Increasing fruit and vegetable intake

[violaine]

Can anyone recommend ways to increase daily fruit and vegetable intake, particularly vegetables because I hate the taste of most vegetables, but I know how important they are for health and so I want to do better at consuming more.

[Gef]

For fruit just drink lots of pure fruit juice. For veg why not make (or buy) vegetable soup. If you don't like the texture of veg the soup can be liquidised.

[winemaker]

Invest in the book "Juicing for Health" by Caroline Wheater, published by Thorsons-Harper Collins,approx �5. Not just for drinks, but allergies, and rub on potions.

[beenee]

Why not try covering up their taste with things like mayo (light) or barbeque sauce? I know it's cosmetic, but you'll get the nuitrition from the veggies and have killed the taste.

[5029]

As Gef says, glass of fruit juice represents one of the 5 servings we should have each day, as does a bowl of good quality breakfast cereal (eg bran flakes). So if you have this at breakfast time, you have only another 3 servings. Another bowl of cereal at supper time would provide you with a third.

Have you tried stir-frying? Onions, peppers, carrots, mushrooms stir-fried (with a sauce added if you wish) is delicious

Another idea is to buy a juicer machine/smoothie maker (around �30) and create delicious juices, either fruit on their own, or a mixture of fruit and veg. Here are some ideas: http://www.juiceitup.com/products_menu.html

[BadBob]

Stir fry as 5029 suggested is great mainly because you can add what you like and leave out what you dont. I don't live fruit and veg much but I eat plenty of them, I have found those I like and then found various recipies which use those ingredients. A great book is Lesley Waters "Cooler than Chillies" as its vegitarian but its all about using spices and stuff which make it all taste top class.

[darth vader]

half tin of baked beans counts as one portion - beans on toast mmmmmmm....

[violaine]

Thanks everyone. :)

[apricot]

I make my own muesli with oats, chopped dates, chopped dried apricots, flaked coconut, banana chips, hazelnuts, almonds, chopped brazils, sunflower seeds. You don't necessarily need veg as well, just the nutrition. Try alfalfa sprouts on a sandwich with cheese or egg. Yum!

[BadBob]

How about this. Banana (1) and Orange Juice (2) for breakfast, an apple at 11 (3) or so. Some lunch, maybe beans on toast (4) and then an orange (5) in the afternoon around 4. Then you can have whatever you fancy for your evening meal and not have to worry too much about if you have had enough yet. You can move the fruits round add different ones in and replace the beans on toats with some sort of salad sandwhich. I'm like you in that I hate most vegatables, but I find some lettuce OK so a fair portion of that in a sanwhich would count as one.

[Kit]

I adore roasted veg - loads of peppers, onions, mushrooms, courgettes, aubergines, garlic, basil, drizzle of olive oil, bunged in the oven for about 30 mins. Not only do they shrink and mush down, but they're very more-ish so you end up eating a boatload of veg without realising it. Have to watch the olive oil though, the aubergines soak it up and you can end up ingesting a boatload of calories without realising it as well. You can also roast root veg - haven't tried it yet, it's going to be this week's experiment.