Learning About Eating More Fruits and Vegetables

What are some quick tips for eating more fruits and vegetables?

We're all encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables. Yet it can seem like one more chore on the daily to-do list. But you can add color and crunch to your meals—and lots of nutrition—with these quick tips.

• Brighten up your breakfast.
  • Add sliced fruit or frozen berries to your yogurt, pancakes, or cereal.
  • Blend fresh or frozen fruit, veggies, and yogurt with a little fruit juice, and you've got a tasty smoothie.
  • Make your scrambled eggs a gourmet treat by adding onions, celery, and bell peppers.
  • Bake up some bran muffins with grated carrots added into the mix.
• Make a livelier lunch.
  • Jazz up tuna or chicken salad with apple chunks, celery, or grapes—or all of them!
  • Add cucumbers, avocado slices, tomatoes, and lettuce to your sandwiches.
  • Kick up the flavor of grilled cheese sandwiches with spinach and tomatoes.
  • Puree some cooked carrots or squash to add to tomato soup.
• Add delicious veggies to dinner.
  • Give more color and taste to salads. Stir in red cabbage, carrots, and bell peppers. Top salads with dried cranberries or raisins. "Frost" your salad with orange sections or strawberries.
  • Keep a bag or two of frozen vegetables ready to pull out of the freezer for a side dish.
  • Spice up spaghetti and meatballs with mushrooms and bell peppers.
  • Roast vegetables like cauliflower or squash in the oven with olive oil to bring out their flavor.
  • Season your veggie dish with herbs like basil and sage and a splash of lemon juice and olive oil.
• Grab some healthy snacks on the go.
  • Scoop up an apple, banana, or plum for a quick snack.
  • Cut up raw fruits and veggies to keep in your fridge. Grapes, oranges, carrots, and celery are great choices. They'll be ready for a quick snack or an after-school treat.
  • Dip raw vegetables in hummus or peanut butter.
  • Keep dried fruit on hand for an easy "take with you" snack.
• Make something sweet—and healthy.
  • Try baked apples or pears topped with cinnamon and honey for a delicious dessert.
  • Make chocolate chip cookies even better with grated carrots added to the mix.