Fruits and Vegetables

Peaches contain beta-carotene, which gives them their orange color and forms Vitamin A in the body.

Vitamin A plays a big part in eyesight - it helps to keep our night vision strong, and helps you see in color too, from the brightest yellow to the darkest blues.

Raw veggies like carrots, cauliflower, and broccoli make a great snack. Keep a variety cleaned, cut and ready to eat in plastic bags in your refrigerator.

Chunks of pineapple, bananas, and kiwi make great kabobs that can be frozen. Store in freezer bags for quick snacks.

 

Raisins and other dried fruit like apricots, cranberries, apples, blueberries – even bananas – are a perfect “go anywhere” snacks.

Celery sticks with low fat cream cheese or peanut butter; top with raisins for extra fun and flavor!

 

Select a new fruit or vegetable at the supermarket this week. Fresh, frozen or canned – they all add up to more!

Add mash bananas to oatmeal, pancakes and waffles!

 

Top breakfast cereal with a handful of fresh fruit. It’s a family favorite and a great, easy way to add a serving of fruit to your family’s day!

Grilling out? Don’t forget to grill sliced veggies and fruit for a real taste treat! Brush or spray with olive oil and grill for only a couple of minutes on each side over medium heat.

 

Add fresh fruit to your salads – oranges, grapes, kiwi and avocado are naturals! Experiment!

Making gelatin? Don’t forget to add fruit. Berries, grapes, peaches, pears, mandarin oranges are always favorites! 

 

Give your omelets a boost by adding a handful of chopped veggies like peppers, onions, and mushrooms.

Give your favorite sandwich and wraps a boost. Top with lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, shredded carrots – get creative and be healthy!

 

Kick up your salads by adding an additional green, such as spinach!

Chop up left-over veggies and add to quesadillas!

 

Add spinach (fresh, canned or frozen) to your favorite pasta dishes!

Substitute spaghetti squash for regular spaghetti. Top with tomato sauce for a delicious and healthy meal.

 

Cut up veggies like carrots, zucchini and potatoes. Add them as a filler to your favorite meatloaf or soup recipes. 

Begin your day with a glass of 100% juice and a piece of fruit – that’s two servings right at the start!

How To Choose Your Produce

To determine if a pineapple is ripe, smell it.  It will smell like . . . pineapple!

 

Choose grapes that are plump and smooth with a “dusty” bloom color.

Melons like cantaloupe and honeydew should yield slightly at the stem when ripe.

 

Look for grapefruit that has a smooth, firm and blemish-free peel. You want grapefruit that feels “heavy” for its size.

Ripe cherries should le large and firm and the stem should still be attached.

 

Bananas ripen after they are picked. Look for bunches that are uniform in shape and color – regardless of the degree of ripeness.

Choose avocados that have a uniform green skin without bruises or either hard or soft spots.

 

Choose firm, brightly-colored, smooth-skinned apples with no bruises and with the stem intact.

The best watermelons will be symmetrical and heavy for their size. Look for a dried stem and a yellowish underside where the melon touched the ground.

 

Look for tangerines that are plump and heavy for their size. They should be soft, but firm to the touch.

Select strawberries that are plump and firm with a bright red color, natural shine and fresh, green caps.

 

Gotta taste for fresh raspberries? Look for berries that are dry, plump and firm.

Fresh plums should be firm and plump, and yield to gentle pressure. If not quite ripe, store on your counter in a paper bag for a couple of days – then refrigerate.

 

Ripe oranges are always a snack favorite. Look for firm, heavy oranges with a finely-textured skin.