The government and many health organizations recommend eating five servings of fruits and vegetables every day for optimal health. Fruits and vegetables contain vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that are essential to keep your body healthy and fit.
However, the average adult in the UK consumes just 2.8 servings, half the recommended amount, because many people find it difficult to fit so much fresh produce into their diet. Here are 20 ways to help you hit your five a day.
1. Add some fruit to your breakfast cereal, muesli, or oatmeal. Try banana or apple slices or a handful of berries.
2. Start your day with a shake – they’re an easy way to get a couple of your servings into a delicious tasting drink.
3. Have a glass of fruit juice for breakfast, but remember that no matter how much you drink, it only counts as one serving.
4. Snack on a piece of fruit instead of chocolate. It will still satisfy your sweet tooth and the carbs will give you a boost of energy.
5. Cut some crunchy vegetables like carrots and celery into sticks and keep them in the fridge to eat when you’re hungry.
6. Baked beans on toast count toward one of your servings. Choose whole-grain toast instead of white for a healthier option.
7. Add veggies to sandwiches: Try sliced tomatoes, cucumber, pickled beets, or crispy iceberg lettuce.
8. Dried fruits such as raisins, currants, apricots or plums are a healthy and tasty snack.
9. Add fruits and vegetables to homemade casseroles and casseroles, chilis, tajines, and pasta sauces.
10. It’s easy to get two or three of your servings in a stir-fry—quick cooking means you’ll retain most of the nutrients.
11. Serve a salad with your main meal. Use a mix of seasonal vegetables for variety, but be careful with fatty dressings.
12. Homemade soups can be made in batches and frozen, then thawed when needed. Canned and carton vegetable soups also count.
13. Vegetable skewers and corn on the cob are great additions to a barbecue. Try grilling mushrooms, peppers, and onions, too.
14. Children love small fruits like grapes, cherries, or satsuma wedges. Pack some in your lunch instead of chips or candy.
15. Choose healthy pizza toppings like tomato, bell pepper, onion, pineapple, sweet corn, and mushrooms.
16. Add some vegetable dishes to your takeout order. Try sag aloo with an Indian pak choi or steamed with a Chinese.
17. Bake some banana bread or make a delicious carrot cake for a healthy teatime snack.
18. A fruit salad is a simple and refreshing dessert. Use seasonal fruits and serve with low-fat yogurt or crème fraiche.
19. Add fruit to packet jellies, but be careful which ones you use, as the enzymes in some fruits, like pineapple, will prevent the jelly from settling.
20. Feel less guilty about the meringue and cream mixture by piling lots of fresh fruits like strawberries, raspberries, kiwi and passion fruit into a pavlova.
Follow these tips and you’ll soon be eating your five a day and feeling the health benefits too.
