“Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much.” -Michael Pollan
I love eating plants based foods… there’s just something so nourishing about ‘natural eats.’ They’re fresh, incredibly flavorful and beautiful. Both fruits and veggies are naturally bright and colorful. Fruits are seriously sweet, which is why I always refer to them as “natures candy.” Why indulge in over-processed sugary fattening candy, when you can enjoy some ‘perfect, pretty produce’?
I recently did a nutrition analysis project for my Nutrition and Food Sciences class. I had to record my diet for 3 days in a database and it reported back to me all the data about my diet. Turns out I eat roughly 270% of the recommended daily fruit intake… and 140% of the recommended intake of vegetables! It’s no wonder the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet are actually ORANGE! It’s from all the carotids in all the fresh fruits and veggies I enjoy!
Moms know best. “Eat your fruits and veggies”…I wouldn’t have it any other way! So, for today’s motivation, I want to share a few suggestions.
MY FIVE FAVE WAYS TO ADD FRUITS AND VEGGIES TO YOUR LIFE:
- Eat fruit at breakfast. Mix apples into your stovetop oats. Add fresh raspberries (instead of jam) to your AM toast. Slice bananas onto your peanut or almond butter. Chop up some fresh fruit and eat it as a yummy, refreshing side. Sip a green smoothie. (Checkout my fave recipe.)
- Add some carrots. I ADORE carrots. I’m not kidding–a 1 lb. bag only lasts a day and a half around me! They’re the best. I dip them in hummus, salsa, guacamole, or just straight out of the bag. Carrots give me the crunch of chips… without the oil and excess calories!
- Eat a side salad. Does the idea of ‘just a salad’ for lunch or dinner seem too skimpy? Yup, I agree! I love my spinach salads I and eat them regularly, but usually as a side. I prefer to eat mine with some protein and healthy carbs to create a complete nutritious meal that keeps me satisfied (more than ‘just a salad’ ever could.)
- Eat fruit for dessert. Sure, I love my dark chocolate, but I save that for after dinner. My after-lunch dessert is always a bowl full of fresh fruit. The natural sweetness satisfies my sweet tooth and the fiber fills me up. I try to enjoy mine in a cute little bowl. (I have quite the collection!)
- Eat frozen fruit. I love a good piece of fresh, juicy fruit… but frozen fruit is just as delicious, nutritious, and sometimes more convenient! Frozen chopped mango, blueberries, strawberries… all so tasty! Buy some bananas and when they inevitably get SUPER ripe (all at the same time) slice them, sprinkle with cinnamon, and pop in the freezer! Super cheap, easy, and they taste little like bites of ice cream. Freeze your grapes, too! Yum!
How about you? Don’t you just LOVE your pretty produce? What’s your fave way to enjoy it?
To see some more of my fave daily eats, be sure to follow me on Instagram! 🙂
22 Comments
I think this is one simple change to make and it makes such a difference. I am making my aim to eat veggies with every meal.
January 11, 2016 at 1:17 pmSame… it’s all about eating better… not less!!
January 13, 2016 at 5:05 amI just read an article that declared 2016 the year of the vegetable. I say BRING IT
January 11, 2016 at 1:24 pmYESSSS! Hello healthy 2016 🙂
January 13, 2016 at 5:04 ammmmm so much goodness here!! I try to add fruits and veggies to every meal or snack, that way even if Im just eating a small amount, Im eating SOME! It all adds up in the end!
January 11, 2016 at 3:21 pmWay to go girl! They definitely do add up!! 🙂
January 13, 2016 at 5:03 amI had pumpkin in my pancake this morning, which made me feel good because I rarely include veggies at breakfast.
January 11, 2016 at 4:20 pmYou are so right about frozen fruit- it is almost like ice cream!!
Nice! Way to go with the pancake! …and yes! Especially banana… so creamy!
January 13, 2016 at 5:03 amHahaha, I am sure I also eat more fruits and veggies than the ‘recommended daily intake’. I just love them 🙂
January 11, 2016 at 5:45 pmAnd great tips! Frozen fruit is the best snack ever ♥︎
It’s like sorbet without all the extra sugar 🙂 Glad you love your fruits and veggies!
January 13, 2016 at 5:02 amwhat is in that fruit salad. It looks so delicious and filling
January 12, 2016 at 12:32 amThank you! …it’s a wide variety of fruits, raspberries, blackberries, cantaloupe, kiwi, pineapple and banana slices!
January 13, 2016 at 5:01 amI always feel so much better when I’m eating lots of fruits and veggies!! 🙂 That cantaloupe stuffed with berries looks so yummy 🙂
January 12, 2016 at 2:39 amSame! …and thank you! I LOVE cantaloupe!
January 13, 2016 at 4:58 amOh yes, I love my fruits & veggies too! I eat a ton of fruit every day, and my dinners almost always include a few veggies. As you know, eating a lot of plants is a great way to add lots of density to your meals without a lot of calories…. and PS, your turquoise thumb ring is cute!
January 12, 2016 at 4:06 amI totally agree with ya! All about those plants …and thanks love!! <3
January 13, 2016 at 4:58 amI wouldn’t mind eating more fruits and veggies, those are my fav!
January 12, 2016 at 7:15 pmSame! Theres just so many fun different flavors and varieties!
January 13, 2016 at 4:57 amI am a rare breed that has ZERO PROBLEM eating ALL THE PLANTS. I can sit down and eat 2 pounds of veggies in one sitting, NO PROBLEM!
January 13, 2016 at 3:15 amYay for veggie lovers!! <3 Glad you're getting in your greens!!
January 13, 2016 at 4:57 amThat blue plate is so pretty! And girl, I’m with you on loving to eat fruits and veggies!
January 13, 2016 at 11:00 pmThanks Rach!! …and yay for fresh produce!!
January 20, 2016 at 5:14 am