Today's Challenge- Fruits and Veggies

Growing up, our mother's told us over and over again to eat our veggies.  Ok...my problem was that they were canned, and there is just something wrong about the inside of a carrot popping out of the middle....... Anyways....little did we know....(ok...I'm admitting it) our mothers were right.  Fruits and veggies provide us with essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that may help protect you from chronic diseases.  Plus, they can help help you in losing or maintaining your weight. To get the health benefits our bodies need day in and day out, think rainbow...eat a rainbow everyday. According to the CDC, a female age 40, who exercises 30 - 60 minutes per day should be eating 2 cups of fruit and 2.5 cups of veggies per day and a man, age 40, who exercises 30 - 60 minutes per day should be eating 2 cups of fruit and 3.5 cups of veggies per day (WOW!  that's a lot of fruits and veggies). So...with our small pouches, how do we meet this challenge?  It's easier than what you think.... Add fruit to your breakfast cereal.  1 small banana = 1/2 cup, 1 small apple = 1 cup Midday Snack: 6 baby carrots = 1/2 cup Evening: 16 grapes = 1/2 cup 1 cup of lettuce = 1/2 cup of veggies Snack on raw veggies such as sugar snap peas.  They give a great crunch that when stressed is a great replacement to pretzels or popcorn. Add fresh veggies to spaghetti sauce.  I like to add diced yellow squash, zuchini and graed carrot to a jar of spaghetti sauce to make it really chunky. To my protein shakes, I add a chunk of banana, or frozen cherries, So....today's challenege is to figure our how you can increase your intake of fruits and veggies and then go for it! For more information, check out http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/benefits/index.html#

But I don't HAVE a pouch??? I have a real stomach.  Now what?

Then eat your fruits and veggies if you can.......