Squash spaghetti and carrot crisps – 20 surprising ways to get more fruit and veg in your diet
You know eating fruit and veg is a health ‘do’, and there are those days when your fruit bowl and salad drawer are well used, but on others…
Scientists at University College London studied 65,226 patients and found those eating between one and three portions of fruit and veg daily were 14% less likely to die prematurely; those consuming three to five had a 29% lower risk, but folk who polished off five to seven portions per day were 36% more likely to live longer.
“The current NHS guidelines, based on advice from the World Health Organisation, to aim for five 80g portions of fruit and veg a day still remain,” confirms dietitian Mariella Boger. ‘This will help reduce your risk of health problems, from heart disease and stroke through to type 2 diabetes and obesity.
“Simply by sneaking more fruit and veg into your everyday meals and snacks, you’ll get your requirements,” says Mariella. “It’s variety that’s key because different fruits and veg contain various combinations of fibre, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.”
So wave goodbye to same-old side dishes and been-there salads, and say hello to new meal and snack ideas…
How to eat your five a day
1.Crudité them
Fruit might not always be your go-to snack, but that changes when you make pineapple, mango or melon crudités. Dunk into low-fat Greek yogurt with a little lemon curd, for smiles all round.
2.Crisp them
A recent health trend may have seen crisps made from kale (just de-stem, tear into pieces, toss with olive oil and bake on low), but why stop there? This technique also works with sweet veg such as carrots, beetroot and parsnips. Add a little salt to taste.
3.Twirl them
Butternut squash makes very good ‘faux spaghetti’. Just bake a whole squash in the oven and, once cooked, you can take a fork and shred it into threads like thin spaghetti. The kids will demand seconds!
4.Spread them
Add mashed banana to your morning toast instead of jam, and avocado instead of butter to open sandwiches.
5.Smash them
Did you know canned beans count towards your five a day? White butter beans make the most awesome mash when crushed in a pan with oil, garlic and a little milk to loosen.
6.Freeze them
As a healthy alternative to ice cream or ice pops, try tempting the kids with frozen banana slices. They’re a doddle to prepare: simply slice a very ripe banana, pop into a bag and freeze. Also try grapes, berries and cherries, which freeze well, too.
7.Pesto them
Fresh herbs are leafy greens, too. Sure, you can toss them through most dishes, but why not blitz up a home-made pesto? Coriander, rocket and spinach make an antioxidant-rich green blend that’s heavenly with pasta, fish and chicken, or you could even try it in your sandwiches.
8.Layer them
Lasagne lover? Replace some or all of the pasta with thinly sliced courgettes and butternut squash, adding a light coating of olive oil. Delicioso!
9.Sauce them
Make cheese sauce go further by adding a little butternut squash purée to it.
10.Chocolate them
Melt white, dark or milk chocolate into an ice-cube tray, drop a cherry, raspberry or strawberry into the middle of each compartment and refrigerate. Once set, you have an oh-so pretty treat. Also, try stuffing raspberries with white chocolate chips and just wait for the wows.
12.Rice them
Bored of the boiled white stuff? Try cauli-rice. Add the florets of a whole cauliflower to a food processor and finely chop, then microwave in a covered dish with no water for about two minutes. Voilà! Your side dish is ready.
13.Drink them
Turn lemons into lemonade? Pah! Add some fresh mint and cucumber slices to sparkling water for a sugar-free drink that can also be nibbled.
14.Cake them
Don’t stop at carrot cake. "Courgettes are particularly good for fluffy sponges, while puréed beetroot or aubergine adds something special to chocolate cakes," says Harry Eastwood, a cook who specialises in adding vegetables to baking, and author of Red Velvet & Chocolate Heartache. "Try grated butternut squash in your cupcakes for a silky, light texture. Vegetable cakes contain more vitamins than regular ones and they stay moist and fresh for longer, and are often lower in calories.’
15.Kebab them
Make lunch kebabs for children with cubes of ham or sausage, as well as any fruit or veg, such as strawberries, pineapple, tomatoes or cucumber; basically anything you can put on a stick. And because meals are more fun when dunking is involved, serve with hummus, tomato salsa, guacamole or home-made fruit compote – all of which count towards your five-a-day.
16.Burger them
"Grilled Portobello mushrooms make great faux burgers," says Shona Wilkinson. "They can be cooked and added to a food mixer with chickpeas, olive oil, a little salt, a little flour, herbs and two or three whisked eggs. Once you’ve a burger-like consistency, mould into rounds and grill until crispy on each side."
17.Egg them
Spinach sings in scrambled eggs, broccoli wows in frittata and asparagus is awesome dipped in a soft-boiled egg. Lolly them Mix together 400g strawberries with 400g coconut Greek yogurt and 3tbsp sieved icing sugar, then freeze in lolly moulds.
18.Mousse them
A favourite recipe at New You Boot Camp is avocado chocolate mousse. Add one deskinned and cubed ripe avocado to a food processor, along with ¼ cup of cocoa powder, ¼ cup agave nectar, ¼ cup almond milk and 1tsp vanilla, and whizz until combined and smooth.
19.Bowl them
To get the family excited about the classic fruit salad, try serving each portion in half a deseeded melon. Added bonus: less washing-up!
20.Wrap them
Substitute the bread for yournext sandwich or wrap with a few large lettuce leaves. Okay, so iceberg isn’t exactly bread-like, but a few leaves will holdy our sandwich together and it’s virtually carb- and calorie-free."You can also use steamed cabbage leaves as a wrap for fillings such as lentils, beans and lean mince," says nutritionist Shona Wilkinson.
Best healthy food delivery boxes
Don't have time to cook a balanced, veggie-packed meal from scratch? Skip the takeaway and opt for one of these GHI-approved meal prep delivery services instead.
Frive Balanced Meal Plans
Score: 84/100
Frive specialises in healthy meals delivered direct to your door, up to twice a week. Packed full of flavour with a focus on freshness and nutrition, the menu changes weekly, but you can expect tasty dishes like lamb rendang, mango chicken and paprika baked bass.
Healthy Calorie Conscious Meal Box
Score: 81/100
Fill the freezer with 14 of COOK’s frozen meals for a week’s worth of healthy ready-made lunches and dinners. Each box includes a planner with suggestions for breakfasts and snacks alongside these meals. Total calories clock in at under 1500 a day.
Ready Meals
Score: 78/100
If you're trying to to incorporate more fruit and veg into your diet, Planty makes it easy, delivering frozen ready meals direct to your door. There are a range of dishes inspired by global cuisines to choose from, including vibrant buddha bowls, plant-based curries and plenty more.
See our full round-up of food delivery boxes.
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