Vegetables, Salad and Fruit
Fruit and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet. In general, the more you can eat the better.
Three reasons why you should eat fruit and vegetables
- They provide fibre, and many important vitamins and minerals
- They are generally low in calories and fat
- They are essential for good health
What counts?
- Fresh, local and in season fruit and vegetables are best and can be very good value
- Eat a variety of different colours – green, yellow, orange, red and purple – to benefit from the variety of vitamins and minerals they provide
- Frozen, tinned, dried, juices and smoothies also count
- Limit fruit juice or smoothies to one small glass (around 150ml) a day
How much should I eat?
Aim to eat five or more portions a day.
How much is a portion of vegetables, salad and fruit
- 1 medium sized fruit - apple, orange, pear or banana
- 2 small fruits - plums, kiwis or mandarin oranges
- Small fruits - 6 strawberries, 10 grapes or 16 raspberries
- 150ml unsweetened fruit juice
- ½ cup cooked vegetables – fresh or frozen
- 1 bowl of salad – lettuce, tomato, cucumber
- 1 bowl of homemade vegetable soup
Four easy ways to eat five or more a day!
Breakfast
- Sprinkle cereal with chopped fruit
- Enjoy a small (150ml) glass of unsweetened fruit juice (remember only counts as one of 5-a-day)
- Top wholemeal toast with a banana
Lunch
- Add crunch to sandwiches by adding veggies
- Finish off lunch with a piece of fruit
- Salads make a nice alternative to sandwiches for lunch
- Homemade vegetable soup makes a hearty lunch
Dinner
- Add extra veggies to stews, sauces, stir-fries, casseroles, omelettes and curries – fresh, frozen, dried and tinned all count
- Try adding fruit to yoghurt for dessert
- Serve two or three different vegetables with dinner
Snacks
- Fruit and vegetables make a great snack
- Vegetable sticks and a nutritious dip are very tasty – choose hummus or cream cheese
Eating out
- Order a side of vegetables or salad
- Add an extra ingredient, for example ask for extra mushrooms on your pizza
- Order a smaller portion of an adult meal for children – these are more likely to contain vegetables
Healthy eating guidelines for children aged 1 to 4
Foods from this group are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre. Children should be offered these at every meal, and as snacks.
How much should kids eat?
- 2 to 3 servings for 1-2 year olds
- 4 to 5 servings for 3-4 year olds
What is a portion?
An average portion is about 40g, if it fits into half the palm of your hand is about right for children aged 1 to 4
- 1 small fruit such as a plum, kiwi or mandarin
- ½ medium sized fruit like an orange, an apple, a pear or a banana
- 5 or 6 berries or grapes cut in quarters
- ½ cup of tinned fruit in natural juice
- 100ml pure unsweetened orange juice
- 3-4 cherry tomatoes cut in quarters
- 3-4 vegetable sticks like cooked carrots, cucumber or peppers
- ½ cup cooked vegetables
- 100ml homemade or ready made vegetable soup
Adjust these servings to suit your child – some children will take a little more and others a little less
Healthy eating tips
- Offer your child different coloured vegetables, salad and fruit
- Limit dried food to once a week because
- Give your child fruit and raw vegetables such as chopped cucumber as tasty, healthy snacks
- Add chopped fruits to their breakfast cereal
Check out the vegetable shelf fact sheet
Cereals, breads, potatoes, pasta and rice | Vegetables, salad and fruit | Milk, yogurt and cheese | Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and nuts | Fats, spreads and oils | Food high in fat, sugar and salt
