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5 A Day Fruit and Vegetable Quick Tips
5 A Day Basics
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 Fruits
and vegetables look good, taste great and contain vitamins and minerals.
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Eating 5 to 9 A Day is quick and easy. A serving is a medium-size piece
of fruit; Ύ cup (6 fl. oz.) of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice,
½ cup cooked or canned vegetables or fruit, 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables,
½ cup cooked dry peas or beans, or Ό cup dried fruit.
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You can get your 5 to 9 A Day in many ways because fruits and vegetables
come fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and as 100 percent fruit or vegetable
juice.
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Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly in water.
How Many Servings Do You Need Each Day?
It depends on your age, gender, and activity level:
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About 1,600 |
About 2,200 |
About 2,800 |
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3 servings |
4 servings |
5 servings |
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2 servings |
3 servings |
4 servings |
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*Adapted from the USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2000 |
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Getting Started
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 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
In A Hurry During The 9 To 5? Pack And Go For 5 To 9 A Day!
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 Buy
ready-to-eat packaged fresh vegetables that are already cleaned. Pre-cut
vegetables and salad mixes are a terrific 5 A Day time-saver. You'll
find them at your local supermarket.
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A fast food alternative? Your local supermarket may offer prepared
items, including sliced melons, fresh pineapple, salad mixes, and a
salad bar to satisfy your hunger.
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Fruits and vegetables are nature's original fast food. When it's snack
time, grab
- Fruit—
an apple or orange, or a zip lock bag and fill with sweet
cherries, grapes, dried dates, figs, prunes, raisins, or apricots
- Vegetables—
carrot sticks, broccoli, or some red, yellow, and green
pepper. Try dipping your vegetables in low-fat or non-fat salad
dressing.
- In a hurry for a 5 A Day treat? Pick fruits and vegetables that
require little peeling or chopping, like baby carrots, cherry tomatoes,
cauliflower, grapes, apples, broccoli spears, an apple, a banana, or a
box of 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice.
- Here's a great way to get some of your 5 to 9 A Day. Buy low-fat
yogurt, fruit juice, and fresh, canned, or frozen fruit to blend a quick
fruit smoothie. Get juicy! Buy 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice to
quench your thirst and satisfy one serving of your 5 to 9 A Day.
Top Your Meals The 5 A Day Way
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 Try
these tasty additions to add flavor to your 5 A Day salad:
- Green or red pepper strips, broccoli florets, carrot slices, or
cucumber add crunch to your pasta or potato salad.
- Baby carrots, shredded cabbage, or spinach leaves bring color to a
green salad.
- Apple chunks, pineapples, and raisins perk up coleslaw, chicken or
tuna salads.
- Oranges, grapefruit, or nectarine slices add extra flavor to any
salad.
- Fruit juice, flavored vinegars, or herbs make low-fat salad
dressings flavorful without adding fat or salt.
- Wake up with 5 A Day! Add sliced banana, blueberries, or raisins to
cereal.
- Add fresh fruit and vegetables to foods you already eat — like
berries and bananas to yogurt and cereal; vegetables to pasta and pizza;
and lettuce, tomato and onion to sandwiches.
- Put some punch into your party by blending 100 percent fruit
juices to create a refreshing new juice. Try mixing pineapple, orange,
grapefruit, or other fruit juices. Add a slice of lemon or lime as a
garnish.
Cooking With 5 A Day
-
 Using
a microwave is fast and fun. Use a microwave or pressure cooker to
quickly "zap" vegetables or a potato and retain their nutrients.
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Grill fruits or vegetables. When grilling, wrap vegetables in aluminum
foil, or use skewers of pineapple, yellow squash, eggplant, nectarines,
zucchini, or cherry tomatoes, onions, mushrooms. Place over medium-hot
coals for a fun-to-eat and flavorful BBQ treat.
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Make a quick smoothie in the blender by purιeing peaches and/or
nectarines, a touch of your favorite fruit juice, crushed ice, and a
light sprinkling of nutmeg.
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Make homemade salsa with tomatoes, mangoes, avocados, red onions,
cilantro, and lime juice.
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Looking for a fun appetizer when you entertain? Try making spears of
fruit by attaching strawberries, grapes, melon slices, or pineapple
chunks onto small skewers. Use low-fat or non-fat yogurt for a dip.
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Here's a quick fruit salad you can make in less than a minute. Open a
can of juice-packed mandarin oranges and empty into a bowl. Add a sliced
banana, a sliced apple, and some blueberries or raisins. There you have
it-a quick way to 5 A Day.
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Cool off with a great treat! Pour 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice
into an ice cube tray or popsicle mold to make juice cubes or popsicles.
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Sometimes you can eat some of your 5 to 9 A Day in its' own container.
Kiwifruit comes with its own serving cup and cantaloupe with its own
serving bowl. Just cut them in half through the middle and scoop out
each half with a spoon.
5 To 9 Fun For Kids
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 Top
off a bowl of cereal with a smiling face from sliced bananas for eyes,
raisins for a nose, and an orange slice for a mouth.
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You can use broccoli florets for trees, carrots and celery for flowers,
cauliflower for clouds, and a yellow squash for a sun. When you're all
done, you can eat your masterpiece and get your recommended 5 A Day!
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Make frozen fruit kabobs for kids using pineapple chunks, bananas,
grapes and berries.
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Go shopping with your children. Take them to the grocery store or
farmers market to let them see all the different sizes and colors that
fruit and vegetables offer. Let them pick out a new fruit and vegetable
to try. By making it fun and involving your kids, they'll be more likely
to eat healthy foods.
Resources
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