I never quite know how it happens but every now and then, I (and as a consequence my entire family) fall off the fruit and veggies wagon.

I’m suddenly as far from the ‘perfect mum’ as I can get! I get busy, I forget to have fruit cut up in the fridge, I get busy, I don’t have time to cook a proper dinner’, I get busy, we just order takeaway, I get busy, I put hubby in charge and we have 2 minute noodles!

Piling Up

Suddenly two weeks have passed and I wonder why I have fruit and veggies piling up in the fridge, on the bench and in the cupboard. And, I’m sure I’m overexaggerating, but the kids start to err on a whiter shade of pale and their behaviour leaves more to be desired than usual.

The effect on me I’m sure is far more profound; my emotions, my logic and my mothering instinct all come under fire and I descend into a pit of self-loathing (well perhaps not quite that dramatic) but I do start to beat myself up. Not only for the fact that I’m not giving my children the nutrition they deserve – particularly when there are other children in the world who need it so badly; but also for the money that we end up wasting.

What A Waste!

When I think about all the fruit and veggies I end up tossing out because they’ve become a slimy mess in the bottom of the crisper and then combine this with the cost of the takeaway etc we’re buying, Mother Guilt really gets her fangs out!

Yes, it’s not a pretty picture at all!

No More Excuses!

So, this morning I scrubbed the crispers, relined them all with paper towel, sorted every last carrot into the ‘chuck, soup or fresh’ piles, have chopped up pineapples and diced rockmelons so there’s no excuse.

Later today, I’ll arc up the slow cooker and make a beef hotpot (and hide that giant eggplant), I’ll make a giant apple & pear crumble, I’ll put out carrot sticks and homous for afternoon snacks and we’ll all be back on the fruit and veggies wagon!

Oh, we’ve got a great fruit and veggies bread recipe for you to try – it’s the perfect way to hide and use up the fruit and veggies hiding in the kitchen. Try it here.

And if you have any tips for including more fruit & veggies in your family’s diet, we’d love to hear from you.