Research continues to show that fruits and vegetables are critical in promoting good health. However, only 31% of Vermonters, surveyed in 2007 by the Center for Disease Control, were eating the recommended five servings per day of fruits and vegetables. That’s better than the national average of 11% but far from ideal.
Here are ten easy tips to help them (and you) reach at least five fruits and vegetables a day:
1. Sprinkle a few berries or sliced bananas on breakfast cereal, waffles, pancakes, or oatmeal. Canned pumpkin or applesauce are also great stirred into oatmeal.
2. Puree fruit and add to plain yogurt to create a healthier fruited yogurt.
3. Add diced peppers and mushrooms to scrambled eggs.
4. Stash dried fruit in the pantry. It comes in handy when fresh fruit isn’t an option and there are many different dried fruits from which to choose. Place a box of raisins in your child’s backpack.
5. Top a vegetable salad with chopped apple, dried raisins, or cranberries.
6. Bump up store bough marinara sauce by adding vegetables such as squash, zucchini, carrots, or canned tomatoes.
7. Keep sliced carrots and celery in a glass of water in the fridge for a quick grab at snacktime.
8. Add lettuce, tomato, and cucumber to sandwiches.
9. Try to fill half of your plate with vegetables at lunch and dinner.
10. Turn it into a friendly family competition. At dinnertime, have everyone tally up their intake for the day and see who has eaten the most fruits and vegetables. Give a high five to everyone who has hit their five for the day.