Did you know September is Fruit and Vegetables Month! This month, we are focusing on one healthy habit, eating more fruits and vegetables. We will discuss what's in season, what nutrients we get from each of the featured fruits and vegetables, and creative ways to work fruits and vegetables into our diets. We are taking small steps to big results!
Today, we are discussing a healthy habit, which is . . . eating more fruits and veggies! We know that fruits and vegetables are important. I'm sure you've been told to eat more fruits or vegetables in your lifetime. But how do you turn this knowledge into an action. Here are 3 simple steps to make eating fruits and vegetables daily habit.
1) Budget Buys
Everyone has a budget and time constraints. Many of my school students, patients, and their families tell me that eating healthy is expensive. I know that you can eat healthy and stay on a budget.
Make sure you eat in season, when produce is extra tasty, full of nutrients, and low in price. Check out this post that tells you what's in season in Fall.
2) Purchase Produce
You have to have fruits and veggies accessible if you want to eat them. For more on picking great produce, enjoy the A, B, C's of Picking Produce and my Produce Spotlight.
3) Prep Your Produce
As a registered dietitian (RD), I know the importance of eating fruits and vegetables. Like everyone, I get busy, stressed, and distracted. I want an easy way to grab a healthy snack while I'm on the go. So, I prep my produce on the weekend. I choose a slower weekday to wash fruits (except berries, which need to be washed just before eating) and portion them in zip-top bags. I wash and chop veggies, so they are ready to go for snacks or tossing into meals.
Since it's football season, check out my recipes for Easy Empanadas that pair perfectly with fresh carrots and celery. This chipotle dip will definitely encourage you to eat your veggies!
Check out more from me including 5 Easy Tips to Eat More Fruits & Veggies.
Here's to a great month!
For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
There is a huge trend in food - eating local! The best way to eat local is to eat in season. So, what fruits and vegetables are in season for Fall?
- Acorn Squash
- Asian Pear
- Broccoli
- Brussels Sprouts
- Butter Lettuce
- Butternut Squash
- Cauliflower
- Cranberries
- Date Plum
- Daikon Radish
- Endive
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Grapes
- Hearts of Palm
- Huckleberries
- Jalapeno Peppers
- Jerusalem Artichoke
- Key Limes
- Kumquats
- Muscadine Grapes
- Mushrooms
- Passion Fruit
- Pear
- Persimmons
- Pineapple
- Pomegranate
- Pumpkin
- Radicchio
- Sweet Potatoes
- Swiss Chard
- Turnips
Thank you to More Matters for this seasonal produce list. This month I am highlighting a variety of fruits and vegetables. We will learn about the vitamins and minerals of each fruit and veggie. We'll learn how to pick the best produce and ideas for including more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet.
Here's to a great month!
For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
This month I am highlighting a variety of fruits and vegetables. We are learning about the vitamins and minerals of each fruit and veggie. We've already learned the A, B, C's of produce. Today, we'll learn more about how to pick the best produce.
Lemons
- Selection: Choose lemons that are firm and heavy for their size. Look for thin, smooth skin.
- Storage: Lemons can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
- Nutrition Benefits: fat free, cholesterol free, and high in vitamin C
- Fun Fact: The color "lemon" was added to the Crayola coloring box in 1949.
Mandarin Oranges aka "cuties"
- Selection: Select mandarin oranges that are heavy for their size. Avoid blemished fruit that has cuts, mold, or soft spots.
- Storage: Refrigerate mandarin oranges up to 2 weeks. They may be stored on the counter for a few days.
- Nutrition Benefits: fat free, a good source of vitamin A, and an excellent source of vitamin C
- Fun Facts: Mandarin oranges are a class of oranges the include Satsumas, Clementine, Honey, and tangerines. The skin of these oranges is easy to peel. There are even seedless varieties!
Peaches
- Selection: Choose peaches that have firm, fuzzy skins. Peaches are ripe when they yield to gentle pressure.
