5+ a day!

neo200120018

Ok yes I admit to being a major food diary stalker but it gives me ideas!

my biggest problem is I grew up in a generation where we were encouraged to eat 5+ a day, that 3 veges and 2 fruit as a minimum and a serving of fruit or veges as the size of your hand (whole hand not palm as in carbs and or protein) but when I look at peoples diaries they seem to have a couple fruit a day and one at the most two veges a day, Am I the only person who aims to have 5+ a day? No I'm not prefect but I do try!

Do you eat your 5+ a day?

needtolose50lbs

I've noticed the same thing. I'm guilty I only get about 2 fruits and 1 veg a day, but now that you have brought up the topic, I will definitely do better. I think most people work a lot of hours so its hard to get in all the veggies and fruits they need.

neo200120018

lol we were taught the + thing but thats more than likely a kiwi thing, remember to vary it up tho! you need vitamins from fruit and vege that can not be replaced by a capsule or powder! and one type of vege alone cant do that!

SergeantSunshine_reused

If I had a car and more money then sure!

But produce is pricey, and goes bad fast. So I just take a good multi and do what I can

neo200120018

There are so many easy salads, stir fries, prefrozen mixed veges tho it just makes me sad that people arent giving the poor vege a chance!

MMarvelous

I used to aim for 5+ a day but my grill cook at work was fired. He made my scrabble w/ spinach and tomatoes. I TRUST NO ONE ELSE including myself to do it correctly. So I aim for a veggie at lunch and one or 2 at dinner. I try to have a piece of fruit at breakfast and one for a snack. Usually I have 3 of 5 at best.

neo200120018

if anyones interested in what i was saying check out http://www.5aday.co.nz/resources.html?id=280

SergeantSunshine_reused

Frozen vegetables are more expensive then fresh. Canned are cheapest.. but yuck xD
And I very rarely eat any sort of salad.

But I try to add veggies when I can. Not everyone has the money to eat like that. If I could I would have way more in my diet, but I can't. And I know many are the same

neo200120018

Fair enough re the price frozen are really cheap here!

SergeantSunshine_reused

Ah in one of my nutrition courses we looked at the prices of vegetable storing and what you are getting for your money.
Frozen is most expensive > fresh > canned.

Love that winter squash is cheap here though ^-^ I just catch sales like that :] One day I will afford all the produce!

neo200120018

Wow the only thing I ever buy canned in veges is sweet corn!

SergeantSunshine_reused

I can't buy any canned veggies xD They taste too salt and watery to me.
I'm hungry for some peas, corn, and butter now though!

Aliciaaah

I feel like I eat tons of veggies and fruits!! Especially compared to most people. A normal day for me is a banana, two oranges, baby carrots, romaine lettuce, a roma tomato, and whatever vegetables I throw into dinner (There's ALWAYS at least one or two servings!). I sometimes have a berry smoothie when I have extra calories too! And nights like Monday my dinner was basically ALL veggies and some chicken. I had a stew, and it was amazing. LOVE those veggies!

shellie1206

for breakfast I usually do something with veggies or fruit but lately I have been craving oatmeal and cereal
Lunch I do some kind of salad or something veggie
Dinner veggie as well
I do love my veggies more than fruit

P.S. the best place to go for produce is the produce markets mine I got
2 eggplant, 2 pd of mushrooms, 2 pds of green beans, 3 tomatoes, 2 baskets of cherry tomatoes, bag of carrots, bananas, 6 avocados, 3 zucchini, 2 things of celantro, 3 lemons, celery, bag of spinach, 2 heads of lettuce, 1 red onion all for 30 bucks

Inlet

It's SO HARD!
I make sure I get a lot of protein and that all or most of my fats are good fats, and that my carbs are mostly whole grain (minus the fruit leather type fast acting workout fuel for long runs).

I take a multi, and then I'll shoot for eating a whole fruit and whole vegetable each day...

And I just realized that "serving sizes" are frequently fractions of a fruit (like, half a grapefruit) and I always eat the whole one.

Per week, I aim for three big servings of green veggies, three or four big servings of fruit, and 3 BIG servings of orange or red vegetables.
I don't have the time or money to have the ideal diet veggie-wise

NothingTastesAsGoodAsThin

I always get my five a day, although usually closer to seven.

Produce is expensive. In the UK they say that 1 in every 3 people is overweight and 1 in every 4 is obese... and yet everything is taxed so highly that the only affordable food on the market is starch, starch and more starch!
I am on a tight budget myself but I manage to keep costs low and our fruit and vegetable count high by shopping late and picking up bargains. The veggies will still be fine, just nearing the end of their sell-by. If they are getting a little soft they'll still make a great soup!
Most supermarkets have economy ranges now that extend to their frozen veg and some produce so often you can grab a bag of apples for a pound etc.
Also, growing your own is always an option, even if you only have a window box. It doubles as a cheap hobby too - getting you off the sofa and out of the pub! Saving extra money and burning those calories! I recently started work on a vegetable patch; I'm not an avid gardener to say the least, but I'm giving it a try in the interests of getting fitter and richer!!

For people that aren't keen on fruits there are plenty of fruit bars (aimed at kids, I think) yoghurts, juices etc that constitute one of your five a day. And, when you aren't in the mood for a salad-ey brocolli-ey dinner, dice up lots of carrots, peppers, corgettes and mushrooms and throw them in with a can of tomatoes - 5 portions of veg in a one-pot tasty sauce. Serve with wholemeal pasta, crusty wholemeal bread or even a couple of veggie sausages and some swede mash!

I love cooking with vegetables! So many more exciting flavours than you can find in meats!

....Still though, wouldn't it be wonderful if it were five portions of cheese a day instead? I love cheese so much. :-(

NothingTastesAsGoodAsThin

And don't forget, everyone: a small handful of raw unsalted nuts each day too!!!