"Fruits & Veggies—More Matters"

Today, the nonprofit organization, Produce for Better Health (PBH) Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) unveiled a new nationwide public health initiative, "Fruits & Veggies—More Matters", the next generation of the 15-year-old “5 A Day for Better Health” program, to encourage Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables.

Since 1990 the Dietary Guidelines for Americans has recommended consuming at least 2 servings of fruits and 3 servings of vegetables daily. However, two studies from John Hopkins University published in the April issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine clearly showed that Americans are not meeting the mark. This is a serious public health concern because consuming a diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with decreased risk of obesity and certain chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) gives the following tips to help you meet your fruit and vegetable goals: (i) Keep a bowl of fruit handy, (ii) Go for variety (iii) Serve a salad with dinner, (iv) Add beans to chili or soup, (v) If you're ordering pizza, add some veggie toppings, (vi) Put chopped vegetables in pasta sauce or lasagna, (vii) Dip fresh fruit in low-fat yogurt or pudding, (vii) Dip raw veggies in low-fat salad dressing.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also has the following advices for parents who say their children get more tempted by other foods and aren't interested in eating fruits and vegetables: (i) Set a good example with your own diet, (ii) While shopping, let kids pick a new fruit or vegetable to try, (iii) Kids often like foods served separately, so don't mix vegetables on their plate, (iv) Offer children a choice of fruits at lunch, (v) Top kids' cereal with berries or a smiley face made of sliced bananas for eyes, raisins for a nose, and an orange slice for a mouth, (vi) Use cut-up vegetables as part of afternoon snacks, (vii) Let kids decide on the dinner vegetables or what goes into salads, (viii) If children are old enough, let them help shop for, clean, peel, or cut up fruits and vegetables.