foodperson.com

So you know you’re supposed to eat more fruits and vegetables, but even folks who have good food consciousness sometimes say it’s hard to do. People, eating five servings of fruits and vegetables is easy, at least as long as you have breakfast.

Here is my handy guide to five fruits and vegetables a day in four easy steps, including easy options for lazy crowd.

1. Breakfast—two servings. Have a glass of juice (1) and fruit on your cereal. Don’t do cereal? Put the fruit in your yogurt or on top of your pancakes. Easiest options for your cereal or whatever: a handful of raisins or a half banana, sliced.
2. Lunch—two servings. Include a handful of carrot sticks and a piece of fruit. Easiest options: precut “baby” carrots and an apple requiring only washing.
3. Snack—one serving. Have another piece of fruit, maybe one that requires more effort so you enjoy it longer. Say, an orange or grapes. Hey! We’re already at five! Yea for us!
4. Dinner—It’s all a bonus here. Have a side of broccoli, say, and a small salad, and you’re in the pink.

Wasn’t that easy? Really, I think it’s more a matter of forming the habit of including a fruit or vegetable or both every time you eat.

It’s harder, I’ll admit, if you eat out a lot, but even fast-food restaurants are taking the hint. And even though the sealed plastic bags of sliced apples from your favorite fast-food chain won’t taste as good as the fresh local apple, it beats the heck out of a fried apple pie, nutrition-wise.

Here are some resources for helping you figure out how to get the most from your fruits and vegetables:

• The Mayo Clinic, via CNN, offers this good primer on fruit selection, storage and usage.
• Dole has a handy chart of fruit and vegetable nutrition information.
• Clemson University has some tips on selection and a chart listing approximate storage time for various fruits and vegetables.

I think I’ll go have an apple.