7 Ways To Increase Fruits and Vegetables
We all know that fruits and veggies fuel our bodies with energy and help us function at an optimal level. However, increasing fruits and vegetables into our daily diets can seem like a daunting task.
So here are 7 simple ways to help you increase your fruits and veggies into your diet:
1. Start thinking about eating fruits and veggies first thing in the morning.
For breakfast you can start off with a piece of fruit such as banana, orange, grapefruit or even make a fruit smoothie. And for lunch you can have a salad. They’re easy to make and simple to take to the office for lunch. For an afternoon snack, grab an apple and pass on the cookies and chips. Then for dinner, plan to serve a salad or cooked vegetables with every meal.
2. Buy more fruits and veggies.
We are all creatures of habit and we tend to buy the same quantity of food when we grocery shop. If you want to increase your fruits and veggies you have to buy more. If you don’t have them in your house you can’t eat them.
3. Consider buying pre-cut veggies or cut them up yourself.
If you have carrots sticks, celery sticks, cucumbers wedges or red peppers strips in your refrigerator ready to eat, then when you need a snack it’s easy to munch on them instead of a boxed processed snack.
4. Buy pre-washed lettuce.
This makes it simple to a serve a salad with meals. However, they can be expensive. So to save money, purchase a head of lettuce and wash it yourself. Wrap it in paper towel and place in a bag. It will keep fresh in your refrigerator for a few days.
5. Challenge yourself to buy a new fruit or vegetable next time you go shopping.
Consider buying something you’ve never cooked or eaten before such as a fennel bulb, beets, or rutabaga. This will make eating veggies more interesting and help in the process of increasing them into your diet.
6. Snack on Edamame.
Edamame is a fantastic snack that’s fun to eat. They are a green soybean and can be found in the frozen veggie section at your grocery store. Cook them according to the instruction on the package.
7. Add More Veggies.
You can always add more veggies into any recipe that you cook. If you are making a stir-fry and you have cauliflower in your refrigeration add it to the stir-fry even if it’s not in the recipe. If you are making a stew and it calls for 2 carrots, then add three carrots. This is a simple strategy when it comes to increasing veggies into meals you prepare.
Helpful tips on buying fruits and veggies when increasing them into your diet
1. Always shop with a meal plan when buying fruits and veggies.
This way you only buy the produce that you need. If you don’t have a meal plan then you may end up buying way too much and chances are, some of the produce will go bad, and end up in your compost. If you have a meal plan you will only buy what you need, and won’t waste food (or money).
2. Always look for the freshest when buying fruits and veggies.
Use your judgement here, it’s always right. If a banana looks like it’s starting to go brown then pass on it and buy one that’s yellow or almost yellow. If the tomato is too soft then look for a firmer one.
I suggest you buy the produce that’s at the back of the pile because it’s always fresher. Old stock is typically brought forward and new stock is added to the back of the pile.
Be bold when shopping for fruits and veggies and find the freshest.
3. Try purchasing produce that’s in season and grown locally.
Food starts to loose it’s nutritional value the minute it’s pick. If you can purchase food close to its’ source it will be fresher. Shop at Farmers Market, look for locally grown food at your grocery store, or if you can, purchase directly from the farm.
4. Don’t forget about frozen and canned veggies.
If produce doesn’t look fresh at the grocery store or is not local, then consider buying frozen veggies. Freezing plants are often right beside farms so produce is picked, and frozen right away which helps maintain it’s nutritional value. And don’t forget canned veggies, sometimes they are cheaper and more convenient to use, such as canned tomatoes.
If you follow these simple strategies the daunting task of increasing fruits into your diet will become an enjoyable habit.
Watch the video from the Recipes To The Rescue Online Course, Cooking Reboot.
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