
National Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day
Get your daily dose of sunshine with a rainbow of fruits and veggies! Colorful, crunchy, and bursting with flavor, eating well never tasted so good. So dig in and enjoy the bounty of nature with every bite.
Whether it’s an apple a day to keep the doctor away or a pile of broccoli that look like little trees, everyone can use just a few more fruits and vegetables in their diets on a daily basis. And that’s what National Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day is all about!
History of National Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day
Trends in the United States point toward more and more problems with obesity at increasingly younger ages. One of the culprits of this unhealthy trend may be related to the increase in processed foods that most average Americans are eating in their usual meals.
In an effort to minimize the struggle with obesity, nutritionists encourage people of all ages to get into the habit of eating more fruits and vegetables in their daily diets.
The first National Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day was celebrated in 2015. Sponsored by the Dole company, this day is meant to promote the healthy role that fruits and vegetables play in the diets of human beings. And paying attention to eating more fruits and vegetables for one day offers the beginning of a new habit that can last into the future – creating a healthier and happier society of people!
How to Celebrate National Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day
Fruits and vegetables are delicious and nutritious every day! But on National Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day, they deserve just a little bit of extra attention. Enjoy the day by implementing some of these activities and ideas:
Eat More Fruits and Veggies
The name of the day says it all! Traditionally, nutrition experts recommend that a person eats five to seven (or more) full servings of fruits and vegetables each day but most average people do not meet up to this standard. Honestly, it would be really difficult to eat too many fruits and vegetables, so whatever is ‘normal’ for a meal, go ahead and add one or two more.
In celebration of National Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day, try incorporating an extra piece of fruit for breakfast, like an orange or half of a grapefruit. Add some extra carrot sticks or celery sticks as part of lunch. Choose a pear or a banana for an afternoon snack and grab a big salad, either on the side or as an entire meal, for the dinner time meal. Eating fruits and vegetables is easy and delicious!
Try Some New Types of Fruits and Vegetables
Getting bored with the usual peas and carrots? Well, there’s a whole world of interesting and unique fruits and vegetables out there to try in honor of National Eat More Fruits and Vegetables Day! Consider adding one of these to the repertoire to try out:
- Cherimoyas. This heart-shaped fruit with a green textured skin has a creamy center when ripe.
- Tomatillos. A Latin-American fruit looks like a green tomato and is grown mostly in the southern states.
- Kumquat. This bright orange fruit is about the size of a large grape and it’s possible to eat the whole thing.
- Dandelion Greens. These pesky “weeds” in the garden offer a fresh new take on flavor when put into a salad.