The evidence is clear that fruits and vegetables are important components of a healthy diet. They are fullof vitamins, minerals and fibre, which have been shown to decrease the risk of cancer, heart disease and other chronic diseases. According to Canada’s Food Guide, the average adult requires around 8 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. However, the busyness of life can make it hard to live a healthy, balanced lifestyle, so here are some tips to help you incorporate fruits and vegetables into your daily routine.
1. Start the day off right: Ensure your breakfast includes one or two portions of fruit. This could be a piece of fruit, a fruit smoothie, or berries to complement your cereal or yogurt.
2. Successful Snacks: Having fruits or vegetables in your mid-morning or afternoon snacks will provide longer lasting energy to help you stay alert in class. Including some fat or protein will keep you feeling full for longer and reduce the desire to munch. Good snack ideas include hummus with veggies, an apple with peanut butter, or yoghurt with berries.
3. The Perfect Ingredient: If you’re having a hard time getting enough fruits and vegetables, try sneaking them into foods you are baking or cooking. Consider adding extra vegetables to your pasta sauce or substituting oil with apple sauce when baking. Mashed bananas, grated zucchini, pumpkin, yams and frozen berries also make great additions to baked goods.
4. Cook in Bulk and Freeze for Later: Having homemade entrees in your freezer will help you on the days when you’re too tired or busy to cook from scratch. Knowing that after a long day at school or work, you can have a delicious and hearty meal ready in minutes will help take some of the stress off your shoulders.
5. Don’t throw out those wilted veggies: You may not want to make a salad out of vegetables that are close to their best before date, but they are the ideal for many cooked dishes including soups, stews and casseroles.
6. Eat up when you eat out: Just because you’re eating out or ordering food in, that doesn’t mean you have to forsake everything you know about healthy eating. Consider substituting the fries on your plate for a salad or adding some stir fried vegetables as a side.
7. Keep fruits and vegetables on hand: The perfect way to ensure you always have fruits and vegetables handy is to buy them canned or frozen, or cut and freeze them yourself. Just be sure when you’re buying canned items that they don’t contain added salt or sugar. You can also clean and chop vegetables and keep them in the fridge for busier days.
Good luck on your quest for a more balanced lifestyle and I hope these tips help you get the fruits and vegetables your body needs!
Nadine Baerg
Year 3 Dietetics, UBC