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Most Americans fall short of the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Here are some easy suggestions to help increase your consumption of nutritious, delicious, fruits and vegetables. Remember all forms count—fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and 100% juice! If you do choose 100% juice, limit to one cup or less per day. Also look for canned products packed in water or juice. Have fruits and vegetables at every meal. Grab a whole fruit at breakfast, or make a quick veggie omelet or fruit and yogurt smoothie. Lunchtime salads and vegetable-rich soups are quick and easy during the workday. Load your plate with cooked vegetables at night, and have carrots or apples handy for a snack. Until you get used to eating lots of fruits and veggies, make it a rule to eat one more fruit or vegetable today than you did yesterday. Eat fruits for a snack or dessert after any meal. Add more fruits and vegetables to a favorite recipe. Consider adding shredded carrots or zucchini to pasta sauces or a meatloaf, or add fruit to a homemade dessert. Have a fruit bowl, with beautiful apples, oranges and bananas in plain sight for the whole family to see and enjoy. Reduce your consumption of fried potatoes. Bake, broil, or boil potatoes with their skin on to preserve nutrients and fiber. Don’t forget about nutrient dense sweet potatoes too! Patronize farmers' markets to buy vegetables in season. Your family may change their opinion of fruit and vegetables once they taste them a few hours from the garden. Plan a few meals a week that are completely vegetable-based, like vegetable soup, huge salads, whole-wheat pasta with assorted vegetables, grilled vegetables, or vegetable pizza. |
