Simple Ways to Add Fruits and Vegetables to Your Diet

We all know we should eat more fruits and vegetables, but sometimes it can be more time-consuming to peel, slice, prepare and cook fresh produce than it is to open a can of something or pop a frozen dinner in the microwave. Problem is, these foods usually contain a lot of salt that we should avoid.

But there are plenty of quick and convenient ways to incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet that perhaps you haven't thought about before.

One way to do so is to keep frozen fruits and vegetables on hand. (Skip the canned varieties, as they tend to be high in sodium or packed in sugary syrups.) You can easily thaw frozen veggies in the microwave or a steamer and toss them into soups, whole-wheat pasta dishes or brown rice. You can also make a quick stir-fry meal with frozen veggies or sauté them in olive oil and add fresh herbs and spices for flavor.

With frozen fruit, you can throw a handful into the blender with fat-free milk or soy milk and yogurt to create a delicious and tasty smoothie. You can also thaw and add to hot cereals like oatmeal or top off low-fat waffles and pancakes.

These additional tips for adding fruits and vegetables to salads, sides and entrees are brought to you by www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov.

Salads and Sides:

• Open and rinse cans of kidney beans, wax beans, chickpeas, and green beans, and toss with a low-fat or fat-free vinaigrette for an ultra-fast bean salad.
• Try adding fresh herbs to vegetables before you roast, stir-fry, or steam them. For example, tomatoes go well with basil and oregano, and carrots go well with dill.
• Broil sliced vegetables such as zucchini, bell peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes for just a few minutes until they blacken around the edges. Serve warm with a low-calorie dressing of lemon juice, low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise, and black pepper.

Entrees:

• Add 1-2 cups of frozen vegetables to canned soup before heating; serve on top of rice in a shallow bowl.
• Use a 12-inch, pre-baked packaged pizza crust to create a 20-minute dinner; add sliced zucchini, fresh spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and low-fat cheese and bake at 400° F until the cheese bubbles.
• Add grapes, sliced apples, and pears to a chicken salad made with low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise.
• Add tomatoes, radishes, and green bell peppers to a tuna salad made with low-fat or fat-free mayonnaise. 1
• Top broiled lean meat, chicken, or fish with salsa. Each 1/2 cup of salsa counts as a 1/2 cup toward meeting your daily vegetable needs.

There are many easy ways to include more fruits and vegetables into your daily meal plan without taking up a lot of time. Keep your favorites on hand, and use these tips to add a serving to each meal.