Help fitting in servings of fruit veggies

BodyRockerVT
BodyRockerVT Posts: 323 Member
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
I admit, I am a carb eater. I LOVE carbs.

That said, I know I am suppose to get lots of fresh fruits and veggies.

How do you fit that into your daily mean plans??

Today my total veggie count is 2. One serving tomato soup and one serving strawberries.

The problem is I don't tend to eat a lot at once so I can't really have veggies "with" a meal. Tonights dinner is grilled cheese and tomato soup...that is how I get my veggie in today...and it isn't a "great" veggie either...as it is tech a fruit...

So...how do you get the fruit and veg in??? Tips? Tricks? Anything?

Replies

  • ktspac
    ktspac Posts: 32
    i'm having the same problem - goal this week to add more

    i am going to try to add some cut up veggies - peppers, maybe broccoli into my scrambled egg wraps that i have been making for breakfast. my healthy choice lunches at work have veggies in them and my yogurt mid morning snack has some fruit in it. i really have to plan ahead for my dinner to make sure i have veggies in a good size portion with it - have been doing too much meat & starch and not enough veggies in there

    going to try to have more fresh fruit on hand for a snack also

    i hate salads and raw veggies so can't just snack on that during the day too

    Karen
  • elliecolorado
    elliecolorado Posts: 1,040
    I am a carb lover too. But I try to fit in a lot of fruits and veggies!
    Breakfast: cereal or yogurt with strawberries
    Snack: a piece of fruit
    Lunch: salad or sandwich with lots of veggies
    Snack: celery with hummus or peanut butter
    Dinner: Chicken with some kind of steamed veggies or salad
    Night snack/dessert: Strawberries or peaches with fat free whipped cream

    Obviously what I eat varies, but that is a pretty typical day. I usually try to have some kind of fruit or veggies each time that I eat.
  • husker_gal
    husker_gal Posts: 462 Member
    JAMBA JUICE! They have three new all fruit and veggie smoothies that are just fruit, veggies, and ice. Very yummy and usually are a total of 3-3.5 servings of fruits and veggies.
  • CherylleeH
    CherylleeH Posts: 27
    I've been trying to do the same thing. Today I had a couple of stalks of celery and half a sliced cucumber with a turkey sandwich instead of chips. It was really good!

    I also found a supplement to add to water called Greens to Go. I got it at Costco but have seen it other places too (grocery stores etc). I really like the flavor so it makes me drink more water too. And there are 6 servings of fruits and vegetables in every packet. It looks a little weird because it's green but it really does taste good. Oh, and only 30 calories per packet. :happy:
  • dailyorange
    dailyorange Posts: 128
    Make a smoothie if you have a blender.

    There's this one smoothie I make sometimes to go with a sandwich.

    1/2 cup almond milk (sweetened or unsweetened)
    1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
    2 handfuls of baby spinach
    1 cup of frozen fruit (you choose! strawberry, peach, blueberry, etc.)

    You can't really taste the spinach, it adds a "fresh" taste. You can also experiment adding other types of fruits/veggies. Have fun experimenting =P
  • beatlemom
    beatlemom Posts: 250 Member
    I eat plenty of fruit and veggies but have to be creative with my son. I buy him apple slices and put them in his lunch box. I also get him a parfait from McDonalds cause it has real strawberries and blueberries and low fat yogurt and he likes that. Their Fruit and walnut salad is good too. We also do bagged baby carrots, He is picky about lettuce, so I make him green leaf lettuce salads. And applesauce is good. We try all kinds of different things, some he likes some he doesn't. Tried kiwi and liked it. Strawberries are really good for you.
  • lbritt5
    lbritt5 Posts: 23 Member
    Like all of you I am a carb lover and I have been struggling to get my fruits and vegies in but I have been doing 10X better than I use too. For my midmeal snacks I normally hit up a fruit (rember alot of times a whoe fruit is 2 servings) and I make sure there are veggies on the table for dinner, I devour as many as I can since I love greens (Normally 2 to 3 servings). My typical dinner lately has been 0 to no Carbs, Meat for Protien, and a varriety of Veggies.
  • LUVTHECARDS1
    LUVTHECARDS1 Posts: 9 Member
    I make smoothies. I put in the following:
    * 1 to 1 1/2 cup of water
    * 1 1/2 cup blueberries (frozen-unsweetened)
    * 2 frozen-unsweetened strawberries
    * 1 TBS of Bob Mill's Flaxseed Meal
    * 1 scoop of Designer Whey Protein (Vanilla Flavored)
    * Handful of Spinach

