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Fiona_BCNA's avatar
Fiona_BCNA
Member
9 years ago

Take the pledge to eat more veg

Image Source: www.dailypollirallo.com

It is recommended that we eat five serves of vegetables a day, however it can be difficult to do this and most Australians eat only about half the recommended amount. Eating vegetables has enormous health benefits; research shows that people who eat more vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are more likely to have reduced risk of many chronic diseases. Vegetables provide us with a wide variety of minerals and vitamins that are important for the maintenance of many bodily functions, disease fighting antioxidants and gut friendly fibre.

Next week is National Nutrition Week (16 October - 22 October) and Nutrition Australia is running the Try for 5 challenge.

So why not challenge yourself to try for 5 serves of vegetables everyday for the week. Join the challenge and earn points for every serve you enjoy. You will be supported by daily emails containing delicious recipes, clever ideas and inspiring new ways to add veg to your day. It's a fun and motivating way to boost your nutrition and kick start healthier habits!  To register or for more information visit http://www.nutritionaustralia.org/national/national-nutrition-week/try-5-challenge.  

For more information on why vegetables are food heroes and useful tips, tricks and recipes ideas visit:

To order or download a copy of BCNA's Healthy eating and breast cancer booklet visit https://www.bcna.org.au/understanding-breast-cancer/resources/order-bcna-information-booklets/ or call 1800 500 258.

Please share with us your tips and tricks on how you include more vegetables in your diet.

nutrition
  • Deanne's avatar
    Deanne
    Member
    9 years ago
    Now that is what I aspire to @"Soldier Crab". I'm pretty hopeless at growing veggies. I can grow cherry tomatoes, shallots, spinach, kale and chard. Oh and I have grown capsicum and chilli successfully.

    That is an excellent idea with the dehydrator. I buy only organic dried fruits (they don't have nitrites or is it nitrates?) but they are terribly expensive. Our neighbours have a dehydrator and make lovely chemical free dried mango from their own mangoes.

    Thanks for all the tips everyone. I have a hubby and 2 daughters with numerous food intolerances and allergies (one anaphylactic to peanuts). Luckily none involve vegetables (that is probably interesting when you think about it!) but it does limit my choices in meal preparation somewhat. I cannot use eggs or dairy in meals that they will also share. But I am pretty used to getting creative. Google is a great help for recipes.
  • SoldierCrab's avatar
    SoldierCrab
    Member
    9 years ago
    I juice vegs and fruits and I bought a dehydrator and I make lots of dried fruits with no added chemicals... our latest is Kiwifruit it is so yummy... we have our own fruit trees and I grow our own veggies.... but buy most of the things I cant grow at our local farmers markets. 
    I make soups and freeze them into portion sizes then once frozen I put into zip lock bags and I always have a vegetable soup to have on hand. we eat a lot of stir fries.  When I make Lasagne I use the pulp from carrot juicing to bulk up the lasagne it always has spinach and veggies thru it also. 
  • Nadi's avatar
    Nadi
    Member
    9 years ago
    Since getting BC I definitely get my 5 serves a day. I love getting a pack of fresh stir fry veggies from Coles or Woolies. I eat 2 cups of these every day with chicken, fish or meat. I have a bowl of mixed fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and banana with no fat natural yoghurt for a snack. For breakfast I have 1 egg omelette with mushroom, leek, red capsicum and baby spinach. Another lunch favourite is twice cooked lean lamb, tomato and cucumber salad. No bread. Hardly any dairy. Nothing processed. Since finishing chemo I have lost 16 kgs. 
  • iserbrown's avatar
    iserbrown
    Member
    9 years ago
    Yes agree a vegetable frittata or a zucchini slice!  I always have vege soup either in the fridge or freezer as it is easy and sandwiches only occasionally.  Risottos are easy to make and leftovers become tomorrow's lunch. Or perhaps a scrape of cottage cheese topped with avocado, celery and tomato (all diced) and basil on a rice cracker or a cracker of your choice.  We also have the benefit of the internet to find healthy meal options!
  • socoda's avatar
    socoda
    Member
    9 years ago
    You could also make a vegetable frittata and have a serve with your salad at lunch, filling and easy to make. :)
  • Hopes_and_Dream's avatar
    Hopes_and_Dream
    Member
    9 years ago
    Great idea Deanne.  I'm back at work next week and have been wondering about keeping my lunches healthy and interesting.  I also go to the local market on a Saturday morning and end up walking away with much more than planned.  So many fantastic, fresh veges, particularly all the baby varieties.   I can get tired of salads for lunch but love the idea of making vegetable stir fries in the evening and taking that for lunch.   We should share favourite recipes:)

    I also use up my surplus fruit and veges for juices.  Any fruit getting a bit soft gets chopped and put in the freezer - nice and handy for juice or muffins.   Jane :)


  • Deanne's avatar
    Deanne
    Member
    9 years ago
    It was a challenge for me to increase my vegetable intake at lunchtime. I struggled to move away from sandwiches and rolls which, while they did include some salad vegetables, I knew it was not really enough to qualify as a serve or two. (I was getting a good three servings at dinner each night)

    So, in winter, I started cooking up vegetable soups. I would make enough for a few days at a time so I just had to reheat them most days. Quick, healthy and easy. 

    Now I am finding a new challenge with the weather warming up. I make salads that keep ok for 2 days at a time. Cook an extra serving at dinner time that will provide left over a for a lunch and on the days I am home, I make quick vegetable stir fries. I just need to be organised with the right things in the fridge and pantry!

    Best thing I have started to do is to do my fruit and vege shopping at the local markets on a Saturday morning. Lots of local produce which is so much fresher than at the supermarket. AND much cheaper. Even lots of organic and spray free choices at very reasonable prices.  :)