The Department of Health recommends that we eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

What’s a portion?

The table below is from the Department of Health Survey for England 2001.

FOOD ITEM PORTION SIZE
Vegetable (fresh, frozen or canned) 3 tablespoons
Pulses 2 tablespoons
Salad 1 cereal bowl full
Vegetables in composites, such as
 Vegetable chilli 3 tablespoons
Very large fruit, such as melon 1 average slice
Large fruit, such as grapefruit Half a fruit
Medium fruit, such as apples 1fruit
Small fruit, such as plums 2 fruits
Very small fruit, such as blueberries 1 average handful
Dried fruit 1 tablespoon
Frozen/canned fruit 3 tablespoons
Fruit in composites, such as stewed fruit in apple pie 3 tablespoons
Fruit juice 1 small glass (150ml)

Just to complete picture - a portion of any food can be measured by what fits into the palm of the hand, or comparable in size to a deck of cards.