Healthy Lunch

Fruit and Vegtables Why Eat 5 portions a day?

Fruit and vegetables help set you up for a healthier lifestyle. Best of all, there is so much variety to choose from, all year long, there’s enough to keep even the fussiest eaters happy.

To get the best health benefits, your 5 A DAY portions should include a combination of a variety of fruit and vegetables. That’s 5 portions altogether, not 5 portions of fruit and 5 portions of veg.
Here are 5 great reasons to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables

1. They’re packed with vitamins and minerals.
2. They can help you to maintain a healthy weight.
3. They’re an excellent source of fibre and antioxidants.
4. They help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.
5. They taste delicious and there’s so much variety to choose from

Fruit & Vegetables, What Counts?

1. Everyone loves corn on the cob! Buy a pack of mini ones, freeze them and cook them
2. Peppers, mushrooms, onions or pineapple on your pizza topping count as 1 portion
3. Liven up soups and sauces with a handful of kidney beans, peas or corn
4. Ditch the crisps! Chop up sticks of celery, cucumber and sweet pepper and dip them into salsa or guacamole
5. Add some crunch to your sandwiches with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber or grated carrots
6. Stir in a handful of fresh or frozen vegetables into pasta, soup or noodles
7. Chop up lots of vegetables and use them in a stir-fry. Quick, easy and super healthy
8. Swap chocolate for apples. They’re just as sweet and much better for your teeth
9. Eat a piece of fruit or a glass of juice every day for a refreshing start to the day
10. Open a tin of fruit in natural juice for an instant healthy pudding
11. Don’t throw away over ripe fruit – use it to make yourself a delicious Smoothie
12. For extra sweetness, chop fruit onto your cereal or stir it into desserts
13. Wash down lunch with a glass of orange juice – a medium glass counts as 1 portion
14. Make ice-lollies by pouring fruit smoothies, 100% fruit juice or puréed fresh fruit into ice lolly moulds and freezing them

What counts as a portion of Fruit or Veg?