Do you ever pay attention to how many servings of fruits and veggies you eat in a day? I usually don’t, but once in a while I like to think about it. For some reason on Sundays I always struggle to eat more than a couple of servings, so Mondays are a good day for me to eat lots of the good stuff.
As I listed my food from the day (Monday) I also made a note of approximately how many servings of fruits and veggies were in each:
1. Banana (1)
2. Eggs with bacon, spinach, and tomatoes; bacon; fried plantains; blueberries (4)
3. Chocolate brownie bites (1)
4. Salad: spring mix, peppers, cucumbers, grilled chicken, olive oil (3)
5. Raisins (1)
6. Lara bar (1)
7. Apple with peanut butter (1)
8. Salad: Spring mix with olive oil; Vegetable lasagna (3)
9. Grain-free Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies
Total servings of fruits and veggie: 15
This is very much estimated because some things I was unsure of exactly what made one serving.
As I was documenting what I was eating I also started to think about my weird eating habit: I need to always eat my food in a certain order. I usually start either with the vegetable or with the food I like the least. Then I try to save my favorite part of the meal for last. I think I started eating my vegetables first when I was really little and was told that I couldn’t leave the dinner table until I ate my vegetables, so I figured I should just get it over with. I used to be pretty picky about vegetables, but probably better than most kids.
- Do you ever keep track of how many fruits and veggies you eat in a day?
- Do you have any weird eating habits?
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I never keep track but that may be because I eat enough fruits and vegetables each day for six people. Ha…The weird habit I have which comes to mind first is when I eat pizza it is always crust first. I don’t know why. And I order my slice with a side of sauce so I can dip.
I usually dont keep track either because I know I’m incorporating them into almost every meal. That is too funny because I always save the crust for last! Even if I eat more than once slice I save all the crusts to eat at the end.
My pickier daughter does the same thing with veggies, always eats them, or whatever is her least favorite food on the plate, first and saves her favorite for last. My only habit is inhaling my food because mealtimes withy kids mean I’m constantly interrupted and thinking about cleaning everything up. Way too rushed.
At least she is eating them! Sometimes I start cleaning up while I at still cooking. My husband doesnt do it that way and it drives me crazy because I just want the kitchen cleaned up as quickly as possible!
So true Michele! I always laugh at the Christmas Story line ‘my mother hadn’t had a hot meat in 15 years’! We always joke about that … now that the kids are older it isn’t a biggie anymore, but I remember that ‘quick, stuff it in your face’ feeling!
I do eat my vegetables but probably not the recommended amount for each day. That would be way too expensive. …haha. I don’t get enough fruit in but I’ve heard that you are not suppose to eat more fruit than veggies so if that’s true I’m not doing too bad. Growing up I was not picky at all and always ate my veggies.
I find that as long as I do a salad I can usually get in enough veggies. Smoothies are also a big help.
I start my day off with a banana too! I have never tracked my veggies or fruit consumption but I should. I eat a banana and apple everyday. I agree on Sunday my fruit and veggie consumption does go down.
It sounds like you probably do pretty well if you are always snacking on fruit! Not sure what it is about Sunday. I think we have less food in the house, plus its usually a rest day so I think I eat less in general.
Whenever I was calorie counting, I would obviously keep track. These days though, I don’t even bother. I eat enough of each & that’s all that really matters to me.
I think once your in the habit of including them into meals and snacks regularly there is no need to track! Now I just like to “check in” once in a while and get a gauge on how much I am consuming.
I think it would be scary for me to keep track of my veggie intake per day! Also my carb intake per day….
Hahaha yea even if I tracked my calories now it would be crazy to see! I know that my body needs that much but its probably better just to not think about the number:)
I actually eat WAYYYYY to much fruit and veggies. I was raised in a home that placed a lot of emphasis on plant based foods and we ate a lot of them in great variety and portion size and we were all very slender. Unfortunately for me old habits die hard and I still eat way to many of them and they reck havoc on my digestion. With the help a few really wonderfully people, I am reining in portion size and daily. Consumption. The FODMAP diet has helped immensely. Great post because makes us all scrutinize our own daily plates. I had to learn that just because something is healthy, doesn’t always mean healthy doesn’t always mean healthy for me. oxolate and phytic acid consumption can lead to heavy toxicity and needs to be watched in very heavy plant based eaters.
That is a really interesting perspective, thanks for sharing! Its true that healthy can mean different things for different people. Glad you are figuring out what works best for you!
I never used to pay attention to my servings of fruits and veggies but recently I started working with a registered dietitian to get my eating stuff in order and that has made me much more aware!
I also eat the food on my plate from least favorite to most favorite! Sometimes this backfires because I am already full by the time I get to the most favorite thing, haha!
Haha I ALWAYS make sure there is room for my favorite food on my plate! Even if Im full I usually eat it anyway:)
I don’t keep track of the amounts of fruits and veggies I eat, but I know I need to do a better job of incorporating them into my diet. I used to be really good and bring fruits and veggies as my snacks to work, but I’ve just gotten lazy with meal planning and haven’t been thinking ahead. This is a good reminder to get on that! 😉
I think the meal planning has definitely helped me with this! Also, by eating them in every meal (and sometimes a bunch in salads and smoothies) it becomes easier to get alot in each day!
