800 grams of fruit and vegetables a day: is it really possible?
30 April 2026
Can you really eat 800 grams of fruit and vegetables every day? For many people, it sounds like quite a challenge. Yet Jantine Heemskerk, board member of GroentenFruit Huis and Managing Director of cutting plant Heemskerk, decided to just give it a try. For thirty days, she ate 800 grams of fruit and vegetables daily. Her conclusion? It takes some preparation, but it also pays off surprisingly well. And she is now taking the challenge even further.
What did it deliver?
After 30 days, Jantine noticed several positive effects. She slept better, felt fitter at the end of the week and even noticed softer skin and a slimmer waistline. She also noticed that she effortlessly started eating less bread and meat. As the focus shifted to what is possible, the feeling of "having to leave something" disappeared. And perhaps best of all: it gives more peace of mind while eating and even her initially sceptical housemates became enthusiastic and enjoy the delicious dishes with her.
The biggest challenge? Especially dinner
According to Jantine, breakfast and lunch are surprisingly doable. For her, the most difficult task was in the evening meal: how do you make sure you get a good portion of vegetables there too? In addition, it takes some organisation. Planning meals twice a week proved important for her, as did having enough space in the fridge. Eating out also makes it harder to meet your daily allowance. And fair's fair: it's not always cheap, especially in a household with adolescents.
The approach that worked
Jantine's main advice is simple: start early in the day. If you get 300 grams of fruit and vegetables already in the morning, you are off to a good start. Another 200 grams at lunch is easily achievable, so you don't have to catch up as much in the evening. Useful products to have on hand as standard are cherry tomatoes, cucumber, baby spinach and frozen fruit for smoothies. Pre-cut vegetables also proved to be a real godsend for her: easy, quick and ideal for busy days.
In addition, it helps to think ahead. Preparing lunch in the evening, taking portions with you in trays and consciously adding an extra salad or some raw vegetables at dinners or lunches out: these are small habits that make a big difference. Jantine also stresses that you shouldn't overcomplicate things. You don't have to weigh everything down to the gram; developing a feeling for portions helps a lot.
How to make it tasty and feasible
Jantine's recipes show that eating 800 grams of fruit and vegetables doesn't have to be boring at all. Breakfast could be a smoothie with banana, spinach and mango, or cottage cheese with forest fruits and oatmeal. For lunch, she often opts for wraps, richly filled sandwiches, crackers with vegetables or a well-filled salad. And in the evening, it's all about generous vegetable portions in dishes like oven pasta, vegetable lasagne, curry or a meal from a fresh packet.
What is striking is that the recipes are mostly practical. No complicated cooking techniques, but feasible combinations that fit into a busy life. This makes the challenge accessible: with some preparation and smart choices, you will come a long way.
A challenge that inspires
Jantine's experience shows that 800 grams of fruit and vegetables a day may sound ambitious, but can be surprisingly achievable in practice. Not by trying to eat perfectly, but by smart planning, making it easy on yourself and, above all, choosing dishes you really like.
Perhaps that is the most important lesson from her challenge: eating more fruit and vegetables does not have to be a punishment. On the contrary, it can bring more variety, more peace around food and more energy into your day.