15 Tips: How to eat more vegetables and fruits

Eating healthy means striving to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day. Here are 15 tips for eating more vegetables and fruits, without necessarily giving up other favorite foods.

1. Keep chopped veggies in the fridge for snacks.
2. Buy individually sized fruit servings (fruit cups, applesauce, sliced apples).
3. Top any cereal with fruit.
4. Add handfuls of frozen veggies to soups or noodles.
5. Use yogurt as a dip with fresh fruit.
6. Use low fat ranch dressing as a dip for veggies.
7. Stuff celery with cream cheese or peanut butter.
8. Make a fruit or veggie shish kebab.
9. Add grapes or sliced apples to chicken salad.
10. Stuff an omelet with diced tomatoes, spinach, or onions.
11. Add berries or bananas to pancake batter.
12. Fill half a cantaloupe with low fat cottage cheese.
13. Choose dried fruit as a treat, rather than candy or cookies.
14. Serve fresh fruit with cheese wedges as dessert.
15. Grill skewers of pineapple, zucchini, tomatoes, and peppers.

How much is a serving?

How much do you need to eat to count one serving? Here are some guidelines: 

• 1 medium-sized piece of fruit = 1 serving
• 1 cup raw, leafy salad = 1 serving
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh or canned fruit = 1 serving
  Approximately 16 grapes or 6 strawberries
• 1/2 cup raw or cooked vegetables = 1 serving
  Approximately 6 baby carrots
• 1/4 cup dried fruit = 1 serving

These tips come from Let’s Go! “5 A Day Bracelets”

Remember 5-2-1-0

We are bombarded with confusing—and sometimes conflicting—health messages. 5-2-1-0 is a simple, easy-to-remember way to stay focused on widely known, evidence-based recommendations from experts.