A Victory With Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
It’s June, which means the start of National Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month. The timing is perfect as growing season is in full swing and there is an abundance of fresh produce available locally. The goal of National Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Month is to increase daily consumption of fresh produce.
Fruit and vegetables are a key part of an overall healthy body, which includes your oral health. They are colorful, versatile, convenient, affordable and fun.
During June we will share tips, tricks, and recipes, which will help get your family eating more fruits and vegetables.
Here are a few tips to help you eat more fruits and vegetables each day:
- Pack portable, easy-to-eat fruits and veggies in your work or school bag, and avoid vending machine temptations.
- Add frozen peas or broccoli to rice when it’s almost done cooking.
- Add extra veggies to soups or stews.
- Have a meatless meal once a week. Think vegetable lasagna, Portobello mushroom “burgers” or grilled veggie kabobs.
- Fill out a sandwich with fruits and veggies. Try sliced or shredded vegetables like beets, carrots, celery, cucumbers, onions, peppers, radishes, tomatoes and zucchini and/or sliced fruits like apple, avocado and pear.
- Keep frozen and canned fruits and vegetables on hand for when you need to throw together a meal in a hurry. Compare food labels and choose items without sauces and too much sodium.
- Work fruits and vegetables into your family’s favorite dishes.
- Make adding fruits and veggies to meals a snap by cutting them up and keeping them in the fridge. They’ll also be handy for snacking!
- When eating out, ask if you can substitute a fruit cup or side salad for fries and other less-healthy sides.
- Top yogurt, oatmeal and cereal with berries or sliced fruit.
- Make fruit popsicles. Freeze 100 percent juice or pureed fruit in an ice tray or popsicle mold.
- Add spinach, peppers or mushrooms into scrambled eggs and omelets.
- For snack time, keep fresh fruit and pre-chopped or no-chop veggies (such as baby carrots, cherry tomatoes and sugar snap peas) on hand, as well as single-serve containers of raisins or applesauce. Your kids may grab them instead of less-healthy snacks if they’re readily available.
- Enjoy fruit for dessert most days and limit traditional desserts to special occasions.
- Make it fun for kids to try new fruits and veggies. Let them pick out a new fruit or vegetable in the grocery store each week, and figure out together how to cook or prepare it. you might end up expanding your palate as well!
- Eat the rainbow: A fun and tasty way to make sure your family is eating a good variety of fruits and vegetables is to eat as many different colors as you can each day.
- Keep a bowl of whole fruit handy on the desk, table or countertop.
American Heart Association
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