An easy guide to your daily fruit and veg

Want to get your recommended* five serves of vegetables and two serves of fruit in a day, but find it a bit of challenge? It’s more achievable than you might think, and a lot easier once you know what counts as a serve. See what makes up one serve of fruit or veg, and discover easy ways to incorporate them into your dishes.

*Recommended average daily number of serves for adults according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines.

What does one serve of vegetables look like?

Below are some common vegetables and how much you need to eat to meet one serve. The more variety the better, so look to mix and match different colours, textures and cooking techniques. A standard serve of vegetables is approximately 75g, and the following examples provide context for what that looks like.

1 cup leafy greens

One cup of leafy greens, such as mixed lettuce or baby spinach leaves, equals one serving of vegetables. Leafy greens are perfect in salads, sandwiches and burgers. You can even add leafy greens, such as rocket, on top of pizza or a quiche for added freshness.

1/2 cup carrot

Half a cup of chopped or sliced carrot (roughly one medium carrot) is a single serve of vegetables. Chop carrots into sticks and enjoy as a snack, or cooked in a stir-fry, curry or warming soup. You can even add carrots to salads, try it in this recipe.

1/2 medium potato

This versatile veg can be enjoyed in so many ways. Roast and serve with your favourite protein, boil and turn into a creamy mashed potato, or chop into chips and bake. Smash them for an extra crispy version the kids will love.

1 medium tomato

While tomatoes are technically classified as a fruit, they are enjoyed as vegetables, so one medium tomato is considered a single serving of veg. Fresh, ripe tomatoes are delicious in a sandwich, salad or bruschetta, or even on top of a healthier pizza. Roasted tomatoes can be served as a side for breakfast and brunch, or stirred into a pasta sauce. And yes, for convenience, even canned tomatoes count! Opt for the healthier no-added-salt variety.

1/2 cup chopped broccoli

Added to a stir-fry or pasta bake, blitzed into a soup, or blanched or roasted for a salad, there’s many ways to incorporate half a cup of broccoli into your dishes. As a rough guide, one head of broccoli turns into about three and half cups of chopped broccoli. Enjoy broccoli in this healthier mac and cheese recipe.

1/2 cup beans or green peas

Half a cup of cooked or canned beans and other legumes, such as lentils or green peas, gives you one serve of vegetables. Toss in a salad, mix into a soup, stir-fry or fried rice, or enjoy both in this healthier pasta recipe.

More vegetable serving sizes:

½ cup cooked diced orange vegetables, such as pumpkin
½ cup cooked green vegetables, such as spinach
½ cup sweet corn kernels
½ medium sweet potato

What does one serve of fruit look like?

There are many things to love about fruit – their natural sweetness and versatility, the huge array of options to choose from, and the many colours and textures on offer. Read on to discover what one serve of fruit looks like.

1 medium apple

Crisp and crunchy, one medium apple gives you one serve of fruit – that’s half an adult’s daily recommended intake. Enjoy as is for a no-fuss snack, or try baking in a healthier dessert such as a crumble.

1 cup diced watermelon

One cup of diced watermelon equates to one serving of fruit. Watermelon is a delicious treat in spring and summer. Cut into wedges, batons or cubes and serve on its own or in a fruit salad. Or serve creatively for the kids as a watermelon pizza.

1 medium banana

For one serve of fruit, peel and enjoy one medium banana. Alternatively, blend it into a smoothie, turn it into banana nice-cream or make healthier banana and oat pancakes.

More fruit serving sizes:

2 small kiwifruit, apricots or plums
1 medium orange or pear
1 cup diced canned fruit, such as peaches