.

Sadly I can’t tolerate some things as I get older. Including some fruits so that’s limited me and lots of veg upsets me.
i manage 4-6 a day okay. I know my friend said some European counties suggest 10 and my stomach would never take it.

Probably around 7 to 10.

Banana and strawberries with breakfast

Leftover chickpea, sweetpotato, tomato and tofu curry for lunch with spices and herbs.

Roasted med veg orzo (aubergine, courgette, tomatoes, carrot, peppers, asparagus, garlic, red onion) with halloumi.

Chuck on leaves of some sort to each savory meal.

Snack on fruit, nuts and seeds.

But it's about price - and buying a snack, whether fruit or something else can be a unjustifiable expense when you need to concentrate upon actual essential food items.

But it's about price - and buying a snack, whether fruit or something else can be a unjustifiable expense when you need to concentrate upon actual essential food items

Exactly, I guess some people are incredibly sheltered.

Such as carrots which cost pennies.

Thanks Parking
I keep meaning to get a spiraliser thanks for the reminder

Thanks for the heads up too on lentil based pasta, I’ve never eaten an Amazon box ….but I’ll take your word for it 😆

Thanks
and to everyone on the protein pasta
Ive been off pasta for a year or so but will give some of your suggestions a go as dh is doing pasta tonight and usually I just have a smoothie instead.

I think a lot of it is habits, familiarity, food knowledge and circumstances rather than cost per se. Some fruits are expensive, but regular seasonal vegetables really aren’t.

But if people have always had crisps & chocolate with a sandwich, having an apple and a carrot instead, might not look like lunch - even if it’s cheaper.

If you are really counting the pennies the most important thing you need from your food is calories and fruit and veg are far lower in calories than complex carbs plus fat. It's a first world luxury to be able to choose a wide variety of plants to eat in a single week, in fact I bet if we posted our household income and variety of fruit and veg we eat there would be a positive correlation. Historically in this country we ate mainly potage with root vegetable in the winter, leaves in the summer, harvest abundance in the autumn and the hungry gap in the spring. But that was when most people lived in the countryside and so had access to land to plant crops.

I've made a veggie chilli today using tinned tomatoes, onions, peppers, garlic, chickpeas and carrots. Plus the spices needed, the rice, sour cream on the side etc... It's all those bits that make the cost of eating veg go up.
Yes carrots are cheap but I just wouldn't feel motivated to eat plain boiled carrots.

Oh yes, at least. I always have at least one portion of fruit with breakfast, often two. Then for lunch I like to have salads (not the shit Mumsnet teeny weeny kind - the plate buster kind with an entire sweet potato and cheese and nuts) or soup which is generally three portions more, then I always have at least one veg with tea but more often two or three. Then on top of that I'll quite often have fruit as a snack.

Although @22p / 100 g for veg (average Asda prices for lots of different veg )
Thats less than £5 a week / person to get 4 a day
Add in one piece of fruit / day and it’s not really that expensive.

When they could be having to pay gas, electric, phone (in order to be able to claim), soap powder, soap, shampoo, water, toothpaste, floss, antiperspirant, sanitary wear, washing up liquid, something to clean the toilet and kitchen, travel to the job centre, clothes, footwear, anything not available on prescription, etc, on £72 a week and need to also eat carbs, fats and protein as well - it's going to feel like a significant sum to spend.

Most of that list @NeverDropYourMooncup doesn’t need to be bought weekly or even monthly though.
Agree bills are a nightmare but it all depends how many people you’re sharing with. Living on your own would be unaffordable but a HMO not so much.

Of note our sons are all at Uni and budgeting on less than £72 a week and need to buy equipment as well.
They all eat plenty of fruit and veg still

Im aware everyone’s different and priorities vary but I disagree it’s unaffordable

Since a portion is a minimum of 80grams I don’t always manage. I’ll often eat well over 5 different fruit or veg, but rarely manage 80g of each

No and I used to be so good! With ds at university I have gotten shoddy. I must rectify - at least it’s summer so it’s easier!