How many times during childhood do we hear the words “Eat your vegetables!” How we wished we had grown up and never had to eat those horrible things again. Unfortunately, vegetables and fruits are a vital part of our daily diet. If you decide not to eat them, you will undoubtedly feel sick and gain weight. Possibly the biggest reason we don’t like vegetables is that we tend to overcook them, leaving them bland and soggy. This is the worst way to cook vegetables, since you are taking everything good out of them. Ideally, a person should aim to eat between 5 and 10 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Do you remember being drilled into it at school? Turns out they were actually right!

If you think 5 to 10 servings is a lot to consume in a day, let’s see what a serving size really is. A serving is one medium piece of fruit or vegetable. That’s one carrot or 1 apple or 1 banana equals one serving. 5 or 10 of those don’t sound so bad now, right?

An easy way to eat more fruits and vegetables is to cut them up and store them in a small freezer bag or sandwich bag. Prepare them the night before to use them the next day. Buy a peeler and peel and cut many different kinds of fruits or vegetables and store them in the plastic bags in the fridge. Maybe try some celery, carrots, or an apple.

These pieces of fruit and vegetables are ideal to take to work for snacks. At your coffee break, grab some of these healthy alternatives instead of the fries from the vending machine. Keep a salt shaker handy at work. Drizzling a little over the vegetables will help bring out the natural flavor and make them more appetizing. These are handy snacks you can take anywhere. If you’re going on a long trip, take some with you. Keep some at work, at home in the fridge for when you’re hungry or want a late-night snack. A great way to get plenty of vegetables into your diet is through soup. However, be careful with the canned variety, as they often contain a lot of salt. Why don’t you try making your own soup? Much healthier as it will also reduce unnecessary fat.

Another way to get a serving of vegetables is by eating a small salad. If you’re going to eat out, try ordering a salad next time. Be careful with salad dressing and only use vinegar and oil, using just enough oil to balance out the acid taste of the vinegar.

It is important to introduce as many fruits and vegetables into your diet as possible. Eat them raw whenever you can as it is the most beneficial for your body. Also try to use fresh produce as sometimes the canning or freezing process can alter the flavor and goodness.

If you insist on cooking the vegetables, blanch them a bit. Just long enough to eliminate the tough, raw feeling and definitely don’t overcook them until they’re mushy and flavorless. This will strip all the nutrients and vitamins from the vegetables. Remember that you are eating them to benefit your health, so don’t waste your time and money making them useless.

Try these ideas to increase your intake of fruits and vegetables.

or Breakfast. Chop some fruit and add it to your cereal. It makes your cereal taste sweet without adding sugar. Drink a glass of fruit juice with your breakfast. Juices are another good way to consume more fruit. Try to use the juice with the ‘bits’ still in it, as they are a great source of fiber.

or Lunch. Eat a lot of salads, but remember to be careful with the dressings. Having vegetable sticks with your meal will fill you up if you’re hungry. Have a fruit for dessert, much better than ice cream or something even more fattening!

or Dinner. Try plant-based foods like vegetarian pizza or other meat-free meals. How about a fish with lots of corn and green vegetables? Mix your own personal favourites.

The key to eating lots of fruits and vegetables is to make them fun. If you make them bland and boring, they won’t look appetizing. Buy yourself a cookbook or check out some recipe websites and learn new ideas for fruits and vegetables. make them exciting and you’ll want to eat them and you’ll soon notice a big difference in your health and well-being.