A big issue with all this fruit and vegetable based eating is leftovers – a lot of the key ingredients have short expiration dates compared to my normal groceries. It means that if you do a load of shopping for a few days, you end up with quite a bit running out at once.

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Today I have had all food which had its best before date due to expire so it’s been repeats of dishes. I know that if I was feeding a family of four than just me and occasionally bf that it would be much easier to just get through fruit and veg but as most dishes are just for me I end up repeatedly having similar dishes. This isn’t too much an issue, I am enjoying the pursuit to improve it each time or experiment with dishes, but I can imagine the annoying nature of this for those who live from pay check to pay check, off their student loan or have a chaotic lifestyle of partying, family or work.

In the past I have had one or more of these issues and it is only know that I have been in the position to fully commit to a challenge like this. It is why everyone I have met have said the same thing “that’s what we should all be doing but that going to be hard!”

Only those who seem to have made a decision based off health issues, sports aspirations or strict diet seem to manage this daily goal. It seems that we need to be really pushed to manage it on a daily basis because of so many reasons.

I thought at the beginning it was just going to be about taste and textures bit as it goes on I’m seeing the array of roadblocks in the way of most people achieving a healthy diet or food type goal. In a time were we work long hours, have non healthy food available that is cheaper, easier and lasts longer it is painting a clear picture of why we are facing an obesity epidemic in the UK.

Today has been yet another successful day – managing 6 portions and tomorrow is day 20… The end of this project is in sight.

I must admit that the outpouring of support, ideas and recipes has been incredible – it has help light such a strong fire to complete this challenge with my head held high. This support does not seem to occur otherwise though – before this challenge (despite finding out with this project that they didn’t manage it on a daily basis) I was constantly being verbally attacked by family and friends for not having my 5 a day.

I think that what we need is more support for each other than ridicule when it comes to healthy eating. It seems to be a taboo now to admit not managing it. We need to be open and talk about our food and how to achieve a normal healthy diet. In researching this project it was hard to find a weekly food diary of what to eat as easily as those for fad diets. As a supertaster it was impossible to find one – this just made it so hard to find a normal diet to follow that I wouldn’t find overwhelming.

I have seen just how important yet ignored discussions about a standard healthy diet consists when compared to fad diets. We face magazine after magazine talking about some crazy diet, tablet or drink because people want the easy way of getting the body shape and size they dream of. I think if people knew that in 9 days it’s possible to lose 3.5 pounds just by religiously eating 5 fruit and veg a day that it might get their attention – I think it just needs a sexy name!

Maybe if we call it the Lillyringlet diet… 😝


Annabelle

Annabelle has lived in Exeter, Bournemouth and London but now live in Brighton as a freelancer. With a love of baking, sewing and social media, she is now starting her own blog.

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