The USDA recommends that the average adult consume five servings of fruits and vegetables each day. Fitting in five servings can seem overwhelming, but getting the required servings can actually be as easy as adding them to your existing meals.
Eggs – Eggs are extremely versatile and can be served for any meal. If the cholesterol in eggs is a concern, switch to egg substitute and make an egg dish with your favorite vegetables. Scramble eggs with asparagus, broccoli, spinach, squash, tomatoes, peppers, onions, or a great variety of other vegetables. Batch cooking with eggs is an option. Simply make a large batch, then freeze or refrigerate in single serving size containers for an easy meal.
Breakfast – Everyone knows that eating a nutritious breakfast is important to both healthy eating and weight loss, but it is also easy to add fruits into your breakfast. Skip the syrup covered waffles, pancakes and French toast. Instead, top them with peanut butter, or other nut butter and fresh fruit. Top a whole grain cereal with berries or bananas.
Pizza – Pizza can be a healthy meal and provide you with several servings of vegetables. Cut back on the high fat meats, or better yet, cut them all together. Top your pizza with peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, onions, mushrooms, or spinach. Making your pizza at home will allow you to top it with plenty of vegetables, rather than just small chunks. Make a dessert pizza topped with fresh fruit as an alternative to high sugar desserts.
Pasta – Pasta dishes can be quickly and easily prepared. Whether it’s a hot pasta dish or a cold pasta salad, adding vegetables is an easy addition and can make for an inexpensive vegetarian meal.
Regular meals – If children are the ones resisting adding vegetables to meals, sneaking them into some of your regular meals can help. When making spaghetti or meatloaf, add shredded carrots, tomatoes, peppers or onions. Sneak them in where possible and your kids may just stop resisting some of the vegetables you try to present.
Soups and stews – Homemade stews and soups are economical and can be stretched by adding corn, carrots, green beans, tomatoes, and peas.
Sandwiches – Take a cue from the sandwich restaurants and load up your home made sandwich with vegetables. Try new sandwich toppings you may not have tried before such as cucumbers or alfalfa sprouts. Change out your lettuce for spinach for extra nutrients.
Yogurt – Yogurts with fruit in them do not have a full serving of fruit, so add additional fruit or mix fruit into plain yogurt and top with cinnamon. For a light dessert, cube angel food cake, top with yogurt and fresh fruit for a parfait.
Salsa – A good, chunky salsa can have several servings of vegetables; Spoon salsa over grilled meat, or dip with baked chips. For a flavor change try a salsa with fruit mixed in. The combination of sweet and spicy can be a way to spruce up an otherwise boring meal.
Adding fruits and vegetables to your diet can become a regular habit once you see all the opportunities.
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