- Storage: Store at room temperature and use within 1-2 days.
- Nutrition Benefits: fat free, cholesterol free, and a good source of vitamin C
- Fun Fact: You can accelerate peach ripening by placing unripe peaches in a paper bag.
Red Potatoes
- Selection: Choose firm, fairly smooth potatoes; avoid potatoes with wrinkles.
- Storage: Store in a cool, dark place that is well-ventilated. Use potatoes within 3-5 weeks.
- Nutrition Benefits: fat free, cholesterol free, and an excellent source of vitamin C.
- Fun Fact: Red potatoes were first cultivated in Peru. They are best for roasting or boiling.
Sweet Potatoes
- Selection: Choose firm, fairly smooth potatoes; avoid potatoes with blemishes, cracks, or soft spots..
- Storage: Store in a cool, dark place. Use potatoes within 3-5 weeks.
- Nutrition Benefits: good source of dietary fiber and potassium and high in of vitamin C.
- Fun Fact: Red potatoes were first cultivated in Peru. They are best for roasting or boiling.
Watermelon
- Selection: Choose a watermelon that is heavy for its size and has yellowish underside.
- Storage: You can store a whole watermelon at room temperature. Refrigerate watermelon in a zip-top bag or airtight container and use within 5 days.
- Nutrition Benefits: fat free, cholesterol free, and high in vitamin A and C.
Stay tuned all month for ideas to include more fruits and vegetables into your diet. For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
This month I am highlighting a variety of fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables contain a plethora of micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. There are many health benefits to consuming adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals including promoting good health and disease prevention. Today, we're also learning the A, B, C's of how to pick the best produce.
Apples
- There are a variety of types of apples: Red Delicious, Granny Smith, Gala, the list is almost never-ending. The different varieties of apples have different textures, tartness, and sweetness.
- Selection: The key to picking a good apple is to pick a firm apple and avoid bruises that create mush spots.
- Storage: Refrigerate apples in a plastic storage bag; keep away from strongly-odored foods.
- Nutrition Benefits: fat-free, cholesterol free, and a good source of dietary fiber
Bananas
- Selection: Choose bananas that are slightly green near the tip and stem. Bananas should be firm; avoid bruises.
- Storage: Bananas continue to ripen at room temperature. You may also store banana in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The skin of the banana may darken.
- Nutrition Benefits: fat-free, cholesterol free, and a good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C, and potassium.
Beets
- Selection: Choose beets that have smooth, firm skin. Look for fresh leaves that are not wilted.
- Storage: Remove leaves, but leave about one inch of stem. Store in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag. Use within 3 weeks.
- Nutrition Benefits: fat-free, cholesterol free, and an excellent source of folate
- You can eat the beet and the leaves!
Bell Peppers
- Selection: Chose firm, brightly colored bell peppers. Avoid dull or shriveled peppers.
- Storage: Refrigerate in a zip-top plastic bag; use within 5 days.
- Nutrition Benefits: fat-free, cholesterol free, high in vitamin C
- Fun Fact: Pepper, including bell peppers, originated in Central and South America.
Broccoli
- Selection: Choose broccoli with bluish-green florets and tight heads. Choose broccoli that does not have an odor.
- Storage: Store in the refrigerator in a perforated plastic bag. Use within 3-5 days for maximum flavor and freshness.
- Nutrition Benefits: fat-free, cholesterol free, high in folate, and a good source of fiber and potassium.
Blueberries
- Selection: Choose firm, plump blueberries with a dusty blue color. Avoid shriveled or moldy berries.
- Storage: Refrigerate for 10-14 days.
- Nutrition Benefits: low fat and a good source of vitamin C and fiber
- Fun Fact: Early American colonists made grey paint by boiling blueberries in milk!
Cherry Tomatoes
- Selection: Choose tomatoes that are plump and firm with bright, shiny skin. Avoid mold.
