How do you make sure you add fruits and vegetables to your daily diet?

Question

How do you get more fruits and vegetables into your diet? Do you have any creative recipes or simple tips?

Answer 1

I always have a bowl of fresh seasonal fruit in the middle of the dining table, so it's always in our eyes first instead of junk food snacks. Also, we tend to eat a piece during/after our meals because it's there all the time. We eat canned fruits with our ice-cream or just by themselves. Always pack some in take away lunches, or to munch on long drives. Even dried fruits, like raisins, sultanas, apricot, etc. can be added into your oatmeal or cereal, or just as a snack.

Vegetables get added to most meals--fresh, canned, or frozen. It depends what I'm cooking and how much convenience I'm after. Usually add tomato, frozen mixed vegetables, and/or creamed corn to soups. Add different herbs to meals while cooking. My kids love having bite-sized pieces of apples or carrots as snacks, so I cut it up for them. A little extra effort, but worth it.

Answer 2

Lately, I have been trying to eat more fruits and vegetables.

The battle starts at the store. You have to actually BUY the fruits and vegetables. More over, DON'T buy the things that you will look in the cupboard and eat instead of fruits and vegetables, like Doritos and Chips Ahoy cookies.

Next, I try to ensure that dinner comes with 2 non-starch vegetables. Usually, a small salad and something else, like corn or green beans or brocolli.

I try to eat fruit as snacks. Our refrigerator has a drawer for fruits and vegetables... but when I put stuff in there, I forget about it and it sits for 2 weeks and then liquifies and gets thrown out. So, instead, when I get fruit, I wash it and put it in a bowl, right on top in the front of our refrigerator and some out on the counter, sometimes, too. This way, it is the first option I see, not the option that I forget about.

Answer 3

Here are some simple tips:
1.) Drink an eight ounce cup of water right when you wake up. Before you brush your teeth because the toothpaste is not too good for you to swallow.

2.) In the morning along with your breakfast eat a fruit with your meal. An orange, apple, grapefruit, or plum are good breakfast fruits that keep you strong through out the day.

3.) Eat a lunch that contains some sort of salad in it, even if it is a Quiznos sub . It will help your body to cleanse itself.

4.) For Dinner, make sure you eat some type of greens besides salads like broccolli or spinach. String beans you can almost eat with anything.

5.) If you have a hard time eating fruits and greens try mixing up different things in a blender. If you find creative fun in your food then maybe you will start to enjoy it more.

Answer 4

I don't think I've gone a day at my new apt w/o fresh vegetables in the bins. There are always vegetables available on roadside stands or your local store so stock up while they're on sale! Some vegetables can be frozen for use in the winter when you get a craving for buttered corn-on-the-cob while others are better fresh. Make sure to keep a veggie & fruit cleaner spray by the sink so you don't forget to wash off the dirt and whatever else could come with your food. Keep a baggie of baby carrots or sliced celery at work to help keep your hunger at bay when someone brings in chips & cookies.
Try making your own dips to try out w/ your veggies & fruits. Start w/ a base of yogurt, lite dressings, vinegar, etc. I personally use yellow mustard, mrs dash original spice, and a couple packets of Splenda to make my veggie dip (sounds kinda gross but try it!)
If you ever end up w/ too many veggies that will go bad soon that you haven't eaten yet, they can easily be thrown into a stew w/ some potatoes & beef. Or surprise your coworkers or family w/ a fruit & veggie tray!
If you have your own family-you can let the kids pick a color of the week and see what different vegetables & fruit you can try each day (orange=cantelope, oranges, orange cauliflower, etc.)
Keep on munchin'!

Answer 5

I recently went on a diet that lays out all my meals for me for7 weeks. After that I'm supposed to have learned how to plan my own meals and continue on my own. What I have found with fruits and veggies is 2 fruits and 5 or more veggies per day. Usually fruit goes with breakfast and morning snack. Veggies are consumed at lunch often through a nice big salad (vary it or you will get sick of salad fast; changing what meat you add to it will change the flavor). Also eat as many veggies for dinner as you want. You can never have too many.

I also find planning menus ahead of time and making a shopping list from that makes me buy the healthy stuff. Once it's in your home, it has to be eaten before it goes bad. Plan some time after your shopping trip to prepare all the fruits and veggies ahead of time (peel the oranges, wash the lettuce, etc) so that it's easier to eat throughout the week with little mess. Also try something new. I'm buying everything that's on the pre-made menus and I've tried lots of new things. The internet is a great place to look if you have no idea how to fix it.

As for health content, fresh and frozen veggies are better than canned because canned has more additives (often some salt). And water packed fruit or low sugar fruit juices can count as fruits.

