Easy ways to add more fruit to your diet

Consuming fruit is one of the best ways to fuel your body with necessary vitamins, minerals and nutrients, but if you’re like most people, you probably struggle to follow fruit consumption guidelines. You don’t have to beat yourself up about it, though…just change your habits by trying these easy ways to add more fruit to your diet.

It’s Berry Easy

Berries are jam-packed with good-for-you nutrients, plus a lot of fiber to boot! If you find that the berries you buy go bad before you have the chance to eat them, simply throw them in a freezer bag and pop them in the freezer. They’ll stay good for several months, giving you plenty of time to add them to your diet. Take advantage of the following easy berry-delicious snack ideas:

• Thaw berries and throw them in your morning cereal
• Use frozen berries as a healthy yogurt or ice cream topping
• Mix up berries in a smoothie
• Carry a baggie of berries with you as a quick snack
• Thaw berries and toss them in a sweet salad

Keep Fruit “On Call”

You never know when life will interfere with your regular meal schedule, causing you to skip lunch or grab something on-the-go. For those moments when you’re the hungriest, having a piece of fruit in your bag can be a lifesaver. Not only will it take the edge off your hunger, it could also prevent you from eating less-healthy options from the closest vending machine.

Once a week, pick up several pieces of fruit from the store that you can place in easy-to-access locations like your purse, desk drawer or car console. Hard fruits like apples, oranges, grapefruits or pears work best because they will stay fresh longer than softer items like peaches and plums. Whenever you find yourself getting hungry, you’ll always have a piece of fresh fruit within arms length.

Remind Yourself

After you tuck your fruit away in the crisper compartment of your refrigerator, you may simply forget that it’s there. To avoid forgetfulness, ditch the crisper routine altogether and store your fruit prominently in your fridge on the center shelf. Every time you open your fridge the fruit will be the first thing you see, reminding you to eat it. If that doesn’t work, get more creative — leave notes for yourself on the fridge or in your smart phone, set an alarm to go off on your watch or even wear bracelets as a fruit-consumption reminder. Yes, bracelets. Simply place the same number of bracelets or bangles on your left wrist as the number of servings of fruits you want to eat. Every time you eat a serving’s worth of fruit, transfer a single bangle to your right wrist. You’ll have a constant reminder right in front of you, helping you track and monitor your fruit consumption goals.

More on healthy eating

The top 8 fruits for optimal health
7 Diet tips for women to eat healthier at home
7 Diet changes that can save your life