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5 A Day

Fruit and vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals and fibre, and an important part of a balanced diet for kids and adults.

Eating plenty of fruit and veg helps keep us healthy, and may reduce the risk of disease and some cancers.

Here you will find all you need to know about 5 A Day for the whole family.

 

What does and does not count for 5 A Day?

 

 

Almost every type of fresh, frozen, tinned and dried fruit and veg you can think of counts towards your 5 A Day.

So do fruit or vegetables in ready-meals or shop-bought sauces. However, always check the packaging and watch out for high amounts of salt, fat and sugar – or use the NHS Food Scanner app to quickly find healthier swaps.

But some things you might not expect to count actually do, and some things you would expect (or hope) to count actually do not – looking at you, potatoes!

Here is a quick guide to some of the things people ask about most often.

 

Fruit and vegetables found within other foods and ready-made products, although they may only be in small amounts, still count towards your 5 A Day.

For example, the chickpeas in hummus and falafel, the fruit in fruit yoghurts, the lentils in dhal, and the vegetables in guacamole and salsa all contribute.

However, these foods may be high in fat, salt and sugar so always check the label – or use the NHS Food Scanner app to easily find healthier options.

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5 A Day portion sizes

 

Portions for adults

An adult portion of fresh, frozen or tinned fruit or vegetables is 80g. For dried fruit, a portion is 30g.

 

Portions for kids

Kids should also eat 5 different types of fruit or veg each day, but a portion depends on their size and age.

As a rough guide, 1 portion of fruit or veg for a child is the amount they can fit in the palm of their hand.

 

Juice and smoothies

For unsweetened 100% fruit juice, vegetable juice and smoothies, 150ml is a maximum of 1 portion of your 5 A Day.

That means juice and smoothies only count once towards your 5 A Day, no matter how much you have or how many different types of fruit or vegetables go into them.

So stick to 1 small glass (150ml) a day and keep juice or smoothies to mealtimes, as blending makes it higher in sugar, which can cause tooth decay.

 

Hi 5!

A total of 5 portions of fruit and veg combined is the minimum number of servings to aim for.

You do not need to eat 5 portions of fruit and 5 portions of veg to get your 5 A Day – although the more the better!

 

Mix and match

You can also combine smaller amounts of fruit and veg to make up 1 portion.

For example, a large handful of salad in a sandwich, plus 4 cherry tomatoes and 4 slices of cucumber would count as 1 portion of your 5 A Day.

How much is 80g of fruit and vegetables?

Obviously we might not always have kitchen scales to hand, so it's handy to know what a portion looks like. This is a rough guide to help you.

For tinned and frozen fruit and veg, a portion is the same amount as for fresh. Remember to go for versions in natural juice or water.

Fruit

Small fruit

An adult portion of small fruit is roughly:

  • 1 handful of grapes
  • 2 plums
  • 2 satsumas
  • 2 kiwi fruit
  • 3 apricots
  • 6 lychees
  • 7 strawberries
  • 14 cherries
  • 20 raspberries
Medium-sized fruit Large fruit Dried fruit

Vegetables

Cooked veg Green veggies Salad veg Cooked beans, lentils or other pulses
 

Why beans and pulses only count once per day

Beans and pulses contain a lot of good fibre and protein, and have a different mixture of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients than fruit and veg.

You can have as many beans and pulses as you like, but they will only count as 1 of your 5 A Day.

Green beans like broad beans and runner beans are counted as vegetables. That means you can have these along with other beans and pulses, and they will count as a different portion of your 5 A Day.