13 Easy Ways to Eat More Fruits and Veggies
We all know we should be eating more fruits and veggies. You’ve probably heard the recommendations for meeting a five-plus-a-day quota, and you probably already know that eating fruits and vegetables provides a number of important health benefits, like reducing the risk of heart disease and helping you manage your weight. Eating a diet filled with veggies and fruits might also protect against certain cancers and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. With all of those benefits, you’d think the entire human population would be chowing down on Brussels sprouts and snacking on kale. But not everyone has a built-in love for the produce department—and even if you do, getting five-plus a day can sometimes be tough. If you struggle to fit in your fruits and vegetables, read on for some tips and tricks to make eating a healthier diet easier than ever!
Tips to Eat More Fruits and Veggies
1. Eat some produce with every meal. If half a plate of fruits and vegetables seems like an overwhelming goal for you right now, start by simply adding one fruit or veggie to each meal. You can eat them as a side—think a cup of green beans with dinner or a banana with breakfast—or simply start adding them to foods you already eat. Fruit is a cinch to add to oatmeal, yogurt and cereal in the morning. Add onions and peppers to meat dishes, or pile a few of your favorite vegetables onto your sandwich. Once you start working them in, you’ll welcome the new additions!
2. Drink them up. While you should limit the number of calories you get from beverages, if you have trouble fitting fruits and vegetables into your busy life, work them into a drink that you can take on the go. Try out smoothie recipes until you find a few you love and work them into your rotation as a breakfast or afternoon-snack option. You can easily get several fruit and vegetable servings in a yummy beverage. If you simply want juice, look for 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice for it to count as a serving, but limit yourself to no more than one serving of fruit or vegetable juice per day, as the calories are concentrated and juice removes some of the other benefits of produce (such as fiber).
3. Snack crunchy. Instead of hitting the vending machine for an afternoon pick-me-up, start snacking on fruits and vegetables. Cut veggies and hummus or sliced fruit with yogurt dip will satisfy you more than a candy bar ever will. Trust us!
Keep reading for more easy ways to eat more fruits and veggies! —Erin