“Do nutritionists and dietitians eat anything other than vegetables?”

The answer is yes.

See below for an insight into a day in the life of Amy, DropChef Blogger and Nutritionist.

6.45

During the week I like to get up early and go for a walk before work. Not only does this clear my mind for the day ahead but it gives me a head-start on my step count as I am currently taking part in the Virgin Pulse Global Challenge . On the weekend’s I enjoy a lie in until around 9/10 o’ clock – although some may argue that this is not a sleep in. #EarlyBird

08:30

Work in Danone Nutricia starts for me at 8:30 and I am lucky enough to live a 5 minute walk away – again helping me get my steps in. Some mornings I’ll pop into Insomnia Deansgrange for a Coconut Milk Cappuccino. Other morning’s I’ll make my cuppa in the office using Alpro Almond milk, Avonmore Super Milk or Avonmore Vanilla Protein Milk. I wait until I get to work before I have breakfast. This always includes some fruit and/or veg – fruity overnight oats, banana on toast, berries and yogurt or avocado on rice cakes. If I receive an avocado in my Drop Chef box I tend to save a little at dinner time for my breakfast the following day.

11:00

If I’m not at my desk at 11 o’clock, there is a 99.9% chance I’ll be in the kitchen having a midmorning fruit snack and/or a cup of herbal tea or another coffee. Without my elevenses I would find it very difficult to make it to lunch time. Lack of concentration and headache are my symptoms of dropped blood sugars.

13:00

9/10 times I bring my lunch to work with me. This is often the leftovers from the previous evening’s DropChef or an adaption of a Drop Chef recipe to be more suited for my lunch than my dinner. I often bulk out my dinners with extra veg to ensure I have enough for a lunch too. The Buddha Bowl and Paella from Drop Chef are two of my favourite dinner dishes to have at lunchtime.

18:00

I finish work at 5pm which means I tend to be sitting down to eat dinner around 6/6:30. Each week brings something different with my Drop Chef box but I tend to opt for 1 veggie, 1 fish and 1 chicken option. Tonight I enjoyed a Veggie Stir-Fry while tomorrow I’m thinking salmon. Some of my favourite recipes this summer have included Veggie Rogan Josh and the Chicken & Broccoli Pasta Bake. Including vegetables in the diet is important for good health. Healthy eating guidelines for Ireland suggest that we should be eating 5-7 portions of fruit/vegetables every day. I live by this simple logic: Lots of variety = Lots of colour = Lots of nutrients.

Treats

Like most people, I enjoy an occasional treat. At the weekends I often enjoy some home baking while during the week it might be a hot chocolate when I’ve settled in for the evening. I went to the cinema at the weekend and indulged in my all-time vice, Pick & Mix. I have some of these left which I will enjoy without shame or guilt over the week.

There it is. A brief insight into my life and how healthy eating is a way of living for me. It’s something I don’t even give a second thought to. If you have any questions for me or have you any suggestions for future blogs? Let me know – I’m always looking for new ideas!

For more meal inspiration and ideas, follow The Baking Nutritionist on Facebook and Instagram .

Amy Meegan, BSc (Hons) Human Nutrition, UCD