Five a Day

[Daisy]

I really do try to make sure we get at least 5 of our 5 a day, but I'm never sure what counts, and what doesn't, and even harder what size/weight counts as a portion.

Something like an apple or orange is easy enough - one apple, one orange, I suppose. But what about a satsuma or clementine - one or two?

How many grapes is a portion, or blueberries or other berries. Stone fruit like plums, peaches?

A portion of cabbage is how big? I really don't know.

Does a vegetable count as much cooked or raw - carrots for instance?

Then there are things that are (usually) vegetables but they don't count - Potatoes for instance?

What about nuts and seeds and odd things like mushrooms?

[Lizzie48]

Daisy, I can bore you with the Dutch version, but, the NHS have a handy site. https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-wel...y-what-counts/ Also on the fruit and how much etc.

[Oma]

Because im diabetic I have to limit my fruit but I am a great fruit eater , I could happily just eat fruit all day and have nothing else ,
I was told by my Diabetic nurse , things like grapes, plums ,strawberries etc one portion is what I can hold in my hand

Its not easy as from one week to the other the advice changes ,
I read a article a couple of months ago saying the 5 a day idea was no longer thought to be correct , so who do we believe ?

[Plantaholic]

I eat a lot of fruit and veg, I believe it is a handful of things like grapes.

[Gemini]

This is a bit of a sore point with me. No pun intended!
I love fruit and veg and salad and always far exceeded my 5 a day.

Fruit is still not much of a problem but I have to limit veg and salad due to ibs. I do try to get the 5, but its, harder these days.

I agree Daisy it sometimes hard to know what a portion is. I don't think potatoes count as one of your 5. Pity as I have no problem with those!

[Nanto2girls]

No way do i get my 5 a day. I'm not a lover of much fresh fruit.
I will eat a few strawberries,raspberrys and blueberries at a push.
Potatoes are not included as 1 of 5 a day, or so i have always been told.
We do eat veggies of most kind, but i don't like salad.
Hubby loves a salad in the summer months,so when he has one,i usually have cheese omelette.
He will also eat fresh fruit of any kind.
I would rather have tinned fruit,but its not very often we open any.

[Daisy]

Lizzie - thank you for the link. That's helpful information.

Oma and Plant - it's useful to know about the 'handful' being one portion, too.

Gem - it must be very frustrating having to be careful about salads and veggies, and for Oma with fruit.

Nanto - I think quite a lot of people don't like salad, so you're not alone.

I used to love apples, but modern apples from the supermarket are tasteless and I never fancy them, apart from Coxes. I fancy a pear sometimes but hardly ever eat oranges. I love what I call 'nice' fruit - anything from grapes to plums, melons etc, but salad is my favourite thing. As long as there's mayonnaise on top.

I think I'll have to start trying to keep track of what I have though, because it's silly to go short of your 5 a day just because I don't think about it.

[Oma]

I love Salad I like Balsamic glaze on or Salad cream im not a lover of Mayo , B will eat it but not very often ,

I always have Oranges , pears, Blueberry's and Apples in along with any seasonal soft fruit ,, saying that you are right about the Apples Daisy its not often you get a nice tasty apple they are so bland .
Im a lover of Cabbage , sprouts , green beans , in fact any veg apart from Butterbeans, broad beans and cooked Carrots . love raw carrots but cooked no , I do like them mashed with swede though .
As for eating fruit and veg everyday , it depends what we are having ,
Fruit is no bother but Veg doesn't always go with what your having does it , I mean likes of chips egg and beans or egg on toast it wouldn't go with would it so there are days when we don't have veg of any kind not even peas

[Lizzie48]

I am a fruit and veg lover, there is not much I don't like actually, not always a good thing! I love salad and could eat it every day, I saw that there are new season cucumbers in the shops so shall have a ride longs the grower and see if they have them. I didn't like salad when I was younger, love it now. My late hubby didn't eat either fruit or veg, the only time he would eat it if I made an Indonesian recept with rice etc and he couldn't see the veg in it.

[Sunshine]

As others have said Daisy, a handful is about the recognised size of one of your five a day. But they should be different fruits or veg. So if you have two apples, it still only counts as one of your five a day, boo hoo. And no, potatoes don’t count. When you try to calculate portion size for children, again it is about one of their little handfuls. So a kiddie would only need one satsuma, where an adult would have two. Fruit juice also counts. Juice, not squash. Good luck.

[Daisy]

Sunshine - I hadn't thought about children's portions! But the GSs are bigger than me, and both our GDs eat well and eat most things.

[Sunshine]

Well done to your grand daughters Daisy for eating most things. Children can be notoriously difficult about eating fruit and veg. Many parents/grandparents have to disguise veg in particular to ensure children get a healthy balance of nutrients. I too am fortunate that my little GS enjoys fruit and veg. He would prefer an apple or satsuma to any sweets you could offer him. He does like cake though.

[Gemini]

My two oldest GC have loved all manner of fruit and veg from babyhood.
GS2 however has been a different matter. Very reluctant to eat any fruit and veg. DD disguises it in dishes. and gives him vitamins. At almost 4 he is so much better than he was though. He will at least eat some fruit and veg and is still improving.