So you already know that fruit and vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals, which explains why they’re an essential part of a healthy diet. But did you also know that they’re a great source of carbs, our brain’s preferred energy source? Plus, the fiber in produce supports heart health and helps combat GI issues (ahem, constipation anyone?). Just a couple more reasons to make sure you’re eating your fruits and veggies.
Experts recommend 5 servings of fruits and veggies per day. If you’re already there, fantastic! If you’re not quite there yet, we’ve got lots of simple ways to help you up your intake. And since we believe in progress, not perfection, your daily target is four servings with the aim of helping you eventually reach the expert-recommended amount. As a reminder, a serving is about a cup of cut-up fruit or non-starchy veggies, a whole piece of fruit, or a half cup of starchy veggies, avocado, beans, peas, or lentils.
Three things to keep in mind:
- Convenience is key. Behavior change tells us that the easier something is to do, the more likely we are to do it.
- Don’t forget the wide variety of produce you can choose from. Not a fan of broccoli? No need to force yourself to eat it. Try different fruits and veggies to discover your favorites.
- Fresh is great, but so is frozen and canned. Frozen and canned fruits and veggies retain the same nutritional value as they had when they were fresh. Plus, they last longer, and are often a bit lower in cost.
Some inspo for how to use them
Freezer aisle finds:
- Frozen fruit and veggies make convenient additions to smoothies. Leave them frozen to add a slushy texture and keep your drink colder.
- Keep a steady supply of frozen vegetables to add to simmering broth for instant veggie soup. Puree for a sippable meal.
Store bought convenience:
- Buy pre washed greens and slaw mixes for salads and stir fries.
- Keep washed and pre-cut fruits and vegetables in your fridge for quick and easy access throughout the day.
Mash them:
- Use pureed super ripe bananas to give yogurt, oatmeal, waffles, and pancakes some no-sugar-added sweet flavor.
- Mash frozen and thawed or fresh raspberries to use as jelly on toast or peanut butter sandwiches.
- Make a fruit-packed pancake batter by blending 2 medium ripe bananas with 3 beaten eggs. Cook it in a nonstick skillet like you would regular pancake batter.
Prep them:
- Roast or grill a big batch of veggies at the start of the week and keep them in the fridge for an easy side dish or to toss into pastas, fried rice, salads, or wraps.
- Got some fruit on its last legs? Puree it all together and freeze in an ice cube tray to add to smoothies or melt and stir into yogurt later.
Sneak them in:
- Add an extra handful of garnish for a veggie boost. Think a bit more lettuce and pico de gallo on your tacos, a fistful of arugula on your pizza, or some grated carrot and slices of cucumber on your sandwich.
- Try throwing a handful of vegetables into your egg scramble or omelet in the morning.
- Consider a 50/50 combo of wheat-based or bean-based spaghetti and spiralized zucchini, butternut squash, or carrot.