    I know this might sound gross to put spinach in it, but you honestly can't taste it. I also sometimes put a carrot in it or some cabbage leaves. I wasn't a big veggie eater either, but I can get in my fruit & veggie servings in this way. I blend it all and drink it for breakfast or after my runs. It's yummy!!!
  • liveyourlifex
    liveyourlifex Posts: 149 Member
    my mom boils a few cups of chicken broth into a pan. then she adds in some carrots, cabbages, broccoli, mushroom, and any other fruit. then you eat it :) its really good and healthy. you also dont have to worry about over eating because theyre all vegetables, which are negative calorie foods so youre all good
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I do things like toss a bag of baby spinach into whole wheat pasta when it's just about finished cooking. I still serve it with marinara or meat sauce. It's an extra serving and you hardly know it's there! Definitely fresh fruit in plain yogurt. Fresh berries in oatmeal.
  • aangrisani
    aangrisani Posts: 92
    I eat a box of those small green giant steamer veggies. They have like 3 servings of vegetable in them. I tend to eat them with lunch. I have a fruit in the morning and a fruit for dinner. I also eat veggies with dinner. I truly love veggies, sometimes I eat veggies, yogurt and fruit for lunch.
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
    You have to be a parent to yourself - no other carbs until you've gotten in your veggies! You can't just say, "sorry, no room for veggies today", you need to priotize the veggies and protein and then see if you have room for carbs. Grilled cheese with veggies, salad based in spinach or kale with protein for lunch, omelet with chopped veggies for breakfast...

    Use my fitness pal as a meal planner, and plan your meals around veggies, fruits, and protein instead of around carbs. Sorry. I'd love to plan my diet around french fries and sugar, but I can't
  • JunkFoodJane
    JunkFoodJane Posts: 150 Member
    I'm not too into carbs :p


    Quick and easy way to get 3 servings- cube half a tomato. Chop baby spinach. Heat in a skillet over medium high for 3 minutes. Add an egg and either scramble or omelette it up. Top with sliced avocado, fat free cottage cheese and salsa. Or pop it on some bread with the avocado and mayo/other.

    Make spaghetti with enough extra sauce to add half a head of broccoli (chop it small and cook well), a bag of spinach (will wilt to almost nothing) some grated carrots and top with avocado.

    Cook squash in EVOO and taco seasoning. Top Spanish rice with it. So good.

    I also buy squashes and an assortment of bell peppers, chop big, coat with olive oil and cover with freshly shredded Parm. I can eat it just like this, but bake & broil or grill it for my family.
  • lulusmom
    lulusmom Posts: 71
    I eat a majority of my veggies with lunch and dinner. For example, today I ate carrot sticks and sliced cucumber with my lunch. 4 servings of veggies. Tonight for dinner I will make a Simply Steam Asparagus and eat 2 servings. Then I will eat an apple for mid morning snack and grapes for afternoon snack. Finally will eat strawberries or watermelon for dessert after dinner.

    Simply Steam Veggies are GREAT. Easy and tasty. They are my go-to veggie when I am throwing together a 5 minute dinner (e.g. 4 nights per week).
  • kimberlyAjohnson
    kimberlyAjohnson Posts: 136 Member
    I struggle with my servings too, especially veggies!
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