- Storage: Store at room temperature away from direct sunlight.
- Nutrition Benefits: high in vitamin A and C and a good source of potassium
Grapes
- Selection: Choose grapes that are plump and firm. Avoid mold.
- Storage: Grapes can be refrigerated in a plastic bag for up to 1 week.
- Nutrition Benefits: fat-free, cholesterol free, and very low in sodium
Stay tuned for more on picking produce in the remainder of the alphabet. Throughout this month, I will share ideas for including more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet. For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
There is a huge trend in food - eating local! Eating local gives you fresh produce packed with micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals. The best way to eat local is to eat in season. So, what's in season year-round?
- Apples
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Bell Peppers
- Broccolini
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Celery
- Cherry tomatoes
- Leeks
- Lemons
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Olives
- Onions
- Papayas
- Parsnips
- Pearl Onions
- Potatoes
- Snow Peas
Thank you to More Matters for this year-round produce list. This month I will highlight a variety of fruits and vegetables. We will learn about the vitamins and minerals of each fruit and veggie. We'll learn how to pick the best produce and ideas for including more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet.
Here's to a great month!
For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
Happy Fruit and Vegetables Month! This month, we will focus on one healthy habit, eating more fruits and vegetables. We will discuss what's in season, what nutrients we get from each of the featured fruits and vegetables, and creative ways to work fruits and vegetables into our diets. We are taking small steps to big results!
Today, we are discussing a healthy habit, which is . . . eating more fruits and veggies! We know that fruits and vegetables are important. I'm sure you've been told to eat more fruits or vegetables in your lifetime. But, why is it important?
Importance of Eating Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are packed with nutrients. Every color in fruits and vegetables represents a different micronutrient, vitamin or mineral, that helps nourish your body. Fruits and vegetables are an excellent source of fiber. Fiber serves many purposes including: filling us up (satiety), aiding in regularity of bowel movements, and fiber can help lower cholesterol and mediate blood sugar levels.
This month I will highlight a variety of fruits and vegetables. We will learn about the vitamins and minerals of each fruit and veggie. We'll learn how to pick the best produce and ideas for including more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet.
Here's to a great month!
For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
Thank you for all of the love this month! August has been a busy month for me as I finish preparing for Fall classes and finish some consultation work. If you missed any of the posts this month, here are the top five favorite posts you visited this month. Enjoy!
Let me know if there are any nutrition-related topics you would like to know more about. Please comment below. For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
Happy Kids Eat Right Month! As a pediatric registered dietitian (RD), I often get asked many questions about feeding children in a healthy way. This month we discussed many topics about healthy eating with a focus on teaching children how to eat healthy. Luckily, these principles can be applied to children of all ages (including adults who are kids at heart)!
Here are 3 easy steps to promote healthy eating for you and your children.
1) Purchase healthy foods.
If you want to eat healthy, you need healthy food options. Want to know more? Here are 8 tips for healthy eating on a budget.
2) Prepare healthy meals.
You have the healthy foods. How do you make a meal? I love the MyPlate model for building a healthy plate. Here are 3 tips for building a healthy meal.
3) Cook with your kids.
Teach your kids life skills. Everyone needs to know how to cook to survive. Cooking at home provides so many opportunities to learn. You learn about where food comes from, flavor combinations, and cooking techniques. You experience different textures and flavors. You learn budgeting and math skills (adding, subtracting, time, and fractions). You also learn that working on something produces great results. If the results aren't great on your first attempt, you learn resilience, patience, and perseverance. It can be said that everything you need to know you can learn in the kitchen.
4) Be a role model.
If you want your kids to eat healthy, show them how. Role model eating healthy meals and snacks. Encourage your kids to be active. Even better, go outside with them! Be an encourager by role modeling. Be a teacher and show them how it's done!
I hope you've enjoyed this month learning more about healthy eating and Kids Eat Right Month. For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.
