5 a day

[jordielaz]

does anyone on here eat their '5 a day' fruit and veg. I like to think i have a healthy diet but i've been trying to eat the RDA of fruit and veg for the past week and its near impossible!

[sqad617]

I have no idea, I never do a daily count, just eat ANYTHING in moderation.

[LoftyLottie]

Well yes I do actually. Not that I count, but I do eat loads of veg with my meals. I do it because I like them rather than because I should.

Not really impossible because three or different veg with a meal is quite normal, perhaps tomatoes in with a sandwich and a glass of fruitjuice will suffice.

I would find it more difficult to not eat five portions.

[sqad617]

Great answer Lofty......are you really tall? LOL

[LoftyLottie]

Yep!

But I have shrunk with age :o)

[sandmaster]

In work try having a banana in the morning, an apple luchtime and perhaps a small orange in the afternoon - only two to go when you get home!!

[CAJ1]

It is hard but possible! I try to eat my 5 a day. If you have a glass of fruit juice and piece of fruit as a snack thats 2 already. Then I eat 2 - 3 pieces with my lunch and veg with my dinner

[Ethel]

I do, easily.

I have a banana, a portion of melon every day and maybe another piece of fruit.

I have at least two veg with every dinner, not counting potatoes, and a mixed salad with my lunchtime meal; or a homemade vegetable soup

[LoftyLottie]

I don't want to generalise, but I think us older ones find it much easier because we actually were brought up totally on cooked meals with veg, and have never gone in for eating out as much or snacking.

We weren't given any choices when we were young either. Meals were put on the table and you just ate what you were given - no pizzas, oven chips, etc. Also stews were very common. And we had lots of fruit in puddings (again home made)

As I said, this is only generalising.

[coccinelle]

Orange juice first thing, homemade veg. soup at lunch (that counts 2 portions apparently), a banana and 2 clemintines at 5pm. There's my 5 then I always have AT LEAST one portion for dinner.

[sqad617]

Could somebody explain why FIVE pieces of veg and fruit?
Would FOUR pieces shorten my life?
Would SIX be a waste or deleterious?
Why FIVE?

[Davethedog]

Five is optimum as recommended for vit C etc

[ethandron]

i'm with lofty, i'd actually find it really difficult not to eat 5 portions a day, most days it's more like 7-8 portions. and i don't drink much fruit juice so most, if not all, of my daily portions come from fruit and veg. it's really easy, you just need to get into the mind-set. i've just made a lasagne and it's got carrots, onions and mushrooms in it, loads of them, along with the mince and the tomatoes, so there's a whole pile of them to start with. a nice bowl of salad and chopped tomatoes with it, and a couple of nectarines this evening, not to mention the veg soup and salad sandwich for lunch. easy.
ps. how old do you have to be to qualify as one of the oldies??

[LoftyLottie]

LOL Ethandron. Well probably in the 50+ age-group, but I was generalising somewhat!!!!

[natalie_1982]

I eat at least five a day, sometimes as many as ten. I have 1-2 with breakfast (banana and glass of orange juice), another 1-2 at lunch (salad, carrot sticks, cherry tomatoes), an apple mid morning and an orange mid afternoon snacks - that's another 2 and then an average of two with my dinner in the evening.

[LoftyLottie]

Last night I fancied a good old shepherds pie, made with loads of onions and obviously topped with potatoes and served with carrotts, broccoli, and cabbage. Followed by two clementines. During the day I had a bowl of veggie soup and a cheese and tomato sandwich. I don't actually drink a lot of fruit juice either.

[natalie_1982]

Hey I'm only 26!

Ethandron - that's exactly what I put in my lasagnes too! I feel quite honoured to eat like an "oldie" (lotty's words not mine!).

X

[LoftyLottie]

Do potatoes count?

[ethandron]

nope, potatoes definately don't count. i whizz up cauli and broc with a bit of cheese instead of mash on top of a cottage pie, all adds to the veg and reduces the carbs.
ps. i'm defo an oldie then :(

[ethandron]

nat, i feel quite honoured to eat like a young oldie, which of course i am (well,in my head at least, it's when i look in the mirror i realise i'm actually a fairly old oldie).

[johntywino]

Yes! I have an orange and pear for breakfast (or 2 other fruit), ALWAYS a salad at 1pm Lettuce, chick peas, peppers,Tinned fish,cucumber tomato etc and in the evening a dinner, potatoes,cabbage, peas etc., and whats more I'm still alive at 74 (Just).