Dietitian Tips – National Nutrition Week

It’s National Nutrition Week 10th October – 16th October 2021 and that means looking at ways to increase your daily vegetable intake to the recommended 5 serves per day.

Our dietitians have shared their top tips for getting in your 5 serves of veg per day. Why not try something new this week to make getting your daily 5 easier than ever!

Karen Barber – Director of Nutrition and Product Development

1. Colour Your ‘5 a Day’

Aim for a colourful variety of fruit and veg to enjoy your ‘5 a day’. Each colour provides different micronutrients and antioxidants for a healthy diet. Try a new colour….I’m loving purple right now! Add some blueberries to muesli, try grated beetroot with salad or even some stir fried eggplant!

2. Let’s Be Canny!

Canned fruit and veg are convenient, affordable and nutritious. Did you know that canned tomatoes provide more lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, than raw tomatoes? Keep a variety of canned vegetables in your pantry to help you achieve your ‘5 a day’.

Jessica Percic – Company Dietitian

1. Get to know new herbs and spices

I love to roast or air-fry my veggies (especially broccoli, cauliflower and capsicum) and I always use different herbs and spices to add flavour my vegetables. Paprika, garlic powder, onion flakes, salt and pepper with a drizzle of chilli olive oil is my favourite combination.

2. Add some texture

I find when I crumble some feta cheese and sometimes even a bit of avocado, or add apples or pears to my salads, I enjoy them so much more- the different textures and flavours more them much more interesting.

Laura Ford – Senior Company Dietitian

1. Get creative and add more flavour!

Don’t be afraid to add dressing, olive oil, herbs, spices or other yummy things (like cheese or a pinch of salt), to make your veggies taste even better. Adding more flavour will motivate you to eat more, will add more variety and give you veggies a nutrient boost too.

2. Don’t forget to love your legumes

Legumes including beans, lentils and chickpeas can be a part of your daily vegetable serves. They’re an affordable plant-based source of protein and are a great addition to soups, Bolognese, tacos and burrito bowls.

Danielle Bowman – Nutrition & Program Manager

1. Add some vegetables to your breakfast smoothie

Veggies give beautiful colour, a boost of nutrients and extra volume with very few kilojoules. For a delicious green breakfast to go, blend some orange juice, chia seeds, a few almonds, oats and frozen mango with a generous handful each of kale, celery and cucumber plus ice.

2. Add a handful of green leaves to any dinner you can

To boost your intake of anti-oxidants and bring their protective effect to your body, top your risotto, pasta or pizza with a handful of rocket, add a handful of spinach leaves to your soup or curry, or wilt finely sliced kale at the beginning of any dish when you start with softening onions in a pan.

Jenny Craig Team

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Since the initial opening in 1983, Jenny Craig Australia and New Zealand has expanded to more than 90 centres across the two countries. Each component of Jenny Craig’s program has also progressed over the past 35 years to fuel the company’s growth and ensure it remains one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading weight management companies.