Published: 23rd Jun 2020
You’ve probably got into both good and bad habits during the past few months, which is understandable. An easy habit to get into is cheating your way to eating five daily portions of fruit and veg. It’s easier – and tastier – than it sounds, so start today and by the time we’re all allowed back to our normal lives, you’ll look and feel much healthier ready for modelling!
Here’s some top tips from the Models Direct team to get you started;
1. Start the day on the right foot. Include berries with your favourite cereal. Even if you’re a committed Frosties fan, including fruit in a sugary snack certainly counts! Although you might consider changing sugar-loaded cereals with porridge…
2. For pasta lovers, replace supermarket sauces with a jar of tinned tomatoes (or fresh tomatoes). You’ll also increase your daily vitamin and minerals intake.
3. Everyone loves toast. Swap the usual jam, honey or peanut butter with mashed banana or avocado. It makes for a convenient, filling lunch and it’ll keep you going until dinner time.
4. Talking about quick food, stir-fries and omelettes can be rustled up in a matter of minutes, and both provide the chance to bulk up with fresh veggies with little or no preparation. It’s a win-win situation.
5. Swap the usual (and boring) new potatoes with two or three variations. Mix together swede, turnips and carrots (without butter), and you’ll have three veg for the price of one. Mixtures like these also work well as pie toppings.
6. “Hide” veg in stews and casseroles. The more snuck in, the merrier!
7. Complement the boring ham or cheese sandwiches with pre-chopped peppers, cucumber or tomatoes. Keep chopped veg in a seal-proof plastic box near the fridge opening – this way it’ll be the first item you see and you’ll be more likely to use the healthy stuff.
8. We were born carnivores, but attempt to eat at least one vegetarian main meal per day. Go on, you can do it!
9. Smoothly does it. Quite simply, one of the easiest and best ways to obtain your recommended daily quota of goodies is to buy in bulk, blitz them up, and drink up. The 5-a-day target can be done in fewer than a few minutes from scratch, and it’ll taste delicious. All you need to do now is buy a mini food processor.
10. Buy in bulk – say, to last you three or four days. This is a great tip, because if you don’t eat all your purchases, you’ll be guilty about food wastage – as well as wasting money.
11. If you treat fruit as a luxury in the evening, you’ll soon get into the habit of eating it as a dessert. Don’t take it for granted!
12. If you live near a local fruit and veg shop, strike up a conversation with the owner. Local shops rely on a solid customer base and word-of-mouth, so you’ll be more inclined to use them more often if you’re acquainted. You might even end up as good friends!
See, it’s not too difficult! To finish – and a bit of a party pooper – the following does not count as one of your 5-a-day:
