Eating fruits and vegetables is so easy in the summer, a pint of berries here, a soft peach there, but come winter, all bets are off for your fruit and vegetable intake. Sure, most fruits and vegetables are available across the country year round these days, but for some, they may not be as appealing during the winter months.
Look for seasonal produce Stick with produce that is in season, as much as possible. The following fruits and vegetables are abundant and fresh during the winter months:
•Bananas, clementine's, cranberries, grapefruit, grapes, kiwi, kumquat, lemons, limes, mandarin oranges, oranges, pears, persimmons, pomegranates, and tangerines.•Artichokes, avocados, beets, broccoli, brussel’s sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, radishes, turnips, snow peas, sweet potatoes, and winter squash
Fill up on fruits and vegetables first One of the main reasons that people eat fewer fruits and vegetables during the winter months, and particularly during the holidays, is because they fill up on other types of food first. Make eating fruits and vegetables first a priority, and then eat other types of food afterward.
Keep it simple Do not overthink the idea of including fruits and vegetables—just work it into your daily plan. Try these ideas:
•Add a handful of frozen berries to your oatmeal
•Put mushrooms, onion, spinach, pineapple, or peppers on your pizza
•Add banana slices to your peanut butter toast
•Look at every time that you eat as a challenge and an opportunity for creativity. Work some produce into the mix, even if it is not a full serving.
Choose from all forms You do not need to always use fresh fruits and vegetables. Frozen, canned, and dried fruits and vegetables count just the same as fresh ones. If the fruit is canned in heavy syrup, drain it well. If vegetables are canned with salt, drain and rinse them before eating.
Make it appetizing Some people notice that their appetite changes during the winter months. Warm food and spices may seem more appealing. You can make most fruits and vegetables suit your need for comfort foods during the cold months. For example:
•Baked fruit, such as pears or apples, are great with a little honey and cinnamon sprinkled on top.
•Add applesauce, diced banana, raisins, and diced pears to oatmeal, serve them on top of pancakes or waffles, or fold them into a muffin batter.
•Roast butternut squash, potatoes, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, cauliflower, beets, or carrots and make them either savory or sweet, depending on the herbs and spices you choose.
•Soups are a great way to add vegetables to your diet. Buy lower-sodium canned soup and add extra veggies to it, or make your own soups and add more veggies than the recipe calls for.
Do not give the idea of a cold salad another thought if it does not appeal to you, but if it does, add some diced apples or pears, toasted pecans, and warm chicken strips to that salad, and top it with a nice warmed maple vinaigrette or other seasonal dressing.
