How can I get more fruits and vegetables into my diet?

 

Question: How can I get more fruits and vegetables into my diet?

 

I am trying to eat healthier but I have a problem that I don't like very many fruits and vegetables. Mostly the problem is with the textures of the foods, they make me gag. I drink juice and can eat a few things like applesauce, peas, corn and broccoli but that is about all I can easily manage to eat. Can you give me any help on how to get more fruits and vegetables into my diet?

 

Answer: I have always been kind of jealous of people who grew up loving vegetables and fruits. Eating fruits and vegetables was something I had to work at enjoying. I was one of those kids who hated them and as I grew up I came up with ways to disguise them.

 

One suggestion would be to get a juicing machine and juice your fruits and vegetables. As long as you keep the pulp in the juice, you will still get the nutrients and fiber. What type of texture do you like? If you like crunchy, you can eat the vegetables raw or slightly cooked. If you like squishy things, then you can cook them longer until they are soft. You can add melted cheese to add some difference in texture, or sprinkle some nuts on top. Do you like soup? You can add cooked vegetables to soup, or make creamed soups that are pureed so that the texture is smooth. Do you like mashed potatoes? You can do the same with carrots, squash, or sweet potatoes.

For fruits, try slicing up strawberries and adding some cream or whipped cream. If you don't like raw apples, you can slice them up and cook them with a little water, a bit of cinnamon and maybe just a little sugar if you prefer a sweeter taste. There are also fruit preserves that don't have a lot of extra sugar added that can be spread on toast like jam or jelly. One more idea is to freeze some seedless grapes for a nice cold treat and a change in texture.

By Shereen Jegtvig