Five portions a day?

madge7

beemuzed wrote: »

Thia has been a useful thread - I too tended to assume that fruit & veg need to be fresh to count! Daft, aren't I? We use loads of tinned toms - and I never counted those!

its funny isnt it, when you stop and think, you realise all the things that you do eat already that DO count! i also was think fresh! and thats why i was scared!!

Gingham_Ribbon

I've merged your question to an older thread as there are lots of good tips.

It CAN be very cheap to eat your 5 a day once you know how.

SUCH a shame chocolate isn't a vegetable though...

madge7

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

I've merged your question to an older thread as there are lots of good tips.

It CAN be very cheap to eat your 5 a day once you know how.

SUCH a shame chocolate isn't a vegetable though...

or cake!!!!

1_step_closer

Hi! I also suffer from IBS really badly lately as well but I find that anything like branflakes or all bran or full brown bread makes me really ill so be careful on that. What I love more than anything is a plate of potatoes and veg (usually frozen) with a bit of gravy. I cook enough for 2 meals and take one lot into work to heat up.

I think that frozen veg can sometimes be more nutritious as fresh veg may not be that fresh and is standing out for a while. But that's my personal opnion!

When I have veg about to "turn" I make a big pot of soup and chuck in lentils and split peas for the protein. Again freeze/chill some for lunch at work. Some of my workmates have said my dinner looks nice when they are having an expensive boring sarnie too!

I hope this helps?

1 step x

madge7

1_step_closer wrote: »

Hi! I also suffer from IBS really badly lately as well but I find that anything like branflakes or all bran or full brown bread makes me really ill so be careful on that. What I love more than anything is a plate of potatoes and veg (usually frozen) with a bit of gravy. I cook enough for 2 meals and take one lot into work to heat up.

thats interesting, thankyou. the all bran is pretty much ok for me, and i need to eat it daily - if you catch my drift! i am totally going to get more involved with the fresh veg .. as well as counting my tinned stuff too! going to see a homeopath in april for food intolerances so hopefully that'll help

BigMummaF

My mum lives alone & buys small tins of fruit & veg--Asda are particularly good for these--& has some on her cereal or warmed thru with a bit of custard for a pud. It keeps better if you put anything left in the tin, into a dish or mug & covered with cling film in the fridge for a couple of days.

You can also count dried fruit in your 5-a-day--again Mum likes to 'stew' hers in a little water & allow to cool before using, or I steep currants, raisins etc in fairly hot black tea & allow it to stand for a few hours if I'm baking. Personally I love using dried apricots in HM flapjack.

Then there is good old veg soup for the things that are getting close to becoming compost fodder. HM coleslaw from any combination of raw veg & cabbage--NB cutting red cabbage leaves a nasty purple stain for a while--& you can also use the left-overs for usual cooked veg.

Crudites with a dip for evening snacking; fruit kebabs for a pud; sweet or savoury crumbles......Getting a bit carried away here, & confusing mesen as to whether it's how to eat more F&V or how to buy it:p

Good Luck Madge & hope you feel better before too long.

betheebee

madge7 wrote: »

THANK YOU!! Why the hell wasnt I thinking of when I use tinned toms and stuff like that? Stupidly when I thought 5 a day I was thinking all fresh! I'm off to asda tomorrow to stock up on tinned fruit ... also will check out the NHS website, I reckon that will be useful.

Thankyou all for making me see that 5 a day on a budget isnt as hard as I thought!

xx

Yes Madge, we are taught to think of 5 a day as being fresh only, it's proberbly the advertising, I don't think it would have such an impact if tins of toms, sweetcorn, peas etc. were shown on the adverts instead of the over waxed fruit used on adds that look so much healthier.

lil_me

madge7 wrote: »

or cake!!!!

Cheesecake topped with fruit? When you look there are loads of recipes with fruit or veg in something nice

I usually manage my 5 a day, boys usually do aswell, sometimes more. They love raisins etc, have one glass of fruit juice (at least) a day then usually several more, mainly fruit which costs a fortune but they eat it so I'm happy.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publichealth/Healthimprovement/FiveADay/FiveADayGeneralInformation/DH_4001494 guidelines on there are pretty straight forward, at the bottom of the page is a portion guide available in PDF file which does include tinned veg (for average adults - if there is such a thing as an average adult) , I think to be honest it's more about making the effort to eat more fruit and veg than counting how much. I think 5 a day was a good idea to make people listen, as 'eating healthy' is such a overused expression and very few know 'what is healthy'.

moanymoany

madge7 wrote: »

thats interesting, thankyou. the all bran is pretty much ok for me, and i need to eat it daily - if you catch my drift! i am totally going to get more involved with the fresh veg .. as well as counting my tinned stuff too! going to see a homeopath in april for food intolerances so hopefully that'll help

Pulses, beans and peas are very good for fibre. Dried peas turned into mushy peas, cheap and easy, are EXCELLENT for a rapid transit - if you know what I mean!!!!!!!!!!!!;)

When I've cooked up a kilo of dried green peas into mushy peas I have to get them into the freezer very quickly as I love them and will eat them by the spoonful.

I take out about four fifths of the peas with a slotted spoon. Then into the cooking liquid and remaining peas I put frozen or chopped onion, chopped carrots, a stock cube and boil it till thick - lovely Dutch pea Soup.

ms_london

Lucie wrote: »

Try adding frozen peas/sweetcorn to things like shepherds pie, spag bol, chilli etc. Not only does it count towards your 5 a day, it bulks out the dish, so you use less meat or make it go further.

OT sorry.

Lucie I love your aviator!! Were you there on a holiday? loveeeeeeeee Sydney and really want to live there again. I have the same pictures - dont ya just love the boiler suits? Not. They could have designed something a bit more glam! :rolleyes: