5 Ways to Eat More Fruits and Veggies
Summer is the perfect time to fill up on fresh fruits and veggies. Eating a variety of healthy foods helps you stay fit, keeps you feeling fuller longer, and helps your digestive system run smoothly. Use these tips from Guard Your Health, a supporter of the Together Counts™ program supporting healthy, active living, to learn how to work more produce into your diet. With a little planning, you can find veggies and fruits that are affordable and enjoyable for the whole family.
- Serve it your way: Raw veggies are a great choice, but you can also try them grilled, steamed, or sautéed. Aim for fresh or frozen fruits and veggies or canned varieties that are low in sodium and sugar. You can also pick up a package of dried fruit for a healthy snack. For a nice summer treat, try making your own popsicles by freezing watermelon, blueberries, grapes, or strawberries. Mix it up until you find something you like!
- Add some color to your favorite foods: Adding fruits and veggies to your favorite foods is a great way to make sure you get your daily fill. Sprinkle some berries or banana slices over your yogurt or cereal, mix a can of diced tomatoes into your pasta sauce, or throw some mushrooms and spinach into your eggs for a cheesy mushroom frittata.
- Take snacks with you: Fight mid-afternoon cravings with a nutritious snack. Bring a bag of carrots, celery sticks, or pepper slices with you to work, or grab a banana or apple on your way out the door.
- Try the liquid version: Swap one daily serving of whole fruits and veggies for its liquid form. Whip up a smoothie or try a refreshing glass of 100% orange, apple, or grapefruit juice.
- Save your leftovers: Don’t let leftovers go to waste! Turn fruit into a sauce or jam by throwing it in the blender or mashing it up with a fork. Save your vegetables from the trash by tossing them into soup, pasta, or a casserole. As with any leftovers, if the food is spoiled, throw it out.
For more ideas on how to fit more fruits and veggies into your diet, check out Guard Your Health’s #ClassIRecipes. They’re affordable and easy to make!
Guard Your Health (www.guardyourhealth.com) is a health and medical readiness campaign for Army National Guard Soldiers and their families sponsored by the Army National Guard Chief Surgeon’s Office. Guard Your Health provides Army National Guard Soldiers with the information, motivation, and support to overcome challenges and make healthy decisions for themselves, their families, and their units. To learn more about improving your health, visit the Guard Your Health website, like “Guard Your Health” on Facebook, and follow @ARNGHealth on Twitter.
For more healthy, active ideas take a look at these other articles from Together Counts!