What is 5-a-day?
Put simply, 5-a-day means eating at least five portions of fruit and veg daily. You can eat more than 5 portions a day if you like, as fruit and veg tend to be healthy, but try to serve or cook it without added sugar, salt and fat.
While most of us have heard of 5-a-day, we’re still finding it hard to achieve, with only 33% of adults in the UK and 12% of children (11-18 years old) reaching their daily goal**.
Why 5-a-day?
The 5-a-day campaign was created by the Department of Health to encourage us all to eat at least 400g of fruit and veg daily to lower our risk of serious health problems, such as heart disease.
Here are some other great reasons to enjoy at least five portions:
- Fruit and veg contain vitamins and minerals, including potassium, folate and vitamin C.
- They’re a great source of dietary fibre, which can help to keep your gut healthy and prevent digestive problems. Adults should aim for 30g of fibre per day, but only 9% of us are reaching this, while children (11-15 years) need slightly less – 25g, but only 4% are managing this amount**.
- Fruit and veg are typically low in fat and calories (if cooked or served in a healthy way), that’s why eating them can help you stay at a healthy weight.
Try to aim for a variety of fruit and veg with your five portions as that will provide different combinations of fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. The good news is there’s a huge variety of fruit and veg to enjoy and so many delicious ways to enjoy eating them too. Why not pick up a new fruit or vegetable each week? Perhaps one that you've never tried before or not eaten for a while. Give it a go!
How to get your 5-a-day
You may be wondering does only fresh fruit and veg count? Fortunately, that’s a myth. Tinned, frozen, juiced and dried fruit and vegetables all count too. And did you know, frozen and tinned fruit and veg contain similar levels of nutrients to fresh? Sometimes even more. Tinned and frozen fruit and veg are convenient and budget-friendly, making it easier for you to reach your 5-a-day, even on those busy days. It’s good to remember that while potatoes are a source of vitamin C, they don’t count as a portion, but sweet potatoes, swede, parsnips and turnips do count and they make tasty, filling additions to stews, soups and pies.
Tip: If you buy tinned fruit and veg, look for those in water or fruit juice without added sugars or salt.
Did you know? Frozen green beans contain more vitamin C than fresh, but fresh beans contain more folate.
What is a portion of fruit and veg?
One portion is around 80g, but what does that actually mean? Well, it doesn’t have to be exact for a start! 80g is around one medium-sized piece of fruit, such as an apple, two smaller pieces of fruit such as clementines, or 3-4 heaped tablespoons of veg, beans or pulses. Check out our handy guide, below for more info.
SMALL FRUIT: Two plums, two clementines, two kiwi, three apricots or seven strawberries.
MEDIUM-SIZED FRUIT: One apple, banana, pear, orange or nectarine.
LARGE FRUIT: Half a grapefruit, one slice of melon, one large slice of pineapple or two slices of mango.
DRIED FRUIT: About one heaped tablespoon of raisins or sultanas, one tablespoon of mixed fruit, two figs or three prunes.
GREEN VEGETABLES: 8 small florets of broccoli or four heaped tablespoons of cooked spinach, spring greens or green beans.
COOKED VEGETABLES: Three heaped tablespoons of vegetables, such as carrots, peas or sweetcorn.
SALAD VEGETABLES: A 5cm chunk of cucumber, one medium tomato or seven cherry tomatoes.
PULSES: Three heaped tablespoons of pulses like beans, lentils or chickpeas (you can eat more, but that won’t count as another portion for that day).
FRUIT JUICE AND SMOOTHIES: One small glass is about 150ml (again, if you drink more, this won’t count as another portion for that day).
Tip: Try to keep fruit juice to mealtimes to reduce the impact on your teeth. You could also try diluting juice with water to make it go further. The same goes for dried fruit, which contains useful nutrients and fibre, but is generally high in sugar and can stick to teeth – keep it to mealtimes or enjoy just after a meal.
How to enjoy your 5-a-day
We all lead busy lives, so it can be easy to forget about you and your family's 5-a-day. However, reaching your goal (and beyond!) can be simpler and more affordable with the right recipes up your sleeve. In fact, eating a balanced diet can be varied, interesting and delicious, without draining your time and food budget.
It’s not just about serving veg with your meals or snacking on fruit – there are lots of fun ways to enjoy your 5-a-day. As well as keeping things interesting, another benefit of trying new 5-a-day ideas is variety – the more diverse your fruit and veg intake is, the better it is for your health, so it's a win-win! Try blending frozen fruit into a smoothie or use tinned and frozen fruit in a crumble. Or how about getting creative with your snacks and making homemade veggie crisps, fruit kebabs or tasty toast toppings?
For kids, blitzing veggies into pasta sauces and soups is a tasty way to help them reach their target without them realising, particularly if they’re picky eaters. What’s more, you can use tinned beans and pulses and frozen veg to make it cost-effective.
Or why not go meat-free for a few days a week and make veg, beans and pulses the heroes of your meals? We have lots of delicious vegetarian dishes as well as our 5-a-day recipe collection, featuring breakfasts through to dinners, alongside healthier snacks and desserts.
*The Eatwell Guide
**National Diet and Nutrition Survey, (Years 9-11) 2020