"5 a day"

[TheHappinessTrap]

I don't know where best to post this. Just wondering what you are all doing!

So in the UK this is 5/80g portions (400g). In France they aim for 10 portions (800g). In Japan they aim for 17/50 g portions (850g). So I'm aiming for France/Japan and thinking to try to meet most of this in my breakfast and lunch on work days as a start.

A few weeks ago I started with my fruit intake, which was appalling. I have found my dream scenario. 1/2 cup (dried) porridge, made with skimmed milk, cinnamon, and 250-300g fruit. This is a mix of apple, banana, kiwi, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries... I've forgotten 1, there were 7. I really feel pleased about the variety and I like it so much I don't have to think about coming up with something new all the time for variety, also I can prepare them in advance and freeze them. It's been so easy.

I'm now thinking of doing something similar with my work lunch and my veg intake, which is better but could do with some improvement. I started off by batch cooking stews (I don't like soups) but that's getting old and I want to add more veg and increase the variety, so I'm thinking of salads, but does anyone have any other suggestions?

I figure this will be a pain as they can't be made too far in advance but I could probably make two in a row.

I'm thinking 400 - 600g worth of spinach/kale, tomatoes, avocado, shredded carrots (I hate big chucks of carrot!), broccoli, courgette, beets, red pepper, butternut squash. I'd add something like boiled egg/baked salmon/cheese, and olive oil and balsamic for seasoning.

This will be fine for this week, and my hope would be to find a lunch time meal that I'm happy to have every day. It would be interesting I think to have the same amount of energy coming in at meal times so that my body just comes to rely on a steady influx of a big variety of good stuff.

This would give me 650 - 900g of fruit and veg a day. Do any of you try to eat the recommended amount of fruit and veg? Have you found a good way to manage it? Do you know of other veggies you think are better to eat?

I eat loads of fruit and veg. Apparently 5 a day is the message from the government as they believe that that is all most people in the uk will aim for but I have read years ago that we need at least 10 for starters. Fruit and veg and salad to me are where you get most of your nutrients and vits from (not vit tablets).

As a rough menu I have

ground nuts, ground flaxseed, cherries,blueberries, raspberries, banana and a little milk (that's if I have breakfast).
Sometimes I just have a smoothie consisting of cherries, blueberries, raspberries, banana, strawberries and yog.

salad of leaves, rocket, peppers, pear, tomato, spring onion, cucumber, olives, celery, carrot with protein for lunch o

or

soup with butternut squash, sweet potato, carrot, celery, parsnip.

dinner

protein with kale, peppers, mushroom, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peas

and maybe some fruit salad for pudding with cream.

I love fruit and veg though and always have.

Hello Lailoo, Cherries! I'm definitely going to add those in. I've only managed 200g fresh fruit in breakfast porridge, and I've just made lunches for the next two days and only managed 300g fresh veg - it's so much food by the time I added the salmon I was afraid to add more in case it went to waste!

I know I still have dinner to top up on what's missing but I was aiming higher for those two meals. I don't tend to be a snacker so that's not an option.

I've always loved vegetables but fruit is a bit hard on my system. Cooking it even briefly in porridge helps make it easier to digest so am thrilled to find that as an option. It's interesting weighing all of this up and seeing what we're actually meant to be aiming for!

The reality is that the more raw fruit and veg you can manage in a day
and the more cooked fruit and veg you can manage in a day the better
BUT
the targets have to be motivational so aim low enough to get those who eat nothing to try something ...

I'm trying to up my intake as well.

Last night I made a huge fritatta/tortilla/whatever you want to call it in the oven in a big baking tray. Wanted a quick breakfast that was healthier. Protein and veggies, can't knock it.

10 eggs, some cubed half-cooked potato (I know that doesn't count towards it but wanted to make them substantial enough for breakfast on their own), 3 onions, whole head of brocolli including stalk, one red pepper, one green pepper, add some herbs and bake for about 20-30 mins. It doesn't sound a lot but I've cut it into 9 pieces and they are a good size and very filling. And basically nearly all veg just about held together with a little bit of egg. Could have that with salad or fruit for very easy lunch as well. Oh - veg all obviously chopped up!

Love, that sounds yum! It made me laugh that you clarified that you cut up the vegetables. It made me imagine a whole broccoli sticking out of a tortilla!

I'm finding my lunches very filling. I mean they are huge but they are all raw veg and protein so that's better than a crappy sandwich!