Insider’s Viewpoint: Resolution? Eat More Fruits & Veggies!
Each year 45% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. Most popular goals include lose weight, get organized, spend less and save more, stay fit and healthy, and quit smoking. Sadly just 8% of those who make resolutions will actually achieve their goals.
This year I am proposing that you resolve to eat fruits and veggies. Fruit and vegetable consumption is something that needs to be improved. Adults eat fruit 1.1 times per day and vegetables 1.6 times per day which is much lower than recommended. There are many benefits to eating fruits and vegetables including lowering risk of developing many diseases and helping with weight management, which is often a goal for many at the beginning of the year.
4 Steps to Keeping Your Fruit & Veggie Resolution
- Keep it simple.
- Make it tangible and be specific.
- Make it obvious.
- Keep believing you can do it.
Saying that you are going to eat more fruits and vegetables is not specific. You need a target. An example of a more specific goal might be to eat vegetables with lunch and dinner and fruit with breakfast and as a snack. Write your goal on your mirror or post it on your fridge to remind yourself. Keep a food diary so you can track your consumption.
3 Guidelines for Eating Fruits & Veggies
- All forms count! Fresh is not better than canned or frozen, and frozen is not better than canned. Dried works too. One hundred percent juice is also an option.
- Eat a rainbow of colors. Include red, orange, yellow, green, blue/purple, and white.
- Vary your preparation techniques. Eat fruits and veggies raw, lightly sautéed, roasted, and steamed.
Mary Jo Brunner, MS RD CD
Dietitian
SpartanNash
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