So some of you rose to the challenge and some of you didn't.  We had lots of feedback about trying to fit 15 portions of fruit and veg in per day.

Some positive, some not so much.

The main concerns were time and money based.

Not having enough time to prepare fresh food is something that is really just an excuse in my opinion.  Although a justified excuse and something that grates me.  

It doesn't take long to prepare fresh food if you know what you are doing; however if you have never cooked a meal from fresh before it does take more time.  Everything from chopping an onion to making scrambled eggs takes more time if you haven't practised the skill of cooking.  

Real food is one of our primary human needs, a major one if you are hoping to improve your health.  Yet it is something that we have let slip us by.  Cooking and home economy have been reduced in schools to such an extent that teenagers will be leaving for uni in a few weeks with barely the skill to make a pot noodle.

If you have children, it is your duty to teach them how to feed themselves without the use of a ding.  If that is beyond you at the moment, learn together.  Good food doesn't need to be fancy, restaurant style stuff; a simple omelette is full of nutrients and is super quick to make.

A stir fry is amazing for getting extra vegetables in and once you get used to chopping can take less than 10 minutes.

Unfortunately, if you don't already have cooking skills, it does take some time and effort to build them but your body and health will thank you for it.  You will have more energy, feel better, look better and not find things to be such a chore, meaning that you will get things done more quickly giving you more time for food prep - win, win :)

Having some good equipment can also help, a sharp knife is a must and saves so much time when preparing food.  There are a few other things that help and I'll put together a list and send it over to you tomorrow.

Over the next few days I'll tackle the other questions about increasing your vegetable and fruit count.  From juicing to cost, if you have anything specific you want me to go through let me know.