Easy Ways to Eat More Fruits and Veggies

February 21, 2017

Veggies

Adapted from Rodale’s Organic Life’s article by Brittany Linn

Eating Fewer Veggies Than Ever

Many Americans have been told since preschool that getting five daily servings of fruits and vegetables is essential for health. Despite this common knowledge, it seems we don’t eat fruit and vegetables as often as we should…or even as often as we used to. A recent Gallup poll found that only 55.9 percent of Americans are eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables at least four days out of the week. Last year, the same poll showed that 57.8 percent of Americans were getting these servings. The 1.9 percent drop may not seem like much, but it equates to millions of Americans not getting enough fruits and vegetables in their diets. To up your numbers, follow these easy tips and you’ll get your daily dose in no time! And remember to buy organic to avoid pesticides and toxic chemicals.

Think Outside the Bin

• Make them more interesting. Sauté some veggies with olive oil and add your favorite spices. Dunk them in your favorite dressing, hummus, or dip.

• Buy them small. Throw baby carrots or grapes into a bag and take them with you for an easy snack on the go. The tiny versions of most vegetables actually tend to be sweeter and have more flavor in each bite.

Box of Veggies

Load Up Your Basket and Your Plate

• Have a shopping spree at the farmer’s market. When fresh fruits and veggies surround you, you’re more likely to purchase them. To stock up, hit a local farmer’s market first (winter farmer’s markets are more popular these days) and buy as much of your food as you can there, where there’s less opportunity to also buy cookies or chips.

• Fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables. Make that a habit and you’ll be well on your way to getting one to two servings in a single sitting.

Child Eating WatermelonSlurp ‘n Snack

• Go ahead and slurp your soup. Soup is a satisfying way to serve up some vegetables if you’re looking for new menu options. Check out some of Rodale’s best soup recipes here!

• Eat them in other places. Eating your fruits and veggies away from the table can make them seem less like a mandate and more like just another snack. Keep some grapes or cut-up carrots handy so you’ll have something to munch on while you’re surfing the web, flipping channels, or talking on the phone.

Cook!

• Cook more meals at home. Cooking at home more often gives you the option to use healthier ingredients, and it saves you money, too. Whip up some veggie-filled, freezer-friendly casseroles. Or come up with a meal plan that lets you cook once and eat for an entire week.

• Put them in muffins and breads. Grate some carrots or scoop dried cranberries or raisins into your next batch of baked goods to add another fruit serving to your day. Try some Carrot Cake Muffins, Pumpkin Zucchini Spice Bread, or Classic Blueberry Muffins.

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