A - Fruits & Vegetables Eat 5 A Day for Better Health

Chef James and the Food Reference Website strongly endorse the 5 A Day  program, not only for better health, but for it emphasis on fresh, palate pleasing food! Fruits and vegetables are highly nutritious, especially fresh fruit, fresh fruit juice, fresh vegetables, fresh vegetable soups, fresh salads, etc. They taste good, they are good for you, they are easy and quick to prepare, they look good, they smell good - Holy Moly Rocky - FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ARE THE PERFECT 'FAST FOOD'!!! And when you are not able to have fresh, then have frozen, canned or dried fruits and vegetables. They are almost as easy to prepare, and contain similar nutrient contents as fresh. Many dried fruits have even higher nutrient content because they have been concentrated in a smaller 'package'.
Look for the EAT 5 A DAY logo on Official 5 A Day recipes here on the Food Reference Website.  RECIPES

The 5 A Day for Better Health Program is a large-scale public/private partnership between the fruit and vegetable industry and the U. S. Government. This national nutrition program seeks to increase the number of daily servings Americans eat of fruits and vegetables to five or more. Along with this main goal, the program works to inform Americans that eating fruits and vegetables can improve their health and may reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases. The program provides consumers with easy ways to add more fruits and vegetables into their daily eating patterns.

5 EASY WAYS TO 5 A DAY

• Have a fruit or juice at breakfast daily. Have a fruit or vegetable snack each day.

• Stock up on dried, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables.

• Make Fruit and Vegetables Visible in Your Home.

• Microwave vegetables for dinner.  

9 EASY WAYS TO EAT 5 TO 9

• Grab an apple, orange, banana, pear, or other piece of portable fruit to eat on-the-go.

• Snack on raw veggies like baby carrots, pepper strips, broccoli, and celery.

• Pick up ready-made salads from the produce shelf for a quick salad anytime.

• Pile spinach leaves, tomatoes, peppers, and onions on your pizza.

• Add strawberries, blueberries, bananas and other brightly colored fruits-fresh, frozen, or canned to your waffles, pancakes, or toast.

• Stash bags of dried fruit in your car and at your desk for a convenient snack.

• Stir fresh or frozen vegetables into your pasta, noodles, or omelet.

• Whip up smoothies made from fresh or frozen berries, ice, and yogurt.

• Jazz up your soups or sauces with a can of kidney beans, peas, corn, or green beans. 

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH 5 A DAY

• Include a serving of fruit in every lunch.

• Encourage your child to choose his or her own fruit when shopping.

• Try serving fruit in a different way - such as with yogurt as a dip.

• Stuff sandwiches with slices of vegetables like bell pepper, tomato, lettuce, carrots, sprouts, or onion.

• Send 100% juice boxes.

Visit the new CDC Fruit and Veggies Matter website