I really love my food. I'm lucky because, as a sportsman, I exercise a lot, so I tend to burn off whatever I eat, although I do try to have a balanced diet and lifestyle.

On a match day I try to get carbohydrates in when I'm playing to get some energy, and then after the game has finished, I need protein. So for breakfast I'll have some cereal, some beans on toast, yoghurt and juices. Is that a lot? I never thought about it but if you're running around for eight hours you need to get some fuel inside you. Some of my team-mates go through a lot more than me. You see the fast bowlers like Freddie Flintoff and Steve Harmison put away a lot of food. They tell me they need it all for energy.

During lunch I'll have some pasta and a baked potato, then at the end of play I'll have a protein drink and a big meal with protein and some carbs.

During play it's important to top up as well so you'll have energy drinks with electrolytes and salts to refuel because you're losing fluids. We got stick for the jelly-bean thing [India complained during the last series that England players had thrown jelly beans at them during play] but you do genuinely eat them for a quick energy burst.

At the tea break we all get stuck into some Jaffa Cakes because they're a good snack for energy, and a load of sandwiches. I actually like a cup of tea if it's really cold. It does sound a lot of food now I think about it, but I never worry about feeling bloated when I'm playing; I'm always fine.

I'm a Sikh, which means I don't drink and I'm a vegetarian. I can't think of anything more disgusting than meat in my mouth. I'm really lucky because I've never had any accidents and eaten something meaty. I know some veggies struggle to get the right amount of protein in them but with Indian food I never have any problems because there is a fantastic range of dishes with beans and lentils and proteins. My family are originally from the Punjab but I was born in Luton so I grew up on English and Indian, but it was Indian food at home.

My mum did the cooking and lots of our friends used to come round because she's a very good cook. She can do every Indian dish really, an amazing saag paneer and tarka dhal, but my favourite is channa, which is a chickpea and rice dish. I love getting as much veg in me as possible.

I was always into my food so I got into cooking for the family as well and my mum taught me to cook. I can do a good tomato-and-vegetable pasta sauce with a good bit of chilli in it. I really like cooking stir-fries as well with lots of veg and chilli.

I try to avoid dishes with too much ghee, but I do like my ice creams. I'm a strawberry-and-vanilla Häagen-Dazs man; if I'm watching a DVD I'll get through a tub. I've got a sweet tooth: if I was to have a last meal it would be a nice cake with chocolate and toffee on it.

Channa (chickpea curry)

Chickpeas are a decent choice of food but, like most of what Monty eats, white rice can destabilise blood sugar and insulin, and has practically nothing to offer nutritionally.

Beans on toast

Beans will give Monty a relatively slow sugar release, providing steady fuel during the morning session. However, bread will quicken the delivery of sugar, leading to the accumulation of fat around the middle.

Jaffa cakes

A lunch of pasta or baked potato will lead to a teatime blood-sugar crash, hence the need to refuel on Jaffa Cakes. I can't help thinking that, if the England XI ate decent food, they might enjoy more success.

Pasta in tomato-and-vegetable sauce

This is a nice attempt at good home cooking but, apart from the sauce, this dish has little going for it from a nutritional perspective. More fodder I'm afraid.

Strawberry-and-vanilla häagen-dazs

The stack of sugar in this dessert is the icing on the cake of one of the worst baskets of food I have ever critiqued. There's just no putting a positive spin on it.

Tea

Tea is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular conditions, due to its rich stash of health-giving polyphenol chemicals. But will Monty feel the need to add sugar to satisfy his sweet tooth?

Jelly beans

Because a carb-rich diet can destabilise blood-sugar levels, it can lead to sugar lows that cause fatigue. With less carbs, Monty would be less likely to need sugary treats for energy.

· Monty Panesar is an npower ambassador; www.npower.com/cricket