I think I mentioned a few weeks ago that after the holidays our family started a 3-month “diet” (more like a healthy lifestyle plan) with a list of daily requirements, one of which involves consuming at least 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables daily. This is easier said than done! I would have thought we probably ate as healthy as the typical family, but I’ve come to realize maybe we weren’t doing so well after all. More than once we’ve been found madly munching down carrot sticks at 7:45 pm (part of the plan says we can’t eat after 8 pm) just to get in that last serving of veggies for the day. I’ve had to get creative, like throwing a handful of fresh spinach into scrambled eggs for breakfast and saving that last serving of peas from dinner to add to a bowl of canned soup for lunch the next day.
All in all, let this be a reminder to all that eating a healthy amount of fruits and veggies daily doesn’t just happen automatically. It involves conscientious restocking of the produce drawer and creative planning of new ways to prepare and include that produce-- both raw and cooked—in daily meals and snacks. I hope when our three-month stint is over, this is one habit our family will keep for good.
*Originally distributed January 2014
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