Eat 2 plus 5 and stay alive!!

[Scarlet]

I love fruit and veggies and find it annoying when you go out for a posh meal they give you a big hulk of meat and almost no vegetation.

It's often the same when I eat out at friends...lovely steak and spuds and not much else. I really don't enjoy it. The worst for me is BBQ's all meat and bread!

[RaptorUK]

I find it hard not to eat a minimum of 5 a day? (and I'm not a veggie!)

Perhaps you could give an example of a weeks worth of meals where you have eaten your 5 a day every day ?

I tried finding an example of a weekly meal planner from a Government dept. that illustrated how to get 5 a day for 7 days but drew a blank . . .

If this is Government advice shouldn't everyone be doing it ? including those on benefits ? and if benefits aren't sufficient to buy all the fruit and veg needed for the 5/7 a day for 7 days a week then isn't there some contradiction in the message ?

[alldigging]

France and US already had 7 and 10 (Not sure what way round)

Eat more different veg is the important thing. A rainbow of colour is needed.

[Alison]

They've always said that the five a day wasn't really the ideal but that so many people didn't eat any five seemed like a good start point. I too believe that many countries are more ambitious in their targets and I'm glad it's being discussed more vocally here now too. I do however think that sometimes people obsess about and think of veggies as an add on to the meal they are already having rather than making veggies a centre piece and integral to the meal. Tonight my tea is going to be a casserole with some cheap stewing beef cooked with carrots, onion, swede and beans. That's four portions without thinking and the veggies are all home grown so very cheap but even if bought they'd be pretty low cost. Might do some steamed spring greens with it too to add a bit of texture which means five portions on one plate.


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[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

I have a similar experience to Chris/Alison on this.

Perhaps you could give an example of a weeks worth of meals where you have eaten your 5 a day every day ?

I always have 2-3 pieces of fruit per day (apple/pear/orange), at lunch I normally have a wholemeal pitta crammed with salad (lettuce, tomato,onion,cucumber) and a little feta or a felafal and dinner time we have something from scratch (either slow cooked or put together). I am not a vegetarian per se, but probably 4-5 out of seven of our weekly meals will be vegetarian.

This is what we had over the last week:

Bolognese (onion/garlic/celery/carrot/red lentils)
Sausage Dinner (carrots, broccoli, cauli, peas, kale,swede - normally 3 types of veg)
Bean Chilli (Dried kidney/butter beans, onion/garlic/celery/carrot/red or green pepper/sweetcorn)
Honey Mustard Fake Chicken with green beans (+ 3 veg whatever we have in)
Dhal (Yellow split pea/red lentil/onion/garlic/spinach (or kale))
Curry (pumpkin/squash, sweet potato, peas, red pepper, onion, celery,garlic, carrot)
Sunday roast (meat & roasties + parsnips,carrots, broccoli, cauli, peas, kale etc)

The above list is not what we have *every* week, we look out for new recipes and rotate a number of different favourites - it constantly changes). I will admit that it takes planning to do this type of thing consistently, (we normally put it on the weekly planner on the fridge) but we have got into the habit. We both work full time and have a 4yr old - so occasionally things go awry. But, we also often make more than we need and freeze portions which cuts the need for ready meals (as to all intents and purposes these frozen portions are ready meals).

[Alison]

Bolognese (onion/garlic/celery/carrot/red lentils)
Sausage Dinner (carrots, broccoli, cauli, peas, kale,swede - normally 3 types of veg)
Bean Chilli (Dried kidney/butter beans, onion/garlic/celery/carrot/red or green pepper/sweetcorn)
Honey Mustard Fake Chicken with green beans (+ 3 veg whatever we have in)
Dhal (Yellow split pea/red lentil/onion/garlic/spinach (or kale))
Curry (pumpkin/squash, sweet potato, peas, red pepper, onion, celery,garlic, carrot)
Sunday roast (meat & roasties + parsnips,carrots, broccoli, cauli, peas, kale etc)

Some of those meals have tinned tomatoes in them too which count and some things which you don't expect such as hummus, a tablespoon of tomato puree, mushrooms etc count too

[maytreefrannie]

Who decides on these numbers of portions and portion sizes? As different countries have different targets, it makes me wonder.

Also, it applies with alcohol; different countries have different recommended numbers of units.

Who decides? The mysterious "they?"

[daviddevantnhisspiritwife]

Sorry yes, I did negate to mention the tinned toms, puree and fresh toms in those. The Bolo/Chilli have tinned toms and puree, the bolo has mushrooms and the Dhal has fresh tomatoes in it.

+ fresh erbs' (coriander, basil etc - though admittedly they probably play a teeny itsy part).

[Alison]

Who decides on these numbers of portions and portion sizes? As different countries have different targets, it makes me wonder.

Also, it applies with alcohol; different countries have different recommended numbers of units.

Who decides? The mysterious "they?"

