Photo by Scott David Gordon.

How many fruits and veggies should we all really be eating every day? It’s common knowledge that fruits and veggies are the cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle; however, in the rush of daily life, it’s hard to remember if you ate enough of this or that, and probably don’t have the time! The prospect of making sure that you are consuming enough of these two food groups might be an ominous task, but after a little research, it turns out it’s super easy to meet the advocated daily quota of each.

According to the USDA, moderately active adults should consume around 2 cups of fruit per day, and 2 ½ to 3 cups of vegetables per day. These nutritional guidelines vary depending on activity level, age, height, and gender; however, for the most part, most sources seem to concur on a healthy individual adhering to this rough nutritional guideline. Seems simple, right? Well, unfortunately, CDC researchers have found that only 13 percent of US citizens get their recommended dose of fruit, and less than 9 percent consume the suggested amount of their daily vegetables (read more from that study here)! Whoa, nelly! However, with very little effort we can all make tiny adjustments to ameliorate our diets and become healthier!

You might be wondering how exactly it works with regard to aforementioned measurements. It’s pretty straightforward for the most part. If you cut up your selected fruits and veggies, raw or cooked, and it measures to be one cup, you are on your way to a balanced diet! There are a few caveats though according to the USDA’s MyPlate recommendations. If you choose to consume dried fruit, ½ a cup is equivalent to one cup. A cup of 100 percent juice is also considered to be one cup of your daily serving of fruits or veggies, though some argue that one misses out on certain beneficial nutrients and fiber this way. We say to each their own! If leafy greens are your jam, two cups are equivalent to one cup of daily veggies.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

This is what a daily serving of fruit and veggies looks like (more like three cups of fruit). You could get all your servings in one meal if you wanted! Based off of the ingredients in the image above, you could make an Italian masterpiece of a meal: prosciutto-wrapped melon, 2 cups of steamed sweet potato greens, a baked eggplant, a pasta with delicious tomato sauce, and a cup of grapes to snack! Don’t forget watermelon for dessert!

A couple of quick and easy ideas to integrate more of these food groups into your diet:

1. Chop up veggies & fruits, and bring them with you to snack on throughout the day. You can bring some hummus or dip to add a little more flavor if you please!
2. Make a smoothie with your favorite fruits and veggies.
3. Adorn your grains with a medley of fruits for breakfast.
4. VEGGIE PIZZA!! Who says pizza is bad for you? Embellish your regular pizza with tons of colorful vegetables.
5. Make an easy salad as a snack or side! Our greens-free summer favorite: chunky diced tomatoes, cucumbers, and avocado, dressed with basil and mint, salt, pepper and a light touch of dressing. Mm!

 

summertime breakfast of champions @jbgorganic #melonsareback #galia #?

A video posted by nellie stephenson (@wooohnellie) on Jul 13, 2016 at 8:48am PDT

Here’s to happy and healthy snacking! ‘Til next time, folks!