Meals should always include fruits and vegetables, mainly this will be served as an accompaniment but it is good to include them in recipes for main courses and desserts. If you can use fruits and vegetables in season they will be at their cheapest and their best. Frozen vegetables and fruit retain their nutritional value so can be great all year round sources of nutrients. Not all fruit and vegetables will be cooked in your dishes, but when you do cook vegetables in particular this should be minimal to retain nutrients and without added salt.

General Advice

• Aim to eat at least 5 portions of fruits and vegetables every day (400g)

• 1 portion is approximately 80g

• A third of food intake should come from fruits and vegetables

• Fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables all count

• 100% fruit or vegetable juice also counts but only as 1 portion, no matter how much you drink

• Beans and pulses also count but only as 1 portion no matter how much you eat

• Eat a variety of different foods from this group

• This group provide vitamin C, carotenes, folate, fibre and carbohydrate

• Fruit and vegetables are naturally low in fat

Catering Advice

• Provide fruit and vegetables as snacks

• Always serve fruit or vegetables with every meal

• Add vegetables to pizzas, sauces soups and casseroles/stews

• Serve fruit salad as a breakfast and dessert option

• Add side salads to main meals and sandwiches