by Jill Mullen

Created on: October 13, 2008   Last Updated: July 20, 2010

Five to nine fruit and veg servings is the recommended daily target for kids and adults, and it needn't be a chore. Even if you or your children aren't totally enthralled by the taste and textures of fruit and veg, five to nine a day is totally achievable, just make a conscious choice to do just a little bit more to include them every day.

In getting started you'll need to understand what a serving is. With fruit you can take one medium fruit, such as an apple, or half a cup of chopped fresh fruit or three quarters of a cup of whole fruit juice as one serving. For leafy veg such as salad or cabbage a serving is a whole cup, for cooked and non-leafy veg it'll be half a cup. Half a cup of beans, pulses and peas make one serving.

(1) First up, make sure you always have fruit and veg handy when it comes to preparing meals, you'll never reach the target if you have to stop at the shops every time it comes to making healthy choices. Store them where you can see them, the more often you see them the more often you'll be reminded to include them!

(2) Chose versatile fruit and veg. It's good to have tasty treats like fresh raspberries, but on a day to day basis it's easier to pack an apple in a lunchbox. Similarly green leaf salad adds delicious crunchy texture to all sandwiches and carrots or peas will complement any main course.

(3) You can use fresh or frozen fruit and veg. Fresh veg can be bought prepared if you are short on time and need more convenience. You can help keep the cost of healthier eating down by buying fruit and veg in season, or by buying frozen foods.

(4) Think in terms of adding fruit or veg to you normal diet. At breakfast chop a little fresh apple or banana onto your cereals or stir into natural yoghurt. At lunch, cram salad into your sandwiches. At dinner serve a salad, either as a starter or as a side dish. Think of cooking 3 veg instead of just two. If you use veg of different colours it'll look tastier too!

(5) Add extra veg to your cooking sauces. Grated carrots, parsnips, courgettes or swede add texture and lightness to currys, bolognaise, lasagna and other pasta or rice dishes.

(6) Snacks of carrot, celery, mange tout and fine green beans are all good choices along with sliced fruits such as apples or pears, satsuma segments, small bunches of grapes and melon chunks.

(7) Remember fruit juice also counts towards your target.

It's surprising how all the small changes add up towards your target, the health benefits are well worth it, and it doesn't take long for it to grow to be a healthy habit for all the family.

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