FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

There has been a lot in the media about fruit and vegetable consumption so I thought I would add something.

Many people struggle to manage to eat the 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day so aiming for 7 may be difficult.

Fruit and vegetables are a valuable source of antioxidants which help to protect against disease as well as generally being low in calories, a source of fibre and also low in fat with exceptions like avocados and olives.

A portion is regarded as  80g  in weight which is about a medium apple , orange peach or pear, small banana or a bowl of salad or a couple of tablespoons of cooked vegetables.

A glass of fruit juice does count as one portion but as the fibre is removed only counts once per day no matter how much you drink!

So some ides for eating more

Breakfasts --a glass of fruit juice makes a good start, add chopped fruit like bananas to cereals, have a bowl of fruit like prunes or grapefruit. Try tomatoes, mushrooms or baked beans on toast. Make potato cakes containing sweetcorn.

Lunch--try salads with lots of different vegetables, vegetables soups are easy to make and can include items like lentils, sandwich fillings can be based on roasted vegetables, bananas or salads.

Dinner --can include extra vegetables in casseroles and curries not to mention in shepherds pies and lasagnes.

Puddings-- like crumbles, charlottes and pies can include thick layers of fruit and only a small amount of topping

BUDGET IDEAS
Sometimes people say fruit and vegetables are expensive but frozen vegetables are an inexpensive standby and easily cooked and added to meals. Bags of lentils are cheap as are cans of items like kidney beans and other beans.

Cans of fruit are often inexpensive and can be added to jellies and other desserts.

You can try and grow your own vegetables. Fruit can often be harvested for free in the Autumn like blackberries from hedgerows and apples from asking people who have apples fallen from their trees as they have a glut of them.

I have just made a last batch of stewed mixed fruit and also jam from such fruits that I had stored in my freezer.