Answer 6

Take an apple to work with you OR several peeled and cut carrots in a plastic bag with you. You can even take a grape fruit and peel it like an orange and eat it in wedges!
if you go out for lunch - have a hot dog if you must but also stop by the green grocer and pick up a small container of the various berries that may be offered or even an orange.
Dinner - cut up the half banana and an other piece of fruit, a squeeze of lemon, a table spoon or two of honey and desert is ready. Make a mixed greens salad (toss in some chopped raw cabbage or some diced raw zucchini too). Steam some Brussles sprouts or broccoli or do up some spinich (frozen works fine too) in a pan with some olive oil & garlic, salt to taste. Usually fruit goes with breakfast and morning snack. Veggies are consumed at lunch often through a nice big salad (vary it or you will get sick of salad fast; changing what meat you add to it will change the flavor). Also eat as many veggies for dinner as you want. You can never have too many. I put one piece of fruit and one cut up vegetable in my commuter bag that I take with me to work. I eat the piece of fruit as I walk from the bus to my workplace. Then I eat the vegetables after work, as I walk to the bus stop. Not only does it make me feel virtuous, I get comments from other people on how much healthier it is than sucking down a can of soda or a candy bar. I'm amazed at the difference just adding those 2 things a day has helped my energy level and stamina!

Answer 7

My guide is "Five Alive" -- 5 servings of fruits/vegetables each day. The important thing is that a serving and a portion aren't the same thing. For instance a large banana is TWO servings.
In the morning while preparing breakfast I eat 3 large prunes. That makes one serving. On my cereal, I have a handful of raisins and half a banana. So I've had 3 of my 5 servings in my first waking hour. I have a fruit at coffe break, making one or two more servings. If I don't have my fifth serving by supper, I just add some slices of cucumber, use spinich instead of lettuce on my sandwich, have green beans on the side, even snack on carrot sticks.

If you have a vegetable juicer, you can get in your Five Alive and then some all in an 8 ounce drink. I do this in the morning if I'm going to be out all day. It IS a problem trying to eat fruit/vegetable intensive meals away from home.

In short (1) a serving is smaller than you think (2) get in 2-3 servings with breakfast (3) have at least one serving at work (4) don't despair if you can't do it every day

Answer 8

There is nothing to be creative about when eating fruit & vegatables. You need to think simple & basic or you'll get lost and or discouraged.
If a whole one is too much have half a banana for breakfast & save the other half to put in your fruit salad that'll you make for dinner. Take an apple to work with you OR several peeled and cut carrots in a plastic bag with you. You can even take a grape fruit and peel it like an orange and eat it in wedges!
if you go out for lunch - have a hot dog if you must but also stop by the green grocer and pick up a small container of the various berries that may be offered or even an orange.
Dinner - cut up the half banana and an other piece of fruit, a squeeze of lemon, a table spoon or two of honey and desert is ready. Make a mixed greens salad (toss in some chopped raw cabbage or some diced raw zucchini too). Steam some Brussles sprouts or broccoli or do up some spinich (frozen works fine too) in a pan with some olive oil & garlic, salt to taste.
It really isn't all that diffcult to intergrate some fruits and vegetables into your every day meals... once you get started you'll have your family & friends following suite!

Answer 9

After that I'm supposed to have learned how to plan my own meals and continue on my own. What I have found with fruits and veggies is 2 fruits and 5 or more veggies per day. Usually fruit goes with breakfast and morning snack. Veggies are consumed at lunch often through a nice big salad (vary it or you will get sick of salad fast; changing what meat you add to it will change the flavor). Also eat as many veggies for dinner as you want. You can never have too many. I put one piece of fruit and one cut up vegetable in my commuter bag that I take with me to work. I eat the piece of fruit as I walk from the bus to my workplace. Then I eat the vegetables after work, as I walk to the bus stop. Not only does it make me feel virtuous, I get comments from other people on how much healthier it is than sucking down a can of soda or a candy bar. I'm amazed at the difference just adding those 2 things a day has helped my energy level and stamina!

Answer 10

Dinner - cut up the half banana and an other piece of fruit, a squeeze of lemon, a table spoon or two of honey and desert is ready. Make a mixed greens salad (toss in some chopped raw cabbage or some diced raw zucchini too). Steam some Brussles sprouts or broccoli or do up some spinich (frozen works fine too) in a pan with some olive oil & garlic, salt to taste. Usually fruit goes with breakfast and morning snack. Veggies are consumed at lunch often through a nice big salad (vary it or you will get sick of salad fast; changing what meat you add to it will change the flavor). Also eat as many veggies for dinner as you want. You can never have too many. I put one piece of fruit and one cut up vegetable in my commuter bag that I take with me to work. I eat the piece of fruit as I walk from the bus to my workplace. Then I eat the vegetables after work, as I walk to the bus stop. Not only does it make me feel virtuous, I get comments from other people on how much healthier it is than sucking down a can of soda or a candy bar. I'm amazed at the difference just adding those 2 things a day has helped my energy level and stamina!

Answer 11

Orange juice is not a healthy fruit/vegetable alternative. Someone on here suggested that you drink it. The sugar content out weights the nutritional value a lot. And yes I know that fruit has sugar but that is natural suagr. Not an additive.

I would suggest just trying to make sure you snack healthy. Get some baby carrot sticks. They are easy. And if you like tomatoes, you could also snack on the cherry or grape tomatoes. Snack on grapes. Also, I would just make sure that when you eat lunch, maybe eat an apple as the desert. When I bring my lunch to work, I always bring a peice of fruit. I try to make sure I snack on a veggies or fruits. Sometimes I do eat unhealthy snacks, but I'll eat fruit or veggies to still get my fruit and veggie serving in. I'm sure you could google healthy vegetable recipes. At least you're trying to get your servings in. That's a good start.

I'm sure you could also find some sort of guide online that helps you learn which fruits and vegetables are the healthiest.