5 Inexpensive Ways To Get More Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and vegetables are good for you. It’s been established by countless studies that a diet based on “the green stuff” is the best thing for our health. However, if you have lived your entire life as a meat-and-potatoes person, you may be at a loss as to how to sneak in those vegetables. It’ s not as complicated as you think.

1. Start with a salad.

Every time you dine out and every time you eat at home: serve your meals with a green salad. Fill yourself with vegetables first and you will eat less meat and carbohydrates. The only basic requirement for a green salad is lettuce. You can add beets, spinach, carrots, shredded cheese, peas, tomatoes, mushrooms, celery, nuts, apple slices, mandarin oranges, strawberry slices- use your imagination!

2. Snack with fruit.

Buy vanilla yogurt and add sliced peaches for a snack. Start carrying dried fruit in your purse. Virtually every fruit you can think of can be dehydrated and eaten like candy, so if you don’t like raisins, craisins or banana slices, try dried pineapple or kiwi.

3. Carry crudité

Carrots, cucumbers and broccoli make healthy snacks. Dip them in low-fat melted cheese, yogurt or salad dressing if you don’t like the taste.

4. Choose a Fruity Dressing

The salad dressing aisle is actually as big as the produce aisle itself. You can find raspberry vinaigrette, Greek dressing with olives and even dressings with pieces of fruit in them. Since children, especially, tend to eat salad just for the dressing, it’s a good way to sneak them in there.

5. Choose a Fruity Dessert

The best, most decadent desserts are as simple as peaches an cream. Top a bowl of berries with mascarpone or dip some bananas in chocolate.

You already know that fruits and vegetables are good for you, but if you play your cards right, they can be good to you, as well.