Empowering your Family: A Diet Rich in Fruit

From the grocery cart to the table . . . with five variations, Studio 5 Contributor, Amy Roskelley shares five ways to serve one bowl of fruit.


HOW YOUR FAMILY BENEFITS:

1. Fruits are loaded with nutrients like Vitamins A, C, and E and high in fiber.

2. Strengthens immunity, protects your family from getting sick and helps you recover more quickly when you do.

3. Protects against diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

HOW MUCH WE NEED:

Everyone in your family (both children and adults) should be eating 1-2 cups of fruit per day. Multiply that by the number of people in your family, and you need to keep your cupboards stocked with fruit.

The Department of Agriculture has gone away from number of servings and instead has standardized one serving as a cup of fruit.

DIFFERENT WAY TO ENJOY FRUIT:

1. Fresh: optimal amount of nutrients; best for taste.

2. Frozen: very high amount of nutrients; usually frozen within hours of harvesting; available year round, loses some flavor.

3. Canned: shelf stable, available year round; check labels to avoid added sugar.

4. Dried: available year round; portable; high in calories.

5. Juices: concentrated amounts of nutrients; convenient; children enjoy taste; lacks fiber.

ONE BOWL OF FRUIT, FIVE WAYS:

A bowl of fruit salad prepared after a trip to the grocery store and be used throughout the week.

Day 1 Breakfast: Eat a bowl of fruit salad for breakfast mixed with a small amount of yogurt.

Day 2 Lunch: Same bowl, let your kids skewer pieces of fruit to make kabobs.

Day 3 Snack: Same bowl, this time add bowls of dips such as peanut butter and yogurt.

Day 4 Dessert: Bring out the bowl again and scoop out a cup to make a smoothie.

Day 5 Snack: Puree the rest of the leftover fruit to mix with yogurt; pour into Popsicle molds; or use in baked goods.


Amy Roskelley shares more tips and ideas about empowering your kids to eat
healthier at www.superhealthykids.com

She is the creator of the Healthy Habits Plate, a unique visual tool to help your kids see what a balanced meal should look like. You can purchase the plate from her website.

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