How did you get into the habit...

When it comes to produce, i find it better to buy just 2 different fruits. Either apples and strawberries or bananas and oranges. That allows me an option without going crazy. I try to have at least 1 fruit and 1 veggie per meal AND only fruits for snacks.

Aim at eating at least 2 fruits per day, slowly add more. It always helps to pre-plan when you will be eating these fruits as well.

I found this hard, too. What helps, but doesn't always solve, with this problem for me was to make a meal plan for each evening meal (breakfast could work, too), and then *make* that meal to include what I need to work on. I am up to (odd way to put it, I know) 2 tomatoes every evening, and a banana for after dinner.

Like I said, it helps me...

I don't see what the problem is. Just bring an apple to work with you everyday and eat it during lunch. Or eat a banana as part of your breakfast. It's not that difficult. Most people don't vary what they eat each day by that much.

Hiya!

I understand the part about the food going bad. I also can be lax in the fruit and vegetable consumption...then I go "all out" and buy a ton at the grocery store. The reality, for me, is that I can't eat it all that fast.

In order for me to have fruits and veggies on hand to eat AND have them not go bad, I do a few things:

1) Shop more often and buy only what I am absolutely going to use that day or the next. (While not super convenient, it makes sense for fresh produce. When switching to more fresh items when you may be used to more processed things...shelf life is different - very short) And with good reason...fresh fruit and vegetables were just living in the ground/tree/shrub not that long ago and now they are no longer getting cared for in a way that keeps them alive. Imagine un-potting a houseplant and no longer watering it...how long would it last?

2) I buy organic frozen veggies and fruit (more so in the winter) and add those to my meals. I have certain foods I don't mind getting frozen because of how I incorporate them - you'll have to see what works for you...texture is often affected. I keep frozen blueberries, raspberries and strawberries (and mango!) on hand as I'll make a smoothie or just let them defrost overnight in the fridge and mix them with yogurt and granola. I also love frozen cut spinach and broccoli and use that in my scrambled eggs or kasha pilaf. Frozen corn, peas and beans typically retain a similar texture depending on how you prepare them...I usually steam frozen veggies just as I would fresh. I find peppers don't do so well...they thaw really mushy...maybe that was just the one brand.

3) I buy the longer lasting fruits and veggies - I find that apples, oranges, carrots, celery, onions, garlic and potatoes last pretty well. I usually always have those on hand. Also...because you can rip apart bananas...I usually only get 2-3 at a time...and even then you could get 3 in various states of ripeness so they don't all ripen at once. (I just thought of that know!)

4) I don't wash anything until I'm ready to use it. I find that, especially with berries, washing can increase decay speed. Similarly, how things are stored make a difference. I'm still figuring that out...some things need to be sealed tight..others do okay as is...and others seem to need moderate wrapping.

5) Dried fruits and veggies can help too...although some brands add sugar which I prefer to avoid.

Best to you!

9thChakra

Oh yeah...

My partner eats like a robot...same thing, same time, very little change. While he gets his fruit and veggies in regularly...I personally find it boring as well as not healthy, for me, to eat that way.

I, therefore, make an effort to have a few staple fruits and veggies around that I consume regularly...but then I also make an effort to try new ones and figure how to prep and cook. I've been able to discover a lot more options this way and it also is fun!

I get bored of the same fruit everyday so for me the trick is to buy lower quantity of different variety.

I eat fruit with my morning snack and as dessert at lunch. I eat vegetables with lunch and dinner. I'm working on getting more in, but being consistent and having a pattern makes it easy to get in fruits and veggies.

For fruit, I find the best way to do it is when you get home from the grocery store, immediately cut it all up/wash it and put into single serving sizes either in bags or tupperware. When you put them into the fridge, don't put them in the crisper drawer, put them right in the middle of the top shelf in the fridge. As they say, out of sight, out of mind. I do the same with baby carrots and other veggies I like to snack on. However, I'm not big on snacking on veggies, so I try and plan my meals ahead of time to incorporate veggies, whether it be beef stew in the crockpot with carrots and sweet potato or spaghetti squash instead of pasta. It takes some planning and thought, but once you do it for 3 weeks, it'll be second nature and you won't have to think about it anymore.

... Of eating fruits and vegetables every day? I find that about once a week or maybe every other week, I'll decide "today's the day! An apple a day! A banana! Something!" And I'll go out - and I'll buy enough fruit, surely, to fill at LEAST two big bowls.

And then I'll eat an apple. Maybe two or three strawberries.

And then a week or two later go, "Crap! That fruit! It's all bad now!" and have to toss what's bad. And then I still won't eat what's good.

Any advice on how to buy this fruit... And actually eat it? Sounds pathetic, doesn't it. I figure I'll start in on vegetables as soon as I get the fruit thing down.

I'm not big on fruit so there are days I may not eat any. When I do I always add them to something-banana in my oatmeal, pineapple in my cottage cheese etc. I like veggies well enough, though again I won't eat them by themselves. I usually have a large salad every day and that includes several different kinds. Or I'll add them to eggs, rice etc.

Just get a few things. If you're aching to snack get fruit instead. I usually get strawberries, kiwi, and bananas and make a fruit salad with a bit of yogurt. You can make a strawberry spinach salad with the remaining strawberries and vegan icecream with the remaining bananas

I can't eat oranges, but I have no idea what to do with them? Maybe freshly squeeze some orange juice, have some with yogurt as a snack? It gets easier when you have more options rather than just "Eat this fruit plain and be done with it." Find something to mix with it! Make it fun. Healthy eating doesn't have to be chore.

For vegetables, you might have to find new dishes to mix them in. Personally, I love plain, fresh veggies. You can blend carrots into tomato sauce and put it on spaghetti. Mix broccoli into alfredo, make a mushroom dressing for something. Find new recipes, cause cooking new things is always fun.

You could also try planning your meals for the next day and make sure you add the fruits and veggies into the schedule.

That, or if you hate vegetables that much, get a V8, or learn how to blend and make one yourself so you don't have to buy things with so many preservatives if you prefer!

Good luck! :happy:

Definitely plan and pre-log your meals. My method is to log 3-5 days in advance, planning each meal in this order: protein, vegetable/fruit (I aim for one fruit or two veg servings per meal), healthy fats, then carbs/starches if I have calories left. I don't vary my foods wildly each day, but as I'm planning I do think about things like, "My spinach salad at lunch was green and my breakfast plum was purple... I should have some yellow squash and red peppers for dinner." Just, you know, making sure I'm getting a little nutrient variety each day. Shopping is easy; I just make sure I have something fresh from at least three color groups in my cart.

I just buy the fruits and veggies that I like and add them to my meals. I just don't buy anything out there, I have done it and everything goes to waste. So for me is just that, I buy what I know I am going to eat and the rest is history.

I literally just don't buy a ton of things I don't need to eat, especially not very many snacks. I (very loosely) plan my meals for the week, buy what I need for them specifically, and then make those foods and eat them. It's pretty rare that I'd have a meal without at least one veggie, because...well, what else would I eat? I literally have a hard time thinking of any lunch or dinner that doesn't have at least one vegetable (breakfast is different...mmm bagels!).

I also bring a bag of fruit to work every week and eat that as my afternoon snack. It's right there, and its what I have--so I eat it.

What exactly are you eating instead of the fruits and vegetables? Why not just stop buying whatever that thing is?