Fruits & Veggies … More Matters
Eat more fruits and vegetables: That’s the mantra from the government’s new My Pyramid. But just how much is enough? If you go to www.MyPyramid.gov , you can customize the pyramid to your individual needs. For example, an active 8-year old benefits from 2 cups of vegetables and 1-1/2 cups of fruit a day. Eating 5 cooked broccoli florets, 1/2 cup corn kernels, 1 large baked sweet potato, 1 small apple, and 5 strawberries meets that goal.
Here are several simple ways to increase your family’s fruit and veggie consumption – and the amazing health benefits that go with them:
- Make a Smoothie:
Blend together 1 cup 100% fruit juice, 1/2 ripe banana, a handful of frozen strawberries (or any frozen fruit), and 1/2 cup vanilla or fruited lowfat yogurt. This makes about 3 servings. - Dice & Shred:
Sauté a finely diced red or yellow bell pepper with your lean ground beef or turkey in recipes such as sloppy Joes, tacos, and chili, or peel and shred a carrot and mix it right in with your favorite tuna or salmon salad sandwich. - Kick Up the Flavor:
Turn steamed broccoli from so-so to sensational by drizzling with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of coarse or kosher salt. - Dip It:
Dip lots of strawberries or raspberries in a little bit of melted dark chocolate for an after-school snack. - Snack Attack:
For your child’s morning snack at school, stick to fruits and vegetables such as grapes, sliced oranges, watermelon cubes, carrots with dip, or crunchy green beans. - Freeze Zone:
Frozen peas or frozen blueberries are fun for kids to eat. When Janice’s daughter Leah was a toddler, she’d nibble on frozen peas before dinner as an “appetizer.”