30 Ways to Sneak More Fruits and Vegetables into Your Diet

  • Breakfast

    1. Add blueberries to pancake, waffle, or muffin batter
    2. Mix raisins, diced apple, or dried apricots into oatmeal
    3. Add pepper, onion, spinach, broccoli, or shredded carrot to a morning omelet
    4. Make a smoothie with fruit, low-fat yogurt, and ice
    5. Add peppers and onion to hash browns, and serve with a little ketchup on the side
    6. Top a toasted waffle with warmed applesauce

     

    Lunch and Dinner

    1. Top a pizza with mushrooms, peppers, onions, or pineapple
    2. Put a slice of avocado on a regular sandwich
    3. Add mushrooms, peppers, onions, or diced carrots to spaghetti sauce
    4. Place a few slices of tomato on a grilled cheese sandwich
    5. Add some extra mixed vegetables to soup
    6. Add celery, onions, carrots, or peppers to meatloaf
    7. Replace the jam on a peanut butter sandwich with sliced bananas
    8. Add apples, grapes, or raisins to chicken salad
    9. Spread some cranberry sauce on a turkey sandwich
    10. Top pork chops with apples, pears, or raisins
    11. Roast fish under a layer of lemon, orange, or lime slices
    12. Add layers of frozen spinach or eggplant to lasagna

     

    Sides and Snacks

    1. Top a baked potato with salsa
    2. Use applesauce to replace half of the oil in any recipe
    3. Slice a sweet potato, toss with a little olive oil, season as you wish, and bake to make sweet potato chips
    4. Add mandarin oranges or diced pears when making Jell-O® salad
    5. Try mixing dried fruit with almonds and a few M&Ms® as a snack
    6. Mix fresh fruit and granola into yogurt
    7. Add broccoli or diced pepper to macaroni and cheese
    8. Blend cooked cauliflower into mashed potatoes

     

    Dessert

    1. Choose fruit sorbet instead of ice cream
    2. Enjoy a baked apple stuffed with raisins and topped with a drizzle of caramel sauce
    3. Dip strawberries in chocolate syrup and top with low-fat whipped cream
    4. Roast pears with honey and a sprinkling of ginger

     

    References:
    Gordon S. 6 sneaky ways to eat more vegetables. Fitness. July/August 1998;144.

    Healthy servings: from morning to midnight. Available at: http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=5. Accessed November 12, 2007.