Not eating enough fruit and/or veggies and know you need more? Here are some easy ways to get more:
Have a target of how much fruit and veggies you should eat every day. Add one extra fruit or veggie and keep eating one extra fruit or veggie every day until you get used to it, then add one more fruit or veggie. Keep building up until you’re eating at least your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of fruits and vegetables. And remember, more is even better! You can go to the fruit and vegetable calculator* to find out your RDA based on your age, gender, and activity level.
Too much hassle to eat fresh fruit and vegetables? Make it easy on yourself by purchasing pre-cut and prepared fruits and veggies. You can find many fruits and veggies all cut up, packaged, and ready to grab and go. You can also find many great prepared fresh salads and frozen veggie mixes that make it easy to throw together a great stir fry.
Make your veggies into a spread to go on sandwiches or crackers. Mashed avocados make a great spread by adding just a little salt or some lemon (or both). Surprisingly, so does kale. Steam a bunch of kale and process it in a blender with some walnuts, water, and a little salt. You won’t believe how good this is, and it’s loaded with phytonutrients and antioxidants!
Don’t want to mess with a juicy piece of fruit? Blend your fruit into a smoothie. It’s delicious and satisfying. You can also green it up by adding a little spinach or other leafy green vegetables. Think it sounds bad? Try adding a little spinach to your next fruit smoothie. You’ll get all the benefits without even being able to taste it!
Getting tired of eating the same old two or three fruits or vegetables day-in and day-out? Mix it up by trying different fruits and vegetables. You can even mix fruits and vegetables together. Try adding some grapes, berries (any kind), or mango to your salad. If you usually eat spinach, try some kale or collard greens. Tired of the same old apple? Try a peach or some kiwi fruit instead. Go to the produce section and use your imagination.
If eating plain, raw veggies seems too boring, try dipping them into hummus or a bean dip for some extra fiber and protein. Or how about using a fresh tomato-based salsa as a dip? Or try smearing some peanut butter on an apple.
Roast or grill a mix of veggies such as eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, and onions. Coat the veggies lightly in olive oil and throw in the oven at 350 °F or on the grill until done. Then either serve them immediately (I’ll bet you can’t eat just one) or store them in the refrigerator and add to any meals, sandwiches, salads, or eat as snacks.
Don’t like the texture of veggies? Cook veggies in with your sauces and soups or add roasted or grilled veggies, then puree the sauce or soup to get a thick, smooth, rich sauce or soup that has all the flavor without the pieces. Another way to sneak veggies into foods is by finely grating them, then mixing them in. For example, you can finely grate zucchini or carrots, then mix them into soup, stew, or chili. You won’t have to puree it and won’t be able to tell it’s there.
*Fruit and veggie RDA calculator:
http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/fruitsvegetables/howmany.html
Have a target of how much fruit and veggies you should eat every day. Add one extra fruit or veggie and keep eating one extra fruit or veggie every day until you get used to it, then add one more fruit or veggie. Keep building up until you’re eating at least your recommended daily allowance (RDA) of fruits and vegetables. And remember, more is even better! You can go to the fruit and vegetable calculator* to find out your RDA based on your age, gender, and activity level.
Too much hassle to eat fresh fruit and vegetables? Make it easy on yourself by purchasing pre-cut and prepared fruits and veggies. You can find many fruits and veggies all cut up, packaged, and ready to grab and go. You can also find many great prepared fresh salads and frozen veggie mixes that make it easy to throw together a great stir fry.
Make your veggies into a spread to go on sandwiches or crackers. Mashed avocados make a great spread by adding just a little salt or some lemon (or both). Surprisingly, so does kale. Steam a bunch of kale and process it in a blender with some walnuts, water, and a little salt. You won’t believe how good this is, and it’s loaded with phytonutrients and antioxidants!
Don’t want to mess with a juicy piece of fruit? Blend your fruit into a smoothie. It’s delicious and satisfying. You can also green it up by adding a little spinach or other leafy green vegetables. Think it sounds bad? Try adding a little spinach to your next fruit smoothie. You’ll get all the benefits without even being able to taste it!
Getting tired of eating the same old two or three fruits or vegetables day-in and day-out? Mix it up by trying different fruits and vegetables. You can even mix fruits and vegetables together. Try adding some grapes, berries (any kind), or mango to your salad. If you usually eat spinach, try some kale or collard greens. Tired of the same old apple? Try a peach or some kiwi fruit instead. Go to the produce section and use your imagination.
If eating plain, raw veggies seems too boring, try dipping them into hummus or a bean dip for some extra fiber and protein. Or how about using a fresh tomato-based salsa as a dip? Or try smearing some peanut butter on an apple.
Roast or grill a mix of veggies such as eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, and onions. Coat the veggies lightly in olive oil and throw in the oven at 350 °F or on the grill until done. Then either serve them immediately (I’ll bet you can’t eat just one) or store them in the refrigerator and add to any meals, sandwiches, salads, or eat as snacks.
Don’t like the texture of veggies? Cook veggies in with your sauces and soups or add roasted or grilled veggies, then puree the sauce or soup to get a thick, smooth, rich sauce or soup that has all the flavor without the pieces. Another way to sneak veggies into foods is by finely grating them, then mixing them in. For example, you can finely grate zucchini or carrots, then mix them into soup, stew, or chili. You won’t have to puree it and won’t be able to tell it’s there.
*Fruit and veggie RDA calculator:
http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/fruitsvegetables/howmany.html
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