Fruits and Veggies
to Your Daily Diet
Fruits and vegetables provide our
bodies with exactly what we need
to thrive. They are packed with vitamins,
minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytonutrients
– all of which help to prevent
disease and to keep our bodies functioning
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properly. They are low in calories and
sodium and packed with flavor. So, what’s
not to love?
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
suggests making 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½
cups of vegetables your daily goal. The
American Heart Association recommends
eating 5 cups of vegetables and 4 cups
of fruit per day. While that sounds
like a monumental task (and a lot
of food), there are fun and easy ways
to add more fruits and vegetables into
your day. Note that all forms of produce
count towards your total. Frozen, canned
and dried fruits and vegetables are convenient
and available year-round. These can
be more practical for people with
busy schedules who can’t get to the
store 2-3 times per week to buy
fresh produce. In fact, frozen fruits
and vegetables are picked right when
they become ripe so they are always perfect
when you are ready to use them. Let’s
see where we can fit these foods into our
day!
Let’s start with breakfast. If you are having
cereal, try adding bananas, berries or
raisins to it. If you like eggs, make an
omelet and add in mushrooms, peppers,
tomatoes, spinach, onions or any other favorite
veggies. Try having some whole
wheat toast with a side of cantaloupe or
grapefruit. On-the-go? Make a smoothie or
juice in the blender. You can throw all your
favorites in there.
Lunchtime is a great opportunity for a
big salad. This can include greens like lettuce,
spring mix, kale or arugula as the base
of the salad, and you can add in all sorts of
vegetables or fruit to give you a variety of
flavors. It is recommended to “eat the rainbow,”
which means try to eat fruits and
By Sheila M. Clancy MS, CHES