Easiest way to get recommended daily serving of fruits and vegges

[Freddy]

I want to consume between 7 - 10 servings of vegetables and fruits a day but I'm having a hard time doing that. What's the easiest way that I can ensure I'm getting what I need. Also, how much is a serving? I always forget and I always think that I need to eat way more fruits and vegetables than I do. Also, if I'm aiming to get between 7 - 10 servings per day does this mean I need 7 - 10 servings of fruits and 7 - 10 servings of vegetables or is the amount I'm supposed to get a combination of both?

[brightstar]

For me, the easiest way to get enough fruits and veggies has been through smoothies. Every night while I cook my dinner, I make 2 smoothies. One's for my dessert and one's to go with my breakfast in the morning. The breakfast one has a banana, berries, matcha (green tea or seabuckthorn) and almond or cashew milk (unsweetened). The dessert one is a huge amount of spinach, banana, pure cocoa and a date for added sweetness. That's about 4 servings right there (total).

[KraftMan]

fill half your plate at all meals and you'll get the minimum and more. If you don't plan to have enough of them during a meal, make them your snack

[BabyButtons]

For me, the easiest way to get enough fruits and veggies has been through smoothies. Every night while I cook my dinner, I make 2 smoothies. One's for my dessert and one's to go with my breakfast in the morning. The breakfast one has a banana, berries, matcha (green tea or seabuckthorn) and almond or cashew milk (unsweetened). The dessert one is a huge amount of spinach, banana, pure cocoa and a date for added sweetness. That's about 4 servings right there (total).

I agree with brightstar. Smoothies really do make a difference in helping to make sure that you get the necessary fruits and vegetables that you need. Plus, you can mix and match vegetables and make your smoothies interesting all the time.

Another great way to get the vegetables you need is to make one meal of your day entirely vegetarian. I usually find lunch to be best for this. Get a wrap and load it down with vegetables, add a little mustard for flavor and you've got some great food with lots of veggies. for desert, have some fresh fruits and nuts in a bit of plain yog

[enviroTodd]

I agree with brightstar. Smoothies really do make a difference in helping to make sure that you get the necessary fruits and vegetables that you need. Plus, you can mix and match vegetables and make your smoothies interesting all the time.

Another great way to get the vegetables you need is to make one meal of your day entirely vegetarian. I usually find lunch to be best for this. Get a wrap and load it down with vegetables, add a little mustard for flavor and you've got some great food with lots of veggies. for desert, have some fresh fruits and nuts in a bit of plain yog

Those are great pieces of advice. I hadn't even thought of making at least one meal per day vegetarian. Do people really eat that much meat? I usually have a non-vegetarian meal nearly automatically once or twice per day. I don't think my digestive system could take it if I ate meat at every meal. The more you become comfortable with eating vegetarian meals, the more you will become comfortable with eating that way. You'll learn lots of recipes that don't include meat and then you will simply gravitate toward them on a more regular basis. It's far better for your health and it's much cheaper, too.

[BabyButtons]

Those are great pieces of advice. I hadn't even thought of making at least one meal per day vegetarian. Do people really eat that much meat? I usually have a non-vegetarian meal nearly automatically once or twice per day. I don't think my digestive system could take it if I ate meat at every meal. The more you become comfortable with eating vegetarian meals, the more you will become comfortable with eating that way. You'll learn lots of recipes that don't include meat and then you will simply gravitate toward them on a more regular basis. It's far better for your health and it's much cheaper, too.

I know some people who eat a looot of meat haha. I personally don't eat that much, but I think it's good to make one meal mostly veggie and whole-grain based with absolutely no red meat, fish or chicken. I find that avacado, mushrooms and bean paste are great meat substitutes for sandwiches when I really want to sink my teeth into something that's got some "meaty" substance to it.

I agree that when you become comfortable eating more vegetarian meals, you will learn more recipes and will naturally gravitate to it. Vegetarian meals opens up a whole new world of great food opportunity!

[enviroTodd]

I know some people who eat a looot of meat haha. I personally don't eat that much, but I think it's good to make one meal mostly veggie and whole-grain based with absolutely no red meat, fish or chicken. I find that avacado, mushrooms and bean paste are great meat substitutes for sandwiches when I really want to sink my teeth into something that's got some "meaty" substance to it.

I agree that when you become comfortable eating more vegetarian meals, you will learn more recipes and will naturally gravitate to it. Vegetarian meals opens up a whole new world of great food opportunity!

That's precisely it. I have found that an important part of getting used to that process is to look for something hearty and possibly dense as well but not necessarily for a "substitute" for meat. That is, an alternative is great, like you said, but when I stopped trying to look for something non-meat that tastes and acts exactly like meat, then I was a lot happier with what I received. For instance, when I started tasting veggie burgers as something different and unique, I liked them a lot more than when I was trying to get a vegetable based product that tasted and had the same texture as beef.

[Freddy]

Wow these are all great ideas. I think I'll actually try them all: Smoothies, filling half my plate with fruits and veggies at all meals and also try making one meal a day vegetarian. If I can't get all the right servings in after that...there's just no hope for me haha!

[Drew]

Wow these are all great ideas. I think I'll actually try them all: Smoothies, filling half my plate with fruits and veggies at all meals and also try making one meal a day vegetarian. If I can't get all the right servings in after that...there's just no hope for me haha!

Prep veggies and fruits as snacks. When they're already handy, you'll eat them. They're surprisingly good