Most people know that eating fruits and veggies is good for your health. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, or so the saying goes. But the truth is that most people do not consume nearly enough fresh fruits and vegetables to support a healthy diet. In fact, according to the USDA, only 1 in 10 American adults eats the recommended daily amount.
There are many health benefits to eating a diet rich in fresh produce. Fruits and veggies are known to play a big role in preventing chronic diseases like diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. This is because they are packed with nutrients and antioxidants that our bodies need to stay healthy and active. Plus, fresh produce is great for gut health, providing the food that our microbiome loves to eat. Fruits and veggies are also hydrating and full of fiber, which is great for helping to maintain a healthy weight.
How much fresh produce are we supposed to eat per day anyway? Well, it depends a bit on your age and sex, but we can provide some general guidelines here.
In general, the recommendation from nutrition experts is to eat 5 servings of fresh produce a day. That is about 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of veggies.
So how much is a serving of fruit? One serving is about 1 medium-sized piece of fruit like an apple, pear, or an orange. Larger sized fruit like a Kent mango is more like 2 servings. For berries, one heaping handful is about the right amount.
As for vegetables, one serving of raw veg is about one cup (chopped), while a serving of cooked veg is more like ½ cup.
OK but this is still fairly abstract! What would this look like in my daily routine?
Here is an example of what a full 5 servings might look like, of course adding in your proteins and grains for balanced meals:
Breakfast:
1 banana or ½ cup of berries, maybe with mixed with plain Greek yogurt drizzled with honey or maple syrup
To sneak in an extra serving of veggies, you could make a fresh omelet with ½ cup chopped bell peppers, ¼ cup chopped onion, and a handful of cookable greens like kale or spinach.
Lunch: A side of fresh, raw veggies is easy to prep for an on-the-go lunch. One half of a cucumber sliced, with a handful of cherry tomatoes or a ½ cup of baby carrots would do the trick.
Afternoon snack: 1 apple (or a pear, or an orange)
Dinner: 1 cup cooked broccoli or cauliflower
Totally do-able, right? We know, we know, eating a full 5 servings a day can be easier said than done, especially with a busy schedule and fussy kids.
Here are some of our favorite tips for getting your servings in.
Embrace the snackables
It can’t get any easier than raw fruit and veggies. No prep, no cooking, no dishes, and easy to take on the go. Keep your produce drawer and fruit basket full of items like apples, pears, bananas, oranges, berries, baby carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers. As a bonus, these items are usually a hit with kids, too.
Flexible meal planning
Have we ever mentioned our love for stir fried veggies? It’s a fast, easy, and healthy “no recipe” dinner than can easily accommodate whatever veggies you have on hand, and can be made with a variety of grain and sauce options. Pair with noodles, rice, quinoa, and a protein of your choosing. Flavor it up with any pasta sauce, Thai peanut sauce, Indian tikka masala, teriyaki, the possibilities are endless.
Sheet pan meals are all the rage, and for a reason. Similar to our love of stir fries, roasting veggies is another of our go-to dinner options. Dice pretty much any veg, coat in olive oil, and pop in the oven at 400. You can even add chickpeas or feta cheese slices to the roasting pan for a one dish meal.
More of a recipe person? We get it. Just remember, recipes are not set in stone and are not always crafted with nutrition in mind. We usually double the veg called for in a typical recipe. Most dishes are resilient enough to handle some extra greens, chopped bell pepper, sliced zucchini, you name it.
Smoothies
Smoothies are the all-star for consuming lots of produce. Add in any fruit – bananas, berries, mango, avocado, etc. Plus some yogurt, milk to get the thickness to your liking. Greens can even get added in without noticing much of a change in the flavor. This is great for those of us for whom veggies are not in their top favorite food items. Plus, freezing extra fruit before it goes bad is a great way of reducing waste. Spotty bananas on your counter? Slice them up, toss them in a container, and they are ready to go in the blender whenever you need them!
Do you have another hot tip for eating more fresh produce? Leave a comment and let us know!