Eating fruits and vegetables is a major way most of us tend to slack off when it comes to eating healthy. But they’re something our bodies need to not only stave off disesases and other health problems later in life, but also to give us good health now, including clear skin, a happy tummy, and stronger defenses against sickness.

God gave us such bounty hanging from trees, growing in the ground, and popping up on bushes. Fruits and vegetables are truly an example of his loving care for us, specially made for your body by the One who made your body, while preservative-packed, chemically processed snack foods are an example of man messing up a good thing.

At mealtime, you probably often feel as though you just have to eat what’s put in front of you, but you can at least go for the green stuff, making about half of your plate consist of vegetables, and then splitting the remaining half between a meat and a starch, like potatoes, corn, noodles, or rice.

Here are some more tips for how to work in more fruits and veggies in between meals, especially raw ones, which pack the most nutritious punch.
 

Fast fruit and veggie snacks: Rather than grabbing some packaged snack, reach for some of these.

•     A piece of fruit with a handful of nuts or crackers: the sweet and salty make a delicious combination.
•     Chips and salsa: the healthiest way to eat chips.
•     Apple slices dipped in peanut butter, or to satisfy a chocolate craving, Nutella.
•     Carrots dipped in Ranch dressing or peanut butter.
•     Grapes and a cheese stick: the healthy version of the French’s favorite snack of wine and cheese.
  
  

Quick snack recipes: These take a little bit more prep work, but the payoff is some tasty snacks!

·         Smoothie: check out this list of allrecipes.com’s Top 10 smoothie recipes, or experiment with your favorite fruit and yogurt. Honey is the healthiest way to sweeten, and you can even try throwing in some blendable green veggies like spinach or avocado to up your drink’s health factor.

·         Fruit Dip: Whip some up and keep it in the fridge so you can dip your favorite fruits for a yummy, healthy snack!  An easy recipe is to blend equal parts whipped cream with your favorite flavor of yogurt.

·         Veggie Pizza: Your family will love this combination of crescent rolls, Ranch flavor, and colorful veggies. It can even be a good side dish for dinner!

Desserts loaded with fruit: Sure, licking a brownie bowl is terribly satisfying, but these desserts will make your family happy, and give them some super-healthy raw fruit.

·         Fruit Pizza: Berries, cream cheese, and sugar cookies: who can resist? Here’s an easy recipe.

·         Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips: This is a fun twist on a snack most families love, so yours will appreciate you for prepping this dip and homemade chips.

Kim Mauck