Whole fruits are excellent sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. All these components make fruits an essential component of a healthy diet.

Whole fruits can help reduce the risk of developing chronic illnesses   such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. Also, fruits are rich in fiber and can help improve our gut health.

The dietary guidelines for Americans recommend a daily fruit intake of 1½ to 2 cups for women and 2 to 2½ cups for men. Here are 5 ways to help you meet your fruit intake goals:

1. Set a fruit-intake goal for breakfast

Eating fruit in the morning will provide you with energy and fiber to jump start your day. Here are some simple meals to increase your fruit intake in your breakfast:

• Seasonal fruit smoothies
• Oatmeal or cereal with healthy fruits like apples, berries, or pears
• Banana overnight oats
• Fruit and Greek yogurt
• Acai bowls

Depending on your preference, these examples can be either your main breakfast dish or your side dish. However, make sure you don’t consume more calories than you need.

2. Try Something New

Eating the same kind of fruit every day can get boring. Therefore, we highly encourage you to look for variety when going grocery shopping. Also, don’t limit yourself to seasonal fruits. You can also try dried fruits , which are  ideal for eating as snacks ,  and frozen fruits , which are  perfect for making smoothies in the summer.

3. Start Small: Sneak Fruit in Recipes

The goal is for you to enjoy your meals healthily. If you are not a fruit-enthusiast, the best approach is to start small. Here are some ways to sneak small portions of fruit into your everyday meals:

• Add fruits   such as peaches, berries, or grapes  to salads.
• Instead of soda, try fruit-infused sparkling water.
• Add small portions of fruit to green smoothies. For example, you can try making a smoothie with spinach, avocado, kiwi, and almond milk.

Once you make a habit of eating fruit, you can eventually set up a goal to increase your fruit intake.

4. Make Your Snacks Fruity

When hunger strikes and we crave something sweet, our first instinct is to grab the nearest candy bar. However, there are healthier ways to snack and satisfy your cravings.

Here are some snacks with fruit you can’t miss out on:

• Sweet Toast: Add peanut butter on toast, put some bananas on top, and finish with a hint of honey.
• Popsicles: Combine Greek yogurt and honey. Then put some berries on the bottom of a popsicle mold, add greek yogurt, and repeat. Leave the popsicles in the freezer for 5 hours.
• Bittersweet Toasts: Spread goat cheese on toast, then put sliced strawberries on top. Add a hint of honey to make it sweeter. Instead of strawberries, we also recommend trying other fruits like figs or mangoes.
• Peachy snacks: Cut peaches in half and remove the pit. Preheat the oven at 350 F and bake the peaches for 30 minutes. Serve the peaches with one scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

5. Prep Ahead

Prepping ahead can make a difference when choosing between a piece of fruit and a candy bar.

It may not seem like a big deal, but we encourage you to wash your fruit as soon as you get it from the supermarket. You can also slice it and save it in the fridge. This way, when you feel hungry, you’ll have fruit ready to eat or to take on the go.

Are you looking for more ways to add fruit to your diet? Z.E.N. Foods can help! We offer a variety of healthy and tasty meals, snacks and desserts that will help ensure an adequate fruit intake in your diet, and we deliver those freshly made meals to you daily. Reach out to us and learn more at (310) 205-9368!