I don't think that the exact bit matters, OK so different parts of the world disagree on the detail but the common thread is that a diet heavy in veggies is good and that many of our plates aren't that balanced and too much alcohol is't going to be good for you either. A common sense approach is probably best

[Kristen]

Who decides on these numbers of portions and portion sizes? As different countries have different targets, it makes me wonder.

I think?? the latest research was an analysis of numerous previous studies, so a view of the amalgamated research.

Also, it applies with alcohol; different countries have different recommended numbers of units.

I think alcohol is just habit. Once one gets past the inhibited-youth years I can't see it serves any further purpose. I drank normal to somewhat heavily for decades ... gave up a couple of years ago and now wonder why I drank alcohol at all for all those years, I can't see it contributed anything to the meals I ate, or the social interaction I had.

Take the annual school play / concerts as an example. The school served a cheap-end wine in the interval. All parents queued up and did their best to chuck two glasses down their necks in the time available. I doubt very much that any of the parents there would routinely drink that [low-ish] quality of wine at home ... hence I have come to the conclusion that it is just habit, and I'm glad I chucked it.

[Alison]

I think alcohol is just habit. Once one gets past the inhibited-youth years I can't see it serves any further purpose. I drank normal to somewhat heavily for decades ... gave up a couple of years ago and now wonder why I drank alcohol at all for all those years, I can't see it contributed anything to the meals I ate, or the social interaction I had.

Take the annual school play / concerts as an example. The school served a cheap-end wine in the interval. All parents queued up and did their best to chuck two glasses down their necks in the time available. I doubt very much that any of the parents there would routinely drink that [low-ish] quality of wine at home ... hence I have come to the conclusion that it is just habit, and I'm glad I chucked it.

Take your point about the cheapo rubbish, I might well chose not to drink that (same goes for the hideous punch I was offered by a holiday rep the other summer) but I don't think my attitude to drinking is a habit at all. I rarely drink during the week (never really think to) but me and OH really enjoy the chance to sometimes have a nice meal accompanied by a glass of wine on a Friday / Saturday night. We both don't NEED this and will only have it when we want to but a leisurely drink whilst we catch up and spend some time together is very pleasant. We won't always do it but it's nice to have the choice and it for us it's very pleasant, just as with most things, it's about moderation.

[Kristen]

me and OH really enjoy the chance to sometimes have a nice meal accompanied by a glass of wine on a Friday / Saturday night

Mrs K and I used to do that too. But I question, now, whether the alcohol added anything to the occasion, or whether it was just "'coz we always do". Bit like having Champagne to celebrate something - why is it that Champagne is the one of choice? (Yeah ... "marketing" )

Just my 2p-worth though ...

[Noosner]

I'm pleased this has been raised nationally too. I aim for 9 and find it easy to do, but then I do work from home most of the time. When out and about it's really hard because we such a bread-o-centric culture. One tip is to keep a well stocked fruit bowl so as you can easily eat 3 fruits as snacks per day. Also to make vast quantities of (home grown) veggie soups and freeze them then defrost for lunch esp during the winter. That's another 2 portions.Then you'll probably have 2 or 3 veg with yr evening meal. There, that's 8 without hardly thinking about it! Oh yeah, and add things like swede, parsnip and carrot in when you make mashed spuds. Sorted! Another thing, if u have sandwiches, make em yourself and then you can add loads of salad or roast veg or whatever instead of the pathetic amounts shops put in. Hope I don't sound like I'm being a know it all pain in the *ss but these are all ruses that work for me.

[arpoet]

I drink several mugs of tea a day... Tea is plant, so does that count????

[Noosner]

I have a similar experience to Chris/Alison on this.



I always have 2-3 pieces of fruit per day (apple/pear/orange), at lunch I normally have a wholemeal pitta crammed with salad (lettuce, tomato,onion,cucumber) and a little feta or a felafal and dinner time we have something from scratch (either slow cooked or put together). I am not a vegetarian per se, but probably 4-5 out of seven of our weekly meals will be vegetarian.

This is what we had over the last week:

Bolognese (onion/garlic/celery/carrot/red lentils)
Sausage Dinner (carrots, broccoli, cauli, peas, kale,swede - normally 3 types of veg)
Bean Chilli (Dried kidney/butter beans, onion/garlic/celery/carrot/red or green pepper/sweetcorn)
Honey Mustard Fake Chicken with green beans (+ 3 veg whatever we have in)
Dhal (Yellow split pea/red lentil/onion/garlic/spinach (or kale))
Curry (pumpkin/squash, sweet potato, peas, red pepper, onion, celery,garlic, carrot)
Sunday roast (meat & roasties + parsnips,carrots, broccoli, cauli, peas, kale etc)

The above list is not what we have *every* week, we look out for new recipes and rotate a number of different favourites - it constantly changes). I will admit that it takes planning to do this type of thing consistently, (we normally put it on the weekly planner on the fridge) but we have got into the habit. We both work full time and have a 4yr old - so occasionally things go awry. But, we also often make more than we need and freeze portions which cuts the need for ready meals (as to all intents and purposes these frozen portions are ready meals).

Yum! When can I move in?