Have Fun with Fruits & Vegetables!

By Charlotte County Health Department –

One of the great things about fruits and vegetables is that something is always “in season.”  Freshly harvested produce is the best tasting, has the least waste and is generally the best buy. If you aren’t sure, staff in your produce section will know! Technology also helps us continue to have many of our favorites, in the frozen and canned form, all year long.

Eating fruits and vegetables helps you:

•  Stay healthy
• Eat foods low in fat and calories
• Get or keep control of your weight
• Get more fiber in your foods.

The amount of fruit and vegetables you need to eat depends on age, sex, and level of physical activity. In general, most of us should make half of our plate fruits and vegetables! The website www.choosemyplate.gov will help you determine how much you should have. To start eating more fruits and vegetables try some new tastes, new ways or new recipes!

Eating fruits and vegetables is fun!

Have fun with new tastes:

• Try some broccoli in your macaroni & cheese.
• Try steamed green beans with a little low fat Italian dressing.
• Try a fruit or vegetable you’ve never had at the next salad bar you see!
• Aim to try a yogurt dip with fruits and vegetables.
• Aim to sample a new fruit, like star fruit.
• Aim to use new seasonings, like Italian seasoning on potatoes or other vegetables.
• Include five different fruits & vegetables every day.
• Include sliced fruit like, bananas or strawberries on your peanut butter sandwich.
• Include cilantro, lime, or garlic to season your vegetables.

Have fun with new ways:

• Add tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, lettuce or other greens to your sandwich.
• Add steamed broccoli, green peas, or cauliflower to your pasta.
• Add fresh, frozen or canned vegetables to soups or casseroles.
• Start adding a new vegetable on your pizza.
• Start using spinach, tomatoes and sprouts in sandwiches.
• Start trying new salsas to top chicken, fish, baked potato or anything else!
• Keep clean, cut vegetables in the fridge for easy snacking.
• Keep salad topping vegetables like tomatoes and cucumber chopped in your fridge.
• Keep canned, frozen and dried fruits and vegetables on hand for days the fresh are gone!

Have fun with new ideas & recipes:
– www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org
– www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.gov
– www.choosemyplate.gov/
– www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Health/Recipes.shtml
– www.mass.gov/agr/markets/farmersmarkets/resources_consumers_recipes.htm
– ww.fns.usda.gov/eatsmartplayhardhealthylifestyle/QuickandEasy/smartstartrecipes.htm

This article is brought to you by the Charlotte County Health Department, WIC and Nutrition Department. WIC’s vision is to have our community enjoy nutritious food, by helping you to make good nutrition fun! For more information please call us at 941-624-7210 or visit our website www.CharlotteCHD.com