Ideally, we’ll all eat 5 servings of fruits & veggies each day. That’s not 5 servings of fruit + 5 servings of veggies! I mean 5 servings of fruits and veggies combined. Parents often tell me that getting their kiddos to eat fruit is pretty easy—it’s the veggies that trip them up. Did you know that 4 out of 5 Americans don’t meet the 5-A-Day recommendation?

When I talk to kids about 5-A-Day I hold my hand up with fingers splayed and remind them that every time they eat is an opportunity to eat a fruit or veggie. I point to each finger and say “breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner”. It’s a nice visual to make my point that every time they eat, they can include a fruit or veggie to build toward 5-A-Day.

Why 5-A-Day?

There are several reasons to shoot for 5 servings of fruits and veggies most days:

1. Fiber- so important for pooping, removing excess cholesterol & helping to balance blood sugar.
2. Vitamins & Minerals- eating a wide variety and lots of different colors maximizes nutrition.
3. Water- fruits and veggies contain water that is needed to keep hydrated (think cucumbers, watermelon, oranges, lettuce, celery, pineapple etc).
4. Satiety- the fiber in fruits & veggies makes for a more satisfying snack or meal.

What Counts Toward 5-A-Day?

A serving size is about the size of your closed fist (about 1 cup). Fresh, frozen, canned and dried fruits and veggies all count. Remember to look for fruit packed in fruit juice (not syrup) and canned veggies labeled low sodium. Be careful of dried fruits; keep serving sizes here to about 1/4 cup. A cup of raisins would be a lot!!

How To Build To 5-A-Day

1. Plan for it. Include a fruit or veggie every time you eat (or serve your family)
2. Bake veggies & fruits into quick breads, muffins and other baked goods. Carrots, zucchini, apples, berries and bananas are great additions.
3. Stack your sandwich high–add tomatoes, lettuce, shredded carrots, sprouts, onions, avocado and the like.

How I’m Trying To Get 5-A-Day In

Hubby and I have been doing a lot of veggie prepping lately. Over the weekend we roast up 5-6 different veggies, hard boil a dozen eggs and grill up chicken, steak tips or shrimp. It’s a time investment for sure! But as I wrote here I’m always glad that I took the time to do it. Our routine includes lining up Tupperware containers along the counter and filling them with veggies & proteins. Once they’ve cooled I stack them in the fridge, et Voila! Lunches for the week all set. Because I’m getting a double dose of veggies at lunch I don’t worry so much about getting them in at dinner.

How will you get your 5-A-Day?

Snack Idea:

Ants on a log

(raisins, craisins and peanut butter, hummus or cream cheese on celery stalk)

Reach out at Karen@CoastalFamilyNutrition.com or call the office at 603-674-2479.

Please feel free to share this with someone who may like to learn more about feeding kiddos!