The Colors of Health: Just try these!

Fruits and vegetables come in terrific colors and flavors, but their real beauty lies in what's inside. Fruits and vegetables are great sources of many vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases.

To get a healthy variety, think color. Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors gives your body a wide range of valuable nutrients, like fiber, folate, potassium, and vitamins A and C. Some examples include green spinach, orange sweet potatoes, black beans, yellow corn, purple plums, red watermelon, and white onions. For more variety, try new fruits and vegetables regularly.

Tips: Use these easy, fun tips to help you eat a colorful variety of fruits and vegetables everyday!

Breakfast:

1. Stir low-fat or fat-free granola into a bowl of low-fat or fat-free yogurt. Top with sliced apples or berries.
2. Have fruit as a mid-morning snack
3. Add strawberries, blueberries, or bananas to your waffles, pancakes, cereal, oatmeal, or toast.
4. Top toasted whole-grain bread with peanut butter and sliced bananas.

5. Add vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, spinach, mushrooms or tomatoes to your egg or egg white omelet.

6. Canned, dried, and frozen fruits and vegetables are also good options. Look for fruit without added sugar or syrups and vegetables without added salt, butter, or cream sauces.

Lunch & Dinner:

1. Place a box of raisins in your child's backpack and pack one for yourself, too.

2. Ask for more vegetable toppings (like mushrooms, peppers, and onions) and less cheese on your pizza

3. Add some cooked dry beans to your salad. Or, if you have a sweet tooth, add chopped apples, pears, or raisins

4. Add broccoli, green beans, corn, or peas to a casserole or pasta.

5. Have soup. You can stick with the basics like tomato or vegetable soup or mix up some minestrone or veggie chili to cut winter's chill. When possible, choose soups with less sodium.

6. Add lettuce, tomato, onion, and cucumber to sandwiches.

7. Order salads, vegetable soups, or stir-fried vegetables when eating out.

8. Choose beans, corn on the cob, or a side salad with low-calorie salad dressing instead of French fries.

9. Try eating at least 2 vegetables with dinner

10. Canned, dried, and frozen fruits and vegetables are also good options. Look for fruit without added sugar or syrups and vegetables without added salt, butter, or cream sauces.

Snacks:

1. Try hummus and whole wheat pitas.

2. Snack on vegetables like bell pepper strips and broccoli with a low-fat or fat-free ranch dip.

3. Try baked tortilla chips with black bean and corn salsa.

4. Stash bags of dried fruit at your desk for a convenient snack.

5. Keep a bowl of fruit on your desk or counter.

6. Drink a fruit smoothie made with whole fruit, ice cubes, and low-fat or fat-free yogurt.

7. Top a cup of fat-free or low-fat yogurt with sliced fresh fruit.

8. For quick and easy snacks, stock up on fresh, dried, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables

9. Pick up ready-packed salad greens from the produce shelf for a quick salad any time.

10. Encourage your child to choose his or her own fruit when shopping.

11. Store cleaned, cut-up vegetables in the fridge at eye level and keep a low-fat or fat-free dip on hand.

12. Canned, dried, and frozen fruits and vegetables are also good options. Look for fruit without added sugar or syrups and vegetables without added salt, butter, or cream sauces.