Some tips on adding more fruits and vegetables in your diet:
Some fruits and vegetables are the "original fast food." Many, such
as raisins, grapes, cherry tomatoes, and bananas, can be eaten with
minimal preparation. Keep plenty of these on hand so you can
grab them instead of snacks that aren't good for you.
For those who think that produce takes too much time to prepare, try these tips:
- Buy ready to eat packaged salads, available at most grocery stores.
-
Keep on hand: canned and frozen fruit, canned and bottled juices,
and dried fruits. Just open and use.
-
Stock up on frozen vegetables that are easy to cook in the microwave oven.
- Prepare fruits and vegetables ahead of time, wash
and cut up fresh produce and store it in the
refrigerator for handy, immediate use. The easier you make it for yourself, the more likely it
will be that you will include more, and healthier foods in your diet.
- Use fruit as a quick and easy dessert
- Add 100% fruit and/or juice in the morning.
- Top your cereal with berries, banana, or peach
- Top yogurt, pancakes, or waffles with fruit
- If you are in a hurry, grab a piece of fruit to take with you before you take off
- In the morning, after school, while reading or watching TV is a great time to
include fruits and veggies as a snack
- Take a piece of fruit with you to work, school or wherever so you
have it on hand
If you are afraid that produce won't keep very long, try these tips:
- Buy both fresh and frozen or otherwise preserved produce. Use the fresh
produce first
- Some fruits will ripen up over time so buy greener fruits as
well as ripe. Bananas are one of the few fruits that are green when they
are picked and will ripen successfully after picking. Apples do well, too. Fruits
such as strawberries and peaches will ripen very little after picking so,
what you see is basically what you get when you buy these fruits.
-
The more often you see fruits and vegetables, the more likely you
will be to eat them. Keep them in places where you will be most likely
to see them such as a fruit bowl or the top shelf of the fridge
If you aren't used to eating many fruits and vegetables, adding more to your diet will take time but you
can do it!
Safe Handling of Fruits and Vegetables - Easier Than You Think
- Wash hands before and after handling food,
especially fresh whole fruits and vegetables and raw meat, poultry
and fish. Don't forget your fingernails.
-
Rinse raw produce in plain, warm water. Don't use soap or other detergents.
Use a small scrub brush to remove dirt if necessary, being careful not
to bruise the fruit or vegetable
-
Use smooth and nonabsorbent cutting boards that can be
cleaned and sanitized easily. Always wash boards and knives after cutting raw
meat, poultry or seafood and before cutting another food to prevent
cross-contamination.
- Store cut or peeled fruits and vegetables at or below 40° F
in the refrigerator.
- When buying from a salad bar, avoid fruits and vegetables that look
brownish, slimy or dried out. These are signs that the product has
been held at an improper temperature or for too long.
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