5 A Day Fruit and Vegetable Quick Tips

Getting Started

• Not sure how to eat 5 to 9 A Day? Start the day with 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice. Slice bananas or strawberries on top of your cereal. Have a salad with lunch, and an apple for an afternoon snack. Include a vegetable with dinner and you already have 5 A Day. If you need more than 5 servings per day (see chart above), try adding a piece of fruit for a snack or an extra vegetable (like carrots or green beans) at dinner.

• There are so many choices when selecting fruits and vegetables. Have you ever tried kiwifruit? How about asparagus? Try something new that helps you reach your 5 to 9 A Day.

• Keep things fresh and interesting by combining fruits and vegetables of different flavors and colors, like red grapes with pineapple chunks, or cucumbers and red peppers.

• When you keep fruits and vegetables visible and easily accessible you tend to eat them more; for instance, store cut and cleaned produce at eye-level in the refrigerator, or keep a big bowl of fruit on the table.

• You can get some of your 5 to 9 A Day at restaurants too. Try some of these healthy choices.

  • veggie pizza
  • pasta with vegetables (but watch out for those high fat cream sauces)
  • fresh vegetable "wrap"
  • vegetable soup
  • small salad (instead of fries)
  • plenty of fresh vegetables from the salad bar.