Getting Your Daily Dose of Fruits & Veggies

What's on your plate for dinner? If it's not half-full of fruits and veggies, you're not following the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) newest dietary recommendations, which suggest devoting at least 50 percent of every meal - or your daily food intake - to nature's produce. 

"This science-based government recommendation to make half your plate fruits and vegetables is a significant and positive step in the battle to fight obesity and related health issues in America. [It's] a simple, memorable way to show Americans the proportion of fruits and vegetables they should be eating at every meal occasion," says Dr. Elizabeth Pivonka, president and CEO of Produce for Better Health Foundation.

How can you add fruits and veggies in ways that won't make you feel 100 percent vegetarian (if you aren't already, that is):

 Source: Fruits & Veggies - More Matters

• Start your morning with a glass of 100 percent fruit juice
• Stock up on frozen and canned fruits and vegetables for those times when fresh varieties aren't handy
• Mix dried plums, mango and banana chips with almonds for a healthy mid-day snack
• Keep pre-cut veggies at eye-level in your refrigerator for grab-and-go snacking
• Pack celery sticks topped with peanut butter for a healthy, but filling, lunch time treat