Going out on a limb: Trying fruit three different ways!

Today’s post was written by VT Dietetic students Carolyn Greene, Kara Meyer, Emily Myers, Zahra Nomani, and Kallie Pugh.

Are you afraid to try new fruits? As a busy parent, adding fruits into your daily routine isn’t always easy. It can be risky to try new fruits for the first time, not knowing if your family will enjoy them. But making small changes to your meals can have a big impact on overall health. Fruit is full of vitamins and minerals to keep your body healthy as well as filling fiber. So set a goal to eat 2-3 servings of fruit each day. A mix of fresh, canned, and frozen fruit can be added to your breakfast, snacks, and desserts!

Picture of a ripe strawberry

Fruit can be a healthy and delicious option for breakfast, snacks, and desserts! (Source)


Breakfast:

Fruit for Breakfast

 

Start your morning on the right foot by adding fruit to breakfast, such as bananas slices, strawberries, or blueberries mixed into any breakfast cereal. This is an easy and delicious way to add vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to start your day. You can also add frozen fruits to your hot oatmeal!

Snack:

applesauce and graham crackers

 

At snack time, unsweetened applesauce with graham crackers is a kid-friendly option. Applesauce is shelf-stable so it is easy to keep on hand in your Better Pantry. Once opened, it can be stored in the refrigerator. Other great options are apples slices and peanut butter or frozen clementine oranges slices.

Dessert:

Fruit and yogurt sprinkled with chocolate chips

 

For dessert, add peaches canned in water or 100% juice and a few chocolate chips to low-fat yogurt for a sweet addition to any meal. Or try freezing greek yogurt with fruit and granola for a homemade popsicle of healthy goodness.

 

If your fresh fruit ripens before you can use it, you can slice it and freeze it for smoothies or hot oatmeal.

Adding a variety of fruits into your daily routine can help you feel better because of all of the vitamins and minerals that fruits contain. Eating fruits during the day does not have to be a hassle. Making small changes and adding a fruit to each meal can make a big difference in your health over time. Go out on a limb and try new fruits!

Here are other ways we like eating fruits!

Carolyn – I love freezing grapes in the freezer.  You can eat them frozen for a delicious summer treat. They’re a great option instead of ice cream!

Emily – Fruit is my go-to snack during the day. Apples or bananas travel well, so I pack them to take with me and pair them with a couple of tablespoons of peanut or almond butter.

Zahra – I make fruit parfaits using greek yogurt, sliced bananas, blueberries, and strawberries and sprinkle with granola. It can be eaten for breakfast, snack, or dessert!

Kara – Cottage cheese and pineapple make a wonderful snack packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals to tide me over until dinner.

Kallie – I make a colorful fruit salad using a variety of fruits, adding whipped cream or chocolate chips on top. Making fruit a dessert helps to satisfy my sweet cravings after a savory meal!

How does your family enjoy fruit for meals or snacks?

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