How to eat 5 fruits and veggies every day
How I did it: I planned meals and snacks before food shopping so I knew I had a range of different things to eat. For a week I weighed veg when preparing meals so I knew how much I was eating. Now I know how many portions are in my favourite meals. I average six a day now.
I've started eating breakfast; a glass of OJ and fruits with yogurt so that's two portions.
Lunches are now mainly veg based soups, sometimes sandwiches (with salad veg in). Between one and two portions.
Had three portions with dinner. Decreased main dish (eg nut roast) and increased the side vegetables.
Snacked on apples, dried fruit or crudites with hummus or something.
Lessons & tips: Learn what a portion actually is. It's not always a large volume.
Have smaller portions of other foods. For example less pasta but more of the onion/ tomato/ lentil/ mushroom sauce on top. I missed out on my goal one day because I didn't have an appetite (4 F&V that day) I could have fitted in another portion at dinner if I'd eaten less other stuff.
Variety. It's more interesting if you have different things each day. Last week I had five different fruits and fifteen different vegetables. It doesn't get boring this way.
Resources: Good recipe books. I'm vegetarian so many of my main ones are good for 5 a day. Rose Elliot is a favourite.
http://www.5aday.nhs.uk/WhatCounts/PortionSizes.aspx for guidelines on what a portion is.