Lol…I have the same habit when foods are in a section which is how most of my dinners are made. For example, I will eat the carb first then the veggie and then usually the meat I am trying to break out of this and mix it up more.
I usually do vegetable then meat then carb. I always save the carb for last:)
Funny post b/c I try to get veggies in with breakfast as often as possible–just makes the rest of the day easier–I feel like I have a jump on the veggie consumption. If I have oatmeal for breakfast, I somehow feel pressured to get lots of veggies in at lunch. It all evens out in the end, though, I think!
I am the same way! If I know Im having something without veggies for breakfast, I try to eat a salad for lunch. If I have eggs with veggies or a smoothie for breakfast I feel like I can be more flexible the rest of the day.
I went through a phase when I would count them up every day (aiming for 9)… it helped me get in good habits. Now I don’t think about it as much, although there are probably days when I don’t get enough because I just assume I’m eating them, if that makes sense.
I think that makes a lot of sense…once you get in the habit of eating foods that will provide you with enough fruits and veggies it becomes easier to do it every day! Now I usually dont have to think about it and it happens naturally.
I don’t think about it much. I spent a week tracking it so that I could try out Fitzgerald’s nutrition plan, but at the end of that week I decided I didn’t need to worry. I eat a largely plant-based diet and have a CSA box, so we’re always trying to make sure we eat through everything in our box. I eat plenty of vegetables but I’m less good about eating enough fruit.
It sounds like with the diet you follow its something you wouldn’t need to worry about as much as other people. A few years ago I was lucky if I got 2 servings of fruits and veggies a day- it was terrible!
Oh wow this is interesting! Now I want to track my fruits and vegetable intake, but hah I probably would not get as many serving as you! Also those brownie bites look divine!
It’s pretty interesting to do once in a while!
Those all look so delicious! I probably don’t eat enough fruits/veggies per day, but I normally start off my morning with a banana and typically have a large salad for lunch. I don’t think I have too many weird habits anymore, but I still don’t like my food to touch!
I used to have a huge issue with my food touching, but Im pretty much over that now. Salads are a great way to get a lot of veggies in at once:)
I’m a food tracker, so yes, I usually know how much I’ve eaten (or not eaten). Now that I have those smoothies, I’m actually getting more greens in. I’m much better with the fruits than the veggies. Weird eating habit? Don’t like my food to touch…it actually helps this time of year, my plate is never overloaded.
I used to not like my food to touch either! I think I am finally over that. Smoothies make it so easy to get in a bunch of servings of fruits and veggies!
Hi! I actually just try to have some sort of fruit or veggie at every meal, but don’t officially track it. And my weird habit? I save a “perfect bite” for the late bite of every meal or snack. Happy Wednesday!
Now that you said that I actually do the same thing with saving a “perfect bite” of certain foods! Its really only with special/really good food that I don’t eat all the time. Or if I’m only having a small portion of something. I have also found that by having a fruit or veggie at every meal it becomes easier to have enough each day!
Apple + Peanut Butter = life.
SO good!!
I DO keep track actually! Mostly because of Betty because I’m obviously in charge of her food so I make sure that she has a certain serving of fruits and veg every day. And hence I am also counting my own. I find that I feel a lot better on the days that I load up on my veggies too.
Thats great that you are so aware for both of you! I know that I definitely feel “off” when I don’t eat enough fruits and veggies.
i need some of those brownie bites!!! yum!
They were good and so easy to make!
Eating a pair as I type this 🙂
I don’t keep track, all I know is that I ensure I have plenty around because I always want to eat fruits and veggies!
Also, I tend to (as do several others) eat ‘fave-last’. Lisa is fave-first, as are the boys.
From what I read, Fave-First is more healthy from a ‘not overeating’ perspective, even if it reduces fruit & veggie intake. Because if you eat everything else and hold your fave for the end, you are more likely to overeat. You are over-riding your natural ‘please stop eating’ indicator, and eventually it will get whacked out. Seems to make sense … but no matter what that is just my natural inclination.
Great points- I think there are pros and cons to both ways. I know when I was growing up I was told I had to finish everything on my plate so the fave-last way worked well for me then and its been a habit thats hard to break! But now I don’t feel inclined to finish everything on my plate but I do usually end up eating all of my veggies:)
I have too many weird food habits to count. I, too, eat my least favorite first. I seriously could NEVER have dessert before a meal. It feels so wrong, and like a waste.
I also like my food to “match”. For instance, my husband just offered me biscuits and fajitas. These do not go together…so I said no. LOL.
I don’t keep track of how many servings of fruits/veggies I eat, but I know I eat them at every meal so I am not too worried.
I think eating fruits or veggies at every meal is a great way to make sure you are getting them consistently. I know what you mean about food “matching”- I don’t think I would want to eat biscuits with fajitas either!