Fruits Guide
1. Having a side of fruits
Have a cup of fruits as part of your breakfast meal. If you prefer breakfast on the go, opt for whole fruits that are easy to eat, such as a banana, apple and berries.
2. Chopped & Topped as A Breakfast Topping
Instead of opting for sugar ladened, pre-flavored yogurts or maple syrup, try using fruits to sweeten and add flavor to popular breakfast options like oatmeal, yogurt, cottage cheese, pancakes, and even toast (like bananas and strawberry on a peanut butter toast!).
3. Blended into Smoothies
Smoothies are a great way to get a variety of fruits into your diet in a single meal. Not sure what a good combination is? Check out your frozen aisle in your grocery store to get frozen, pre-cut fruit medleys that you can toss into the blender each morning.
4. Make Jam, Compote or Cooked Into Pancakes/Oatmeal
Throw some chopped fruits into your pancake mix, or cook it in your oatmeal (pumpkin spice oatmeal, apple pie oatmeal anyone?). Make a fruit compote or jam for your pancakes and toast.
1. Add Fruit into A Salad
Toss 1 cup of fresh fruit or 1/4 cup of dried fruit into your salads to add sweetness, moisture and level up flavors and textures. We highly recommend these fruit options for salads: Strawberries, Apples, Blueberries, Strawberries, Mandarin Oranges, Grapefruit, Mango, Grapes, dried cranberries, raisins etc.
2. Make Fruit Salsas
Fruit salsas are a great way to jazz up your meals with a tropical flavor profile. Make a fruit salsa to boost your chicken, pork, fish and shrimp dishes. Pineapple, peaches and mangoes are some fruits commonly used in this way.
3. Make a Side of Grilled or Caramelized Fruits
Fruits are a fun way to add sweetness to your meal, especially when you caramelize the natural sugars with heat. Try applesauce or grilled sliced apples with porkchops or tenderloins or throw some on the grill. Fruits that do well on the grill include pineapple and stone fruits (plums, apricots, peaches, nectarines).
4. Serve as Dessert
The sweetness of fruits is a delightful way to end a meal. Eat fresh by itself, or blend some frozen fruits for a refreshing “sorbet” or smoothie. Some popular dessert fruit options are strawberries, figs, nectarines, pineapples, oranges and berries
Fruits are a great healthier alternative when you’re craving something sweet. Below are some options:
1. As a carb source in protein rich snacks.
Try the following:
Fruit with Greek yogurt or cottage cheese
Fruit with hard boiled eggs, jerky, or cheese
Fruit with Peanut Butter. Great pairings are banana, apple, strawberries and grapes.
2. Transform Fruits into Baked Goods and Treats
Make fruits more portable and extend their lifespan by transforming them into baked goods and portable snacks. Try these options out:
Make Energy Bites
Make Energy Bars
Make Baked Goods
3. Quick, Emergency Snack Options
Dried fruits are also a great emergency snack option to keep at hand in your bag, in your pantry or at your desk. They are readily available in grocery stores, or you can make your own with a dehydrator. Be mindful of portions, as dried fruits are low in volume and can easily be overconsumed.
Here are some dried fruit options:
Buy in store, or make your own: Dried Apples, Apricots, Bananas, Mango, Jackfruit, Kiwi, Pineapple.
Raisins
Fruit Based Energy Bars – Look for energy bars that are primarily made out of fruits. Common ingredients used are dates and apples.
Fruit Leather/Strips - Make your own. If you’re buying them from the store, be sure to check the nutrition labels and watch for volume of added sugars.
Fruits are an important component in your diet because they provide crucial vitamins and minerals for our bodies to stay healthy, fight infections and repair itself.
To up your fruit game, aim to eat a variety of fruits so your body receives a complete range of important vitamins and minerals. Here are a few fun ways to do so:
Try a new fruit each month – Check out ethnic markets for fruit options from other countries.
Eating a rainbow of fruits
Eating with the season
