How to get 5 a day?

[Stargirl90]

I'm newly pregnant and trying to be a bit healthier. I really struggle getting 5 fruit and veg a week, let alone every day.

Any tips?

I'm fairly picky in that i don't like salad :(
Tomatos/peppers/cucumber/celery etc are all impossible for me

Cook it then. I make stews where I can have my 5 a day in one portion.

I'd suggest adding veg that you do like on the side of your 'normal' meals. But reducing your meal size slightly to accommodate for a bit more veg. Eg if you love white toast with thick butter in the morning - have one slice and two apples. If Friday night treat is a pizza, lose a couple of slices and add some carrot sticks - this way feels less like a massive diet change and you still get what you enjoy and are used to eating. I think this is the most realistic way :)

What fruit and veg do you like? Is there a soup that you like? Or a smoothie? Usually you can blitz inoffensive extras into either without much change in the overall flavour.

@chipsandcurrysaucemonster yeah i like that idea, so i could add say loads of mushrooms and cut out something else, rather than just adding more to the plate (in which case id get full and end up leaving the veg) eat less one one thing to make way for fruit/veg. Thanks :)

@Elementtree soups and smoothies are a good idea, i like carrots/peas/swetcorn/broccoli/cauli/ mushrooms/sweet pots/beans

I like the idea of smoothie actualy its just remembering to make time to make them

We’ve been attempting to do one week of getting 5-a-day. We failed at Day 5. May have only just scrapped it at Day 4. It requires including a fruit snack into your day, else I really don’t think it’s practical for most.

Don’t forget that only 1 of your 5 should come from juice/smoothies etc! Likewise, only 1 from dried fruit and only 1 from pulses.

Try and get at least one in at breakfast - avocado on toast, some grilled mushrooms, some baked beans. Add some fruit and yoghurt and you're two down already.

Roast a big batch of veg at the weekend and have it at lunch.

Swap your favourite meals for veg versions eg veggie lasagne, or bolognese over courgetti. Add extra veg to pies, or pasta sauces. Add some veg to meat skewers and BBQ. Take leftovers for lunch to get an extra serve.

Make soup - easy to get lots of veg in there. Even a little bowl before your evening meal will up the amount of veg you're eating.

Add veg to eggs. Omelettes, fritattas and quiches all carry extra veg well.

Make some veggie muffins to snack on.

Try to add one bit of veg to the food you would normally eat. So some sweetcorn in a tuna sandwich, or spread your ham and cheese roll with avocado first. Grate carrot and courgette into sauces. Add some frozen peas to pasta. Mushrooms and peppers in chilli - not authentic but it doesn't matter.

Would cooking things help? I'm not a fan of raw tomatoes but I like them slow roasted. And griddled gem lettuce is delicious with ranch dressing.

I don't think this is going to be too hard for you. You have a good few veg to work with there, it's just remembering to get them in. On that list, brocolli is particularly good for you. Try putting it on as many lunches and dinners as you can, you can nuke it in the microwave in less that five minutes.

Don't forget dried fruit, as well. It's easy to put together different dried fruit, raisins, dried banana and apricots say and then have it to hand to snack on.

Braised lettuce! Sounds crazy, but is excellent.

I am newly pregnant and a standard day of food for me would be something like:

Omelette with spinach and mushroom for breakfast
Apple mid morning
Homemade tomato and red pepper soup and bread for lunch
Banana mid afternoon
Chicken stir fry with broccoli, red pepper, bean sprouts and baby corn for dinner.

I know from experience that in a few weeks I might not be able to stomach any fruit or veg at all so trying to stock up now 😂

Berries in breakfast. I buy big bags of frozen berries and put half a cup in the fridge each evening to thaw.

Lunch: bought salad (always nicer) , or a red pepper & carrot sticks with houmous, or a fresh soup.

Dinner: always at least 2 portion of veg.

I'm also not a great fan of bland salad.

(I’m not a big salad fan either, but DH makes them a bit more exciting than the standard salads I make)

My new snacks regime at work: apple, raw carrot, raw mushrooms and pineapple. All cut up/peeled at home the night before and in handy snack sized individual Tupperware.

I’ve found it really works, and I’m suddenly having four of my five without even thinking about it. Get a few comments about the mushrooms mind could swap in grapes. I’m quite fussy and don’t like many fruit or veg and these are the ones I tolerate.

Get some kale or spinach, lay it out on a tray, add salt and pepper and a couple of one cal sprays and put in the oven for 5-10 mins. Kale crisps are so good!

I think it's relatively easy but it does depend what you eat. I don't do breakfast so it's no help telling me to add berries to my porridge 😁

What do you typically eat OP? Might be easier then to advise. I think the key is replacement, carrot sticks instead of crisps, extra salad in your sandwich instead of ham etc