When I was a kid, I’d eat anything. I heard my mom tell stories of how as soon as I was mobile I’d go through the cupboards and get into all the food. She’s also told complete strangers of how I’d sit outside and eat ants… I’m still trying to figure out why she’d let me do that!  So if I ate anything and everything, how did I get 4 picky eaters? Since it can’t possibly be in my genes, I blame it on my husband. When it comes to getting them to eat their fruit, I have been pretty successful but vegetables are a totally different story. I have had to do many creative things to get my kids to eat their vegetables. I’ve even put them in a juicer, yup, they’ll drink the spinach but won’t eat it, they’ll drink carrots but won’t eat them! Now, of course they are sweetened with the juice from a nice juicy apple but hey, that’s a bonus! I have also pureed spinach, carrots, peppers and tomatoes to put into spaghetti sauce, and guess what? They loved it and informed me that it was the best spaghetti sauce they’ve ever had… don’t think for a minute I let them in on my secret! Shh…

Some of you may be able to either relate to the difficulty of getting your kids to eat their veggies or maybe it’s you that’s not crazy about eating all that colorful stuff! Believe me when I tell you that you are not alone. I’ve been married to my husband for 20 years and he finally stopped pushing veggies around on his plate hoping they’ll mysteriously disappear. He actually eats them now!

Adding some fruits and veggies to your daily diet has so many positive health benefits and trust me, you’ll be glad you did!

Health Benefits

• Fruits and vegetables are full of essential nutrients and antioxidants
• Immune boosting properties
• Weight loss
• Weight management
• Great source of fiber
• Supports cardiovascular health
• Increases cognitive function
• Decrease risk of diabetes and other chronic diseases

Daily Requirements

• Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
• Fill half your plate with colorful fruits and veggies at every meal to meet the daily requirement. 

Be creative with it, prep and plan!

• Puree them and add them to sauces
• Sauté them in olive oil and season with spices
• Invest in a juicer and commit to juicing once a day
• Add to smoothies
• Top yogurt parfaits with fresh fruit
• Add fresh fruit to oatmeal

A Little Prep Goes A Long Way!

• Wash, cut and chop 3-4 days worth of fruits and vegetables. Store in sealed baggies for a quick and easy snack. This is also great way to have them ready for dinner salads. Some of my favorites include; cucumbers, grape tomatoes, carrot sticks, peppers, grapes, strawberries and blueberries.
• Instead of throwing away over ripened bananas, peel them, cut in half and freeze them in freezer bags. These make a great addition to protein shakes and smoothies.
• Prepping helps to be prepared and enables you to follow through with your dietary plans and achieve your goals.

Remember, five a day is the healthy way! Don’t wait start today!

Be Well!