Four easy ways to add fruits and veggies to your diet.

08/21/2018

Incorporating the right amount of fruits and veggies into your diet is often times easier said than done. Many people think it requires more prep time and that it can be a hassle. Don’t let that stop you from improving the way you eat!

Working closely with our super talented nutritionist and registered dietician, Juliane (check out this great article in the Richmond Times Dispatch where Juliane shares one of our Meals on Wheels program’s favorite recipes), we’ve pulled together some helpful tips below that will help you easily add in more delicious nutrients into your diet.

1.      Bulk up your breakfast

While every meal is important, breakfast is where we get the energy to start our day. It’s a metabolism booster and helps get your day moving in the right direction. Whether you prefer sweet or savory, there are some easy ways you can add a little more nutrient-rich goodness to your morning meal. If you are a lover of oatmeal, yogurt or cereal, add fruit in like a banana, apple and/or berries (fresh or frozen). For those that prefer to make eggs in the morning, scramble them up with some spinach, peppers and/or broccoli.

2.      Sneak in a little extra during dinner   

Putting together a big healthy dinner can seem overwhelming to many of us that have been on the go all day, and often times, it’s just easier to throw something in the microwave or oven and call it a day. Luckily, you can do that and still add in some healthier options. Consider topping a frozen pizza with some of your favorite vegetables like mushrooms, peppers, onion or spinach. If you’re heating up a can of soup or a frozen dinner, add in additional vegetables. Not only will you get more nutrients, but it will help create more home-made flavors as well.

3.      Choose in-season when you can

Fruits and vegetables that are in season not only taste better but are often times less expensive, especially when purchased from local growers or at a farmer’s market. During the summer think watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, zucchini and radishes, while in the fall try to gravitate more towards apples, mushrooms, sweet potatoes and pears, which are all in high season. For your winter meals, you can’t go wrong with cabbage, brussel sprouts, carrots, squash or pomegranate, and in the spring asparagus, broccoli, spinach and lemons will always taste great.

4.      Keep it visible

If you have space in your kitchen, try and keep the fresh fruits and vegetables you have visible to everyone in the house. It’s so easy to forget you have them when they’re tucked away, so by making sure everyone has access 24/7 you are increasing the chance they will get eaten.

Good nutrition isn’t something that should be forgotten, no matter how packed your schedule gets. There are lots of quick and easy ways to enrich your food, including the tips above. Here at FeedMore, our Community Kitchen works every day to create delicious meals, packed full of good nutrition that all of our recipients have grown to love.