Making Room for Fruits and Vegetables
Eating 5 -10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day may sound like a lot, but it’s not really, once you do the math. One serving fits in the palm of your hand – about the size of a baseball. A large salad or a 250ml drink box of juice counts for 2 servings; a 12-ounce can of vegetable juice is 3 servings. See? It’s a piece of cake. Or fruit!
It’s smart to eat every few hours – not just once or twice a day. When you’re hungry reach for fruits and vegetables. Use the chart below to see how many servings you’re already having – and keep on reading for easy ways to fit in more, if you need to.
Adding Up Fruits and Vegetables
Morning:
|
Size of one serving
|
Glass of juice
|
½ cup fruit or vegetable juice
|
Berry
smoothie or fruit shake
|
½ cup blueberries, strawberries or blackberries in milk or yogurt drink
|
Sliced banana or berries on cereal
|
1 medium banana or ½ cup berries
|
Grapefruit or melon
|
½ grapefruit or fist-sized sized wedge
|
Piece of fresh fruit
|
1 medium apple or banana
|
Raw vegetables
|
2 handfuls of baby carrots
|
Trail mix with dried fruit
|
1 handful (1/4 cup) of dried apricots, raisins or cranberries
|
Noon:
|
|
Salad
|
1 cup Romaine lettuce, salad greens, spinach or shredded cabbage
|
Fresh fruit
|
1 medium pear, kiwi or peach
|
Drinking box
|
½ cup (½ of 250 ml box)
|
Canned or packaged fruit cup
|
4-ounce fruit cup or 100% apple sauce or fruit blend
|
Vegetable soup
|
1 large bowl
|
Veggies in sandwich and raw vegetable sticks
|
½ cup
|
Dinner:
|
|
Pizza with extra vegetables – mushrooms, pepper, spinach, broccoli, eggplant
|
½ cup of vegetables over 2 wedges of pizza
|
Vegetable side dish
|
1 medium-sized carrot; ½ cup beans
|
Stir fry
|
½ cup of mixed Chinese vegetables
|
Pasta with added vegetables
|
½ cup peas, carrots, peppers
|
Fruit for dessert
|
½ cup fresh or canned fruit
|
Healthy Eating at Work
Eating healthy foods at work can be challenging, especially if your coffee room vending machine is stocked with chips and chocolate bars, and donuts and sweets are served at meetings.
Be the change you want to see. Ask about introducing healthier selections to the vending machine, and have your caterer or food supplier bring a tray of ready to eat fruits and vegetables for meetings. Order less pop and more 100% fruit juices and water. Everyone is sure to be more alert during meetings, especially long ones!
Links:
Heart and Stroke Foundation
to find out why you need 5 - 10 servings a day and ‘how to do it’ ideas for home, work and on the go.
Canada
’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
Dial-A-Dietitian
