rainbowAre you getting enough fruits and vegetables in your daily diet? You should be getting 7-13 servings every day, most of those coming from vegetables (a serving generally equals ½ cup). According to the USDA, the average American consumes only 4.4 servings. Unfortunately, most of those are starches drowning in fat, grease, salt and sugar. Did you know the amount of sugar in 1/2 cup of Prego Marinara Sauce is equivalent to that of a Krispy Kreme donut? Make sure your produce is mostly fresh or frozen with no added salt or sugar.

We understand it can be difficult to get your recommended servings of fruits and vegetables in all the time. Remember, this doesn’t mean always having a side of steamed broccoli or a salad for lunch. Of course, these are excellent sources but we all need variety in our lives! Below are some great ways to sneak in those veggies and fruits to your everyday foods!

  • Thicken spaghetti sauce with pumpkin puree.
  • Mash cauliflower or parsnips in with your mashed potatoes.
  • Substitute spaghetti squash for your pastas, if you still need some “real” pasta, do half spaghetti squash and half 100% whole grain pasta. Top it off with your favorite tomato sauce.
  • If spaghetti squash isn’t your thing, try zucchini noodles with your pasta. See recipe below.
  • Add green peppers, spinach, onions, garlic or mushrooms to your tomato sauces.
  • Add grated carrots, grated zucchini, chopped spinach or onions to your meatloaf, burgers and meatballs. Use one cup per pound of meat.
  • Add diced tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, mushrooms or jalapeños to your omelets and scrambled eggs. Chopped broccoli and asparagus are great options as well.
  • Add fruit to your oatmeal.  Apples, bananas and blueberries go perfectly.
  • Add half an avocado to your smoothies. It doesn’t affect the taste but makes it extra creamy so you don’t need to use any yogurt (with all that added sugar).
  • Tired of oil and vinegar but still want to keep that salad healthy? Try some vegetable based dressings from butternut squash, tomato, beet or zucchini. Check below for some gr