You’ve heard us say it before: 5 a Day is one of the simplest ways to support your health. But how much is a portion — and what actually counts?
At Weighless Wonders, we’re all about making healthy eating feel doable — not overwhelming. With the support of our 10-week Transform Your Health programme and the NutraVerse app, you’ll quickly learn how to build healthy meals that tick the right boxes (and taste great too!).
Here’s a handy Irish guide to help you understand what one portion looks like — and how to hit your 5 A Day with ease.
Almost all fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced fruit and vegetables count towards your 5 A Day. The only exception? Potatoes and a few other starchy veg like yams and plantain — these are still healthy but don’t count in this case.
A portion is around 80g, or roughly a handful of most fruits or vegetables.
One portion = what fits in the palm of their hand – this varies by age and size.
2 plums, 2 kiwis, 2 satsumas
3 apricots
7 strawberries
14 cherries
1 apple, banana, pear, nectarine or orange
Half a grapefruit
A 5cm slice of melon or pineapple
2 mango slices
1 heaped tbsp of raisins or sultanas
3 prunes or 2 figs
1 small handful of banana chips
❗Tip from Weighless Wonders: Dried fruit is best eaten with meals, not as a snack between meals — it’s high in sugar and can stick to your teeth.
2 pear or peach halves
6 apricot halves
2 handfuls of frozen berries
8 segments of canned grapefruit
✔️ Choose fruit tinned in natural juice, not syrup.
2 broccoli spears
2 heaped tbsp of cooked spinach
4 heaped tbsp of spring greens, kale or green beans
3 heaped tbsp of carrots, peas or sweetcorn
8 cauliflower florets
1 medium tomato
3 celery sticks
A 5cm piece of cucumber
7 cherry tomatoes
Same amount as cooked fresh — aim for 3 heaped tbsp.
✔️ Choose veg canned in water, with no added salt or sugar.
3 heaped tbsp of baked beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, butter beans or lentils
Even if you eat more, they still only count as one of your 5 A Day because they don’t contain the same mix of nutrients as fruit and veg.
❌ Potatoes, yams, cassava and plantain — these are starchy foods (like bread or rice) and don’t count towards your 5 A Day. But don’t worry — they’re still part of a healthy Irish diet when cooked well.
Juices and smoothies can only ever count as 1 portion, no matter how much you drink.
🧃 Stick to a maximum of 150ml a day – that’s about a small glass.
✔️ Drink at mealtimes to reduce tooth damage
✔️ Choose 100% fruit juice with no added sugar
🚫 Drinks labelled “juice drinks” usually don’t count — and may be packed with sugar
Shop-bought soups, sauces, or ready meals may contain fruit or veg that count towards your 5 A Day — but it depends!
🔍 Use the NutraVerse app to:
Check if the fruit/veg content is high enough to count
Review the NutriScore for overall health value
Look at fat, salt, and sugar levels at a glance
⚠️ Many processed meals are also high in salt or fat, so enjoy occasionally or in small portions.
Add berries or banana to porridge
Toss spinach into your omelette
Keep a bag of frozen veg or berries in the freezer for quick wins
Bulk up sauces and stews with extra carrots, peas, or lentils
Choose soups or stir-fries packed with colourful veg
Track your daily portions using NutraVerse and celebrate every one!
At Weighless Wonders, we’re not about calorie counting or fad diets — we’re here to help you build habits that feel good and last.
Eating more fruit and veg is a brilliant place to start — and with a bit of planning and support, hitting your 5 A Day can become